Hiiraan Online

J.A. Rice BostonNOW Correspondent

Thursday, January 24, 2008

The 2001 English High graduate collected some of the fastest 800-meter times in state history before becoming a three-time SEC Champion at the University of Arkansas. Two years ago, he finished eighth in the 1,000-meters at the Boston Indoor Games as a senior at Arkansas. He'll only run the 800-meters Saturday, which is slated for 6:35 p.m.

"Here's a good line: This is my first time ever racing at Reggie Lewis as a pro athlete," Ahmed during a Wednesday morning telephone interview. "It's kind of a dream come true. I always worked hard at Reggie Lewis, that was first track I saw, indoor or outdoors, in my life.

"I cannot be any happier, I don't care if I do good or bad. It's home field advantage, you know, I gotta represent."

Ahmed has only been a pro for about a year, and on Monday he scored a second-place finish in the USA vs. the World Meet in Fresno, Calif., running the mile in 4:05. And of course, Ahmed, is setting his sites on the Olympics.

"Whatever it takes," he said. "I'm ready for it."

Moving to Boston from Somalia in 1995, it never occurred to Ahmed that English High's track - sandwiched between Washington Street and the hulking brick school building in Jamaica Plain - leaves much to be desired.

"I was dedicated, I had a good family behind me, I had good coaches behind me," the 25-year-old said. "It was all hard work. I didn't even look at English High's facilities, what we have, what we didn't have. What I wanted to do was become somebody.

"Boston Public Schools have so much talent, not just me, there's so many more out there. I got to just tell them, keep on going."