Al-Otaibi finished second overall in the 5000 metres at the 1999 Asian Junior Athletics Championships. He ran at his first Olympic competition when he raced in the men's 5000 metres at the 2008 Summer Olympics. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he ran both the 5000 metres and the 10,000 metres. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he ran in the men's 5000 metres.