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Bashir Abdi

Abdi at the 2018 European Athletics Championships
Personal information
Nationality	Belgian
Born	(1989-02-10) 10 February 1989 (age 35) El Afweyn, Somaliland
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	1500 m, 3000 m, 5000 m, 10,000 m, marathon
Club	NN Running Team
Coached by	Gary Lough
Medal record Representing  Belgium Olympic Games 2020 Tokyo Marathon European Championships 2018 Berlin 10,000 metres

Bashir Abdi (born 10 February 1989) is a Somali-born Belgian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. He won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He was also the silver medalist at the 2018 European Athletics Championships in the 10,000 metres event.

Personal life

Abdi was born in El Afweyn, Somaliland and belongs to the Biciide sub-division of the Habr Je'lo Isaaq clan. When he was eight, his family moved to Djibouti. He then spent a year and a half in Ethiopia, before settling in Belgium. There, aged 16, he started training at the Racing Club Gent Athletics, following his brother Ibrahim.

Abdi is married and has a daughter, Kadra, born 2018, and a son Ibrahim; born 2020. He is a co-founder and vice-chairman of the non-profit organization Sportaround, which organizes after-school sports activities for children in Ghent.

Running career

Abdi entered the 10,000 m 2014 European athletics championships with the European leading time set on 4 May.

In May 2015 Abdi qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games Abdi competed in both the men's 5000m and 10000m. He finished 20th in the 10000m final, a race won by Great Britain's Mo Farah.

In 2017 Abdi competed in the London 2017 World Championships in athletics in the men's 5000m, placing 6th in his heat.

In 2018 Abdi made his marathon debut at the Rotterdam Marathon, placing 7th in 2:10:46. The race was won by Kenya's Kenneth Kipkemoi in 2:05:44. In August 2018 Abdi won silver in the 10,000 meters at the 2018 European Athletics Championships. In the Autumn Abdi raced several road races placing 3rd at the Great North Run half marathon in 1:00:42, 4th at the Dam tot Damloop 10 miler in 46:08, 5th in the Nijmegen Zevenheuvelenloop 15km in 43:40 and 3rd at the Heerenberg Montferland Run 15km in 43:40.

In 2019 Abdi was second at the Vitality Big Half Marathon in 1:01:16 in a close finish with race winner Mo Farah and 3rd placer Daniel Wanjiru. Abdi then competed in the 2019 London Marathon, placing 7th in 2:07:03 in a race won by Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge in 2:02:37. In August Abdi was second in the Beach to Beacon 10km in the United States, finishing in 28:35. The race was initially won by Kenya's Alex Korio, however he was disqualified. Jairus Birech came in second. Abdi headed back to Newcastle upon Tyne where he raced the Great North Run half marathon finishing 5th in 1:01:11, the race was won by Great Britain's Mo Farah. In October Abdi ran in the 2019 Chicago Marathon, finishing 5th in 2:06:14, the race was won by Kenya's Lawrence Cherono in 2:05:45 in a sprint finish. Abdi next raced at the Montferland Run 15km placing 5th in 42:29. On New Year's Eve in Spain Abdi won the Nationale – Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana 10km in Madrid in 27:47.

Abdi opened his 2020 racing campaign by winning the Egmond Half Marathon. Abdi then achieved his first marathon podium position by placing 2nd in the 2020 Tokyo Marathon in a new personal best time of 2:04:49. Abdi passed Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma in the closing stages to finish behind the race winner Ethiopia's Birhanu Legese who ran a time of 2:04:15. Abdi returned to the track in September competing at the AG Memorial Van Damme in the one hour race. Abdi ran the majority of the race with Mo Farah, taking the lead and setting a European record at 20000m of 56:20.02. Abdi finished second behind Mo Farah setting a mark of 21322 meters.

In 2021 Abdi was second behind Mo Farah at the Djibouti International Half Marathon in 1:03:11. Abdi then placed second at the European 10000 m Cup in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in a new personal best of 27:24.41. This performance qualified him for the 10000 m event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games; however, at the Olympics he focused on the marathon, winning a bronze medal.

Cross-country running

• 2011: (bronze) Belgian cross-country championship
• 2012: (gold) Belgian cross-country championship
• 2013: (silver) Belgian cross-country championship (10.075 m) – 32.27
• 2013: (gold) Sylvestercross (10.400 m), Soest – 35.02

Personal bests

Outdoor

References

1. ^ Bashir ABDI. worldathletics.org
2. ^ ABDI Bashir.olympics.com
3. "Wiilashii Soomaalida oo guul wayn Yurub uga soo hooyay Maaradoonka Tokyo". BBC News Somali (in Somali). Retrieved 11 August 2021.
4. "Wiilashii Soomaalida oo guul wayn Yurub uga soo hooyay Maaradoonka Tokyo". BBC News Somali (in Somali). Retrieved 11 August 2021.
5. "EK atletiek: Bashir Abdi wordt vijfde in 10 kilometer". Metrotime.be. 13 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
6. Bashir Abdi: ‘Ik heb tot het laatste moment getwijfeld om te.... Standaard.be (17 August 2014). Retrieved on 2021-08-08.
7. "Abdi loopt olympische limiet 10.000 meter". Sporza.be (in Dutch). 3 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
8. NN Marathon Rotterdam 2018. sporthive.com
9. Abdi bezorgt België eerste eremetaal op EK atletiek! – Tranen bij Renée Eykens na val – Drie op drie voor broers Borlée op 400m. hln.be. 7 August 2018
10. Virgin Money London Marathon 2019. Results.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com (28 April 2019). Retrieved on 2021-08-08.
11. Race Results | Granite State Race Services. Gsrs.com (3 August 2019). Retrieved on 2021-08-08.
12. Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Results.chicagomarathon.com. Retrieved on 8 August 2021.
13. Tokyo Marathon 2020. marathon.tokyo

External links

• Bashir Abdi at World Athletics
• Bashir Abdi at Olympics.com
• Bashir Abdi at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)

• Living people
• 1989 births
• Sportspeople from Mogadishu
• Belgian male long-distance runners
• Somalian male long-distance runners
• Belgian male cross country runners
• Somalian male cross country runners
• Belgian male marathon runners
• Somalian male marathon runners
• Somalian emigrants to Belgium
• Olympic athletes of Belgium
• Olympic bronze medalists for Belgium
• Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)
• Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
• Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
• Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
• World Athletics Championships athletes for Belgium
• Black Belgian sportspeople
• Belgian Sunni Muslims
• Somalian Sunni Muslims