Belal Mansoor Ali is a middle distance runner

Middle distance track event

Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...

 now representing Bahrain

Bahrain

' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

 after changing nationality from Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

.

He was born John Yego on October 17, 1988 in Kenya. A lot of controversy has surrounded his age, starting when he won the 1500 metres

1500 metres

The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...

 race at the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakech

Marrakech

Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...

, Morocco

Morocco

Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...

 and became suspected for age cheating. In August 2005 the IAAF opened an investigation regarding Belal Mansoor Ali, Tareq Mubarak Taher

Tareq Mubarak Taher

Tareq Mubarak Taher, born as Dennis Kipkurui Sang , is a middle distance runner who represents Bahrain after changing nationality from Kenya. His special distance is the 3000 metres steeplechase...

 and Aadam Ismaeel Khamis

Aadam Ismaeel Khamis

Aadam Ismaeel Khamis is a long-distance runner now representing Bahrain after his switch from Kenya.According to Bahraini officials, he was born Hosea Kosgei on 12 February 1989 in Kenya. Like fellow Bahraini runners Belal Mansoor Ali and Tareq Mubarak Taher, his age is surrounded by controversy...

, all Bahraini athletes born in Kenya.

The same month Ali was competed at the 2005 World Championships

2005 World Championships in Athletics

The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...

. His most successful event was the 800 metres

800 metres

The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...

, where he placed seventh in the final. In June he had set a personal best time over 800 metres of 1:44.34 minutes in Conegliano

Conegliano

Conegliano is a town and comune of the Veneto region, Italy, in the province of Treviso, about north by rail from the town of Treviso. The population of the city is of around 36,000 people. The remains of a castle that was built in the 10th century remain on a nearby hill...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. That time still stands as the World Youth best, equivalent with the World Record for under age 18.

In July 2006 Ali was arrested in Kenya, suspected for age cheating at the 2005 World Youth Championships. The IAAF Council, gathered in Beijing while the 2006 World Junior Championships

2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics

The 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2006 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held from 15 August to 20 August at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China....

 took place, reported the slow progression of the case. A few days before, Ali had actually won a World Junior bronze medal over 1500 metres and finished seventh over 800 metres on the track. In late 2006 Ali was cleared of all charges, and in December he won a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games

Athletics at the 2006 Asian Games

An Athletics competition was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 7 to December 12. Twenty-three events were contested for the men while 22 were on the slate for the women. Only the 3000 Meter Steeplechase was not contested for by the women...

. In November of 2010 he won the bronze medal at the Asian Games.

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