by Don Redmond
Monday July 5, 2021
While St Catharines distance runner Mohammed Ahmed was originally named to the Canadian team as a 10000M competitor at the upcoming Toyko Olympics, he’ll now double his opportunity of hitting the podium, being recently added in the 5000M event.
When the Olympics, originally slated for 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, begin on July 23, Team Canada will have a much better shot at a medal as Ahmed has been highly successful at both events in the recent past.
While the 30-year-old runner has never medalled at the Olympics, he came very close, finishing fourth in the 10000M at the 2016 Rio Olympics and missing the podium by just 1.5 seconds.
However, Ahmed, who came to St Catharines from Somalia with his parents at the age of 11, did collect the bronze at the 2019 World Athletic Championship in Doha, Qatar for the 5000M, making him the first-ever Canadian to medal in the event.
He also won silvers for both the 5000M and 10000M races at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, held in Gold Coast, Australia. That same year, he was nominated for Sports Person of the Year at the International Somali Awards.
Ahmed also struck gold for 10000M at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
During an exceptional athletic career at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ahmed collected 11 NCAA All-American awards in track and cross country, scoring him an Olympic berth in the 10000M at the 2012 London Olympic Games.