Wednesday April 17, 2024
Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama warmly welcomes national hero Abdullahi Jama Mohamed in his Mogadishu office. Mohamed won a historic silver medal in the 5000m at the African Games. CREDIT/ SONNA
Mogadishu (HOL) — Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama welcomed home a national hero, Abdullahi Jama Mohamed, at his office in Mogadishu on Thursday. Mohamed, a track athlete, recently secured a silver medal at the African Games, marking Somalia's first podium finish in over three decades.
On March 22, 2024, in Accra, Ghana, Mohamed clinched second place in the 5000-meter race at the 13th African Games. He finished with a remarkable time of 13:38.64, just fractions of a second behind Ethiopia's Gebrhiwet Berhe, who won the gold. Mohamed's performance shattered a 35-year medal drought for Somalia on the global stage.
Deputy Prime Minister Jama praised Mohamed for his extraordinary commitment to his sport and country. "Abdullahi's perseverance and spirit serve as a beacon of hope for Somali youth. He exemplifies that success is within reach despite formidable obstacles," Jama remarked. He expressed confidence that Mohamed's achievements would inspire other young Somalis to strive for excellence.
The meeting reportedly highlighted the Somali government's initiatives to foster sports development and construct the necessary infrastructure to support athletes. The efforts aim to provide Somali youth with the resources and international exposure needed to compete at high levels.
Abdullahi Jama Mohamed's personal challenges underscore the pressing need for these improvements. It came to light that Mohamed had faced significant challenges in his journey to the African Games, including funding his own travel due to financial constraints faced by the Somalia Athletics Federation.
The gap between policy and practice highlights the importance of accelerating and expanding support to ensure that Somali athletes can fully benefit from the opportunities provided on the international stage.