UAE sprinter tops World Athletics’ Under-18 400m hurdles rankings

UAE National Team sprinter Maryam Karim ranked first in World Athletics' (WA) Under-18 400m hurdles list for August 2025, with a best time of 57.66 seconds.

Karim outperformed Kristie Lubenberg of South Africa (57.91s), Natasia Fletcher of Jamaica (57.92s), Mina Herzburner of Switzerland (58.11s), and Yuna Ksoda of Japan (58.72s).

The UAE Athletics Federation said that the announcement of Karim’s world-leading position came in the latest rankings issued by World Athletics, where she surpassed athletes from several countries.

“This achievement reflects the success of its strategy in discovering talent and building a base of athletes capable of competing in global championships,” the statement added.

The Federation also explained that Maryam Karim has achieved remarkable international results and strong performances in regional and continental championships over the past two years. Highlights include her gold medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2025 Arab Championships in Tunisia, two gold medals at the 2025 Asian Junior Championships in Saudi Arabia, and the Best Asian Female Athlete Under-18 Award in 2024.