Athletics

Somali-born athlete Abdihamid Nur makes USA Olympics team

Abdihamid Nur celebrates after finishing second at the US trials (C) Courtesy

By Michael Kirwa | Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Having finished 11th and 12th respectively in two World Athletics Championships, Nur will be looking to improve his performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Somali-born athlete Abdihamid Nur has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Team after finishing second in the men's 5 000 metres with a time of 13:09.01 at the 2024 Team USA Olympic Trials held on Sunday at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon State.

Nur's performance was a significant improvement on the time he posted in the first round of qualifying, a race he completed in 13:24.14.

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Before confirming his place, Nur engaged in an entertaining duel with Grant Fisher, who won the race with a meet record of 13:08.85.

The duo broke away from the rest with four laps to go and exchanged the lead several times before Fisher surged past Nur in the final stretch to win the race.

At the moment the two will be Team USA's only representatives in the 5 000 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as, Parker Wolfe, who finished third in 13:10.75, will still have to negotiate more qualifying hurdles based on world rankings to seal a spot.

Epic finish between Grant Fisher and Abdihamid Nur.

Intense one between Parker Wolfe and Graham Blanks for the third and final spot. pic.twitter.com/1FLIiSUfwy
— Chris Chavez (@ChrisChavez) July 1, 2024

Until Wolfe's qualification is confirmed, Fisher and Nur will be tasked with ensuring that USA gets a medal in the 5 000 metres for the third consecutive Olympic Games.

Kenyan-born Paul Chelimo, who won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, ensured that USA had a place on the medal winners' podium at the last two Olympic Games.

Other American Olympic medallists in the 5 000 metres are: Ralph Hill (silver at Los Angeles 1932), Bob Schul (gold at Tokyo 1964), and Bill Dellinger (bronze at Tokyo 1964).

Nur was born in Mogadishu on October 14, 1998. His family emigrated to Kenya briefly before moving to Egypt when Nur was four years old. Nur's family later relocated to the USA in 2006, first living in New Mexico, before moving to Minnesota, and later settling in Phoenix, Arizona, where Nur nurtured his athletics talent as High School student at North High School and later at the Northern Arizona University.

At Northern Arizona University, Nur featured in the NCAA Championships winning several races across the 1 500 metres, 3 000 metres, and 5 000 metres.

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will be the first of Nur's career.

However, that does not mean he lacks international experience as he has represented USA in the 5 000 metres at the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Eugene and Budapest respectively.