All Things Somali
Friday August 19, 2016
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – A Somali proverb says “live long enough and you will see strange things.”
The Rio Olympics have featured the most Somali-born athletes EVER. Nearly all of these Somali athletes competing have been representing countries other than Somalia. The 5,000m has featured two North Americans, two Europeans, and one African athelete representing Somalia.
Nevertheless on Saturday 12th August, 2016 we were lucky to witness a historic event as FIVE Somalis competed in the 5,000m Heat qaulifier. Now three of them will be competing for gold tommorow in the mens 5,000m final.
1: Mohamed Muktar Jama known as “Mo” Farah (Britain)
Mo Farah is a Somali British distance runner. Mo Farah won GOLD for both the 10,000m and 5,000m in the London 2012 games. He has already defended one of his titiles in the men’s 10,000m by winning a GOLD medal in Rio. He is now widely considered as one of the greatest British athletes ever. Mo is the favorite to win the 5,000m tomorrow, if he does it will make him the FIRST British runner EVER to win 4 Gold medals in two consecutive Olympics.
2: Hassan Mead (United States) Hassan is a Somali-American long-distance runner. He was a cross country and track athlete for the University of Minnesota, He's accomplished an eight-time All-American in his Minnesota career, four in cross country and five in track. Hassan fell in the heat qualification and was very fortunate to have won his appeal to compete in the final. When Hassan Mead fell, Mo Farah almost went down with him as well. Mead will now be running in the final tomorrow alongside Mo Farah and Mohamed Ahmed for the 5,000m.
3: Mohammed Ahmed (Canada)
Mohammaed is a Canadian long-distance runner who already competed in the 10,000m races at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. Mohamed also competed alongside Bashir Abdi and Mo Farah in the 10,000m last week. He ran last Saturday in the heat and managed to qaulfiy, he will now run alongside Farah and Mead in tomorrow's final for the 5,000m gold.
4: Bashir Abdi (Belgium)
Bashir is a Somali Belgian athlete who specializes in cross-country and middle and long-distance track running. He already competed the 10,000m at Rio alongside Mo Farah and Mohamed Ahmed. Unfortuntaley Bashir failed to qualify to compete for tomorrow’s 5,000m final.
5: Mohamed Mohamed (Somalia)
Mohammed is the only one of the five runners representing Somalia at the Rio Olympics. Mohamed run the qualifiers for the 5000m and did not qualify to compete in the final tomorrow. Mohamed is one of two Olympians Somalia sent to the games this year
Written by All Things Somali, a digital platform that archives Somali progress and positivity worldwide.