International Championships
Four-time Olympian (’00, ’04, ’08, ‘12)
USA Championships
Four-time USA 10,000m champion – 2001 (28:23.82); 2005 (28:10.38); 2007 (28:13.51); 2008 (27:41.11)
2007 USA 10 km road champion (28:12)
2012 USA Half-Marathon champion (1:02:46)
Two-time USA 10,000m runner-up – 2002 (27:42.83); 2004 (27:55.00)
USA 10-mile champion – 2005 (23:35); 2009 (46:35)
Third at 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon (2:09.47)
Collegiate Championships
1998 PAC-10 5,000m champion (14:01.01)
1998 PAC-10 10,000m champion (28:36.16)
1999 PAC-10 5,000m champion (14:00.80)
Awards and Honors
2012 RRCA Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee
1998 PAC-10 Cross Country Athlete of the Year
About Abdi
Since becoming a United States citizen on January 28, 2000, Abdi Abdirahman went on a tear that has included four straight appearances in the Olympic Games. Known as “The Black Cactus,” Abdirahman attended Jhameyasin Carte High School in Mogadishu, Somalia, before coming to the United States. From 1996-97, he attended Pima Community College in Tucson, where he was a two-time Arizona state junior college champion. After heading to the University of Arizona, he won his first two collegiate races, the Jammin’ Invitational (24:28), and the Aztec Invitational (25:28). He had a strong showing at the 1998 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Lawrence, Kan., finishing second. He went on to major in retail consumer studies at Arizona. His full given first name is Abdihakim.
Results
2013: 3rd at USA 20 km (1:00:21); 8th at USA 10 km (28:33); 6th at USA Half Marathon (1:02:57)
2012: USA Half-Marathon champion (1:02:46); Did not finish Olympic marathon; 5th at Healthy Kidney Health 10 km (28:56); 3rd at Olympic Trials Marathon (2:09:47).
2011: USA 20 km champion (1:00:12); Sixth at USA 10 Mile Championships (47:00)
2010: 6th at Healthy Kidney Health 10 km (28:35); best of 28:35.
2009: 8th in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:35.79); 9th at ING New York City Marathon (2:14.00); 4th at Heusden (13:26.27); U.S. 10 km road champ (28:11); USA 10 Mile champ (46:35).
2008: 15th at Olympic Games (27:52.53); Olympic Trials 10,000m champion (27:41.11); 7th in 10,000m at Nike Prefontaine Classic (27:16.99 U.S. Leader); 6th at NYC Marathon (2:14:17).
2007: USA Outdoor champion 10,000m (28:13.51); 7th at World Outdoors (27:56.62); DNF at Olympic Trials Marathon; USA Men’s 10km road champion (28:12); 13th at Hengelo (27:31.46).
2006: 4th at Chicago Marathon (2:08:56PR); 7th at Hengelo (27:22.81PR-U.S. Leader); runner-up at Philadelphia Half-Marathon (61:07PR-U.S. Leader); 5th at adidas Track Classic (8:29.26); 10th at London Grand Prix (13:18.89).
2005: 1st in 10,000m at USA Outdoor Championships (28:10.38); 13th at World Outdoors (27:52.01); 5th at NYC Marathon (2:11:24PR); USA Men's 10-Mile champion (23:35); 9th at Hengelo (27:33.47).
2004: 15th at Olympic Games (28:26.26); Olympic Trials runner-up 10,000m (27:55.00); 14th at New York City Marathon (2:17:09); 5th at USA Cross Country 12 km (35:37); 9th in 5000m at Nike Prefontaine Classic (13:38.76); 4th at Stanford (10 km, 27:34.24); runner-up at USA 15 km Championship (43:21).
2003: 5th in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:07.20); 7th in 5,000m at USA Outdoors (13:43.81) 5th at USA Cross Country 12 km (39:36); 35th at World XC Champs 12 km (38:54); 4th at Mt. Sac 5,000m (13:40); 4th at Cardinal Invitational (Palo Alto) 10,000m (27:52.24).
2002: Runner-up at USA Outdoors 10,000m (27:42.83); runner-up at USA Winter XC Champs (35:45); runner-up at USATF 15km champs at Gate River Run (43:29); 4th at Oracle U.S. Open 5km (13:36.63).
2001: 1st in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:23.82); 19th at World Outdoor Champs (28:34.38); 3rd at U.S. Winter XC Nationals (35:26); 15th at IAAF World XC Championships (40:54); 5th at 2001 Goodwill Games (28:08.02); ran 5,000m PR of 13:19.85.
2000: 3rd in 10,000m (28:19.08) at Olympic Trials; 10th in 10,000m at 2000 Olympics (27:46.17); became U.S. citizen on January 28; 6th in long course race at USA cross country champs; 45th in long course race at World Cross Country Champs; ran a PR 13:37.01 in 5,000.
1999: Third at USA Outdoor Championships setting new PR of 28:28.26; was later disqualified when it was discovered he was not a U.S. citizen; ninth in the 5000 meters (14:14.15), and sixth in the 10,000 meters (29:34.03) at NCAA Outdoor Championships.
1998: Won the 5000 and 10,000 meters at the Pac-10 Championships; second in the 5000m and sixth in the 10,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
USA/World Rankings and Personal Bests
2010: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 28:35
2009: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:26.27 (No. 11 in the USA); 10,000m, 28:35.79; Marathon, 2:14:00 (No. 7 in the USA)
2008: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:16.99 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 21 in the world); Marathon, 2:14:17 (No. 4 in the USA); Ranked #3 in the U.S. in the marathon and #9 in the USA in the 5,000m by Track & Field News.
2007: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:31.46 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 33 in the world); Ranked #1 in the USA at 10,000m by T&FN.
2006: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, (No. 5 in the USA); 10,000m, 27:22.81 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 16 in the world); Marathon, 2:08:56 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 35 in the world); Half Marathon, 61.07 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 27 in the world)
2005: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:33.47 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 26 in the world); Marathon, 2:11:24 (No. 2 in the USA)
2004: Outdoor bests – 10k, 27:34.24; 5,000m, 13:30.85 (No. 7 in the USA); Marathon, 2:17:09 (No. 18 in the USA)
2003: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:23.25 (No. 3 in the USA); 10,000m, 27:52.24 (No. 3 in the USA, No. 39 in the world)
2002: Outdoor bests – 5km, 13:36.63; 10,000m, 27:42.83 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 22 in the world)
2001: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:19.85; 10,000m, 28:01.02
2000: Outdoor bests – 5,000m , 13:37.01
1999: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 28:28.26
1998: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:40.61; 10,000m, 28:36.13