Bahraini quarter-miler Salwa Eid Naser has downplayed any talk of complex strategy ahead of the women’s 400m at the Paris Diamond League on Friday, June 20, insisting her focus is purely on competing with heart and mental strength.
Speaking during the press conference, the 2019 world champion made it clear that mental readiness outweighs tactics in her approach.
“You don’t always know what you’ll do to win… I’m just going there to try and win it,” she said. “I’ve been training very hard before this competition. I want to win, yes, but you know, it’s a race. You can win or maybe you lose. It’s all mental.”
Stacked 400m
Naser will face a high-quality field that includes Olympic champion and current world leader Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, who leads the world with a 48.17 this season.
She’ll also be up against America’s Isabella Whittaker, who is undefeated this year with a best of 49.58, and Britain’s Amber Anning, the 2024 World Indoor champion who has been consistent around the 49-second mark.
Also in the mix is U.S. standout Lynna Irby-Jackson with a season’s best of 49.80, Dutch national record-holder Lieke Klaver, France’s Amandine Brossier who comes in with a 50.43 SB, and Chilean record-holder Martina Weil.
However, when asked about the threat posed by Paulino, Salwa Eid Naser gave credit but stayed grounded.
“She’s a good athlete… she has a strong finish, she’s in good shape,” she said. “But like I said, it’s a race.”
She added; “You don’t always know the tactics—you just go for it… It’s all about the mind.”
