Bartamaha (Dubai):- Somalia athletics coach Jama Mahmoud Aden and Sudan’s Athletic Federation have stole the limelight in the prize-giving ceremony of the second edition of the Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award.
The ceremony was held at the Buruj Khalifa and attended by Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
The function was also attended by Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Aviation Authority and Emirates Group; Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development; Shaikh Marwan bin Rashid Al Mualla, Chairman of the Emirates Motor Sports Federation; Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Deputy Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, and a number of senior officials and top sports personalities.
This award is considered to be the first of its kind in the field of sports locally, regionally and internationally.
It reflects the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to uplift sports and athletes through a solid base of principles that Shaikh Mohammed emphasises on and supports.
The award emphasises on the vital role of Dubai Sports Council in supporting sports activities locally, regionally and internationally through the appreciation of creative athletes and their efforts.
In an address to the audience, Ahmed Al Sharif, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, highlighted the prominence of the award as it carries the name of Shaikh Mohammed.
His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, bagged the sports personality of the UAE in recognition of his consistent support for sports and culture. Shaikh Maktoum presented the award to Shaikh Esaam bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Sports Council, on behalf of the winner.
The Arab sports personality was presented to Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, son of Emir of Qatar.
Naima Al Sabah of Kuwait won the Arab woman sport personality award.
Shaikh Maktoum honoured 18 winners during the ceremony.
Aden gets awardJamie, who was named the top athletic trainer in the world and Sudan’s athletic association for which he’s working are operating under extremely difficult conditions to make something out of nothing.
The country’s only athletics venue appears more a potential cause of injury than a training ground for champions. Sudan’s year-round hot conditions — 85-plus degrees Fahrenheit and bright sunshine for eight or nine months of the year encourage little training and competition in this part of Africa.
Despite this cloud of negativity, Sudan is making a name for itself in the world of middle-distance running. Thanks largely to a never-say-die approach by Somali-born national team coach Jama Aden, the country now has an Olympic silver medalist and a world indoor champion to call its own.
Born and raised in Somalia, 46-year-old Aden had a decent running career, representing his country in the 1983 world championships and the Los Angeles Olympics a year later. Though his biggest athletic achievement was a mile best of 3:56.82 in the ‘80s, Aden used his track scholarship at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey and his Masters degree in exercise physiology from George Mason University to start a career in coaching.
Aden decided to move to Sudan in 2001 to start a new challenge there. Siddiq Ebrahim, secretary general of the Sudan Athletics Federation, said they have welcomed the move and they have decided to begin from the beginning with their very limited resources, if any.
Sudan had some interesting athletes in the ‘70s and ‘80s without any big success. And success did come and Sudan athletes became one of the dominant forces in middle-distance running.
In 2003, Nagmeldin Ali Abubaker won the world youth 400m title in Sherbrooke, Canada, to open the floodgates. Four years later in Algiers, Sudan forced the African continent to stand up and take notice when Muna Jabir (women’s 400m hurdles) and Abubaker Kaki (men’s 800m) won gold at the All-Africa Games.
And in 2008, Kaki marked out an impressive senior year with world indoor 800m, world junior indoor 1,000m, and world junior outdoor 800m records in the space of two months. Then, at the Beijing Olympics, Ishmail Ahmed Ishmail surprised many by winning silver in the men’s 800m final just a few strides behind the experienced Kenyan Wilfred Bungei.
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Source:- Khaleej Times
Dubai honours them but for the picture they have to stand behind?!
if they are honoured just tell me why they stand at the back?
your are typical somalian with narrow mind, ignoring that don’t like no body from his people to move up, or achieve somthing no wondering why you guys still fighting having said that
Dubia sports hononored lot poeple and they are one of those people who been honorred it doesn’t mather if they are infront rol or back
open you mind and stop bring idea from your ess because it doen’t make sense
Those who’ve been honored are at the backside! Its very shameful culture. It potrays the unacceptable behaviours of those arabs.
Had not been the comment of the person b4 me i could’nt be able to see the honored ones. Its rely very very shame , they cud have been shown the right or left corner of the front row.
Uf iyo nacalad dhaqan kula foolxumaaday qamiis weyne!