Sport
Somalia: Zamzam Mohamed Farah makes nation proud
August 3, 2012 · 54 Comments
LONDON — Zamzam Mohamed Farah, one of only two athletes representing Somalia on the track in London, finished her heat almost 27 seconds behind the closest contender on Friday.
It took her 1 minute, 20.48 seconds to finish the women’s 400-metres first heat.
The race was never about winning for the runner from war-weary Somalia, she came out only to deliver a message to the world. She was in London to remind everyone – including the Somalis – that Somalia was still alive despite the two decades of anarchy.
The 18-year-old athlete came out to defeat bigger contenders than the US Francena Mccorory, who crossed the line first at 50.78 seconds, and Great Britain’s Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu (50.80 seconds). Zamzam had to defy Al-Qaeda linked al Shabab insurgents orders to be in London.
She had to overcome many obstacles just to finish last even in these games including the lose of Somalia’s Olympic Committee president, Aden Yabarow Wiish, who was killed in April in a bomb that exploded in the national theatre.
She left the track with high sense of pride knowing in the backs of her mind, she did not let down her struggling nation and people.
She walked out feeling of accomplishing something, waving at crowd joyfully.
Somali athletes still lack the resources needed to compete with their competitors. Diet, equipment and facilities remain some of the biggest hardships faced by Somali athletes even after al Shabab were ousted a year ago.
Zamzam is one of only two Somali athletes in the London 2012 Games.
| Participants |
React. |
Result |
| 1 | Q | Francena Mccorory | 0.299 |
50.78 |
| 2 | Q | Christine Ohuruogu | 0.282 |
50.80 |
| 3 | Q | Joy Nakhumicha Sakari | 0.2 |
51.85 |
| 4 | Joanne Cuddihy | 0.175 |
52.09 |
|
| 5 | Geisa Aparecida Coutinho | 0.187 |
53.43 |
|
| 6 | Marina Maslenko | 0.192 |
53.66 |
|
| 7 | Zamzam Mohamed Farah | 0.405 |
1:20.48 |
Somalilandpress
August 3, 2012
Follow @somalilandpressTags: London 2012, Olympic Games, Somalia, Zamzam Mohamed
Somaliland
Somaliland: EARTH University Visits Abaarso School
EARTH University, a leader in agricultural education and a MasterCard Foundation Scholars partner, sent a representative to visit Abaarso School and interview 6 of its ...
Somaliland:Press conference by Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General
A senior United Nations (UN) official today stressed the need for widespread support from the international community for the new Somali Government to help it ...
Nordic Somali Youth Summit
THE NORDIC SOMALI YOUTH SUMMIT 2013 TO BE HELD IN STOCKHOLM JUNE 7 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (May 10, 2013) — The Nordic Somali Youth Summit (NSYS) ...
Somaliland:We reiterate the importance of addressing the political independence of Somaliland- President Silanyo
In response to the International Somalia Conference final communiqué President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo said: “We are pleased that the Somalia Conference agreed continued partnership ...
Somaliland:Improving the country’s infrastructure
“Through better access to basic physical, Social services, health care, and education are the pillars to meet basic needs” by Omer Mohamed Jama Somaliland ...
Your Say
University of Hargeisa: The Old Chapter and The New Chapter
UNIVERSITY OF HARGEISA: THE OLD CHAPTER AND THE NEW CHAPTER! “Keen to learn, motivated to help, and eager to be recognized as important contributor to ...
- Negotiating peace in Somalia – an insight from Somaliland
- Somaliland: The Role of Educators in Developing Somaliland using cultivation of knowledge strategy
- Africa is riskiest place to be born, report says
- Somaliland Is At Cross Roads: Flight from Defunct Union
- Somaliland:Recognize Somaliland (New Song by Bigg Nass)
- SOMALILANDERS DESERVE TO CELEBRATE AND BE PROUD
- Somaliland:Unionists’ campaign against Somaliland
- Somaliland:Why hundreds of Somaliland youth dying in Sahara desert???
- Somaliland: Historical Decline of Somaliland Agriculture
- Somaliland: TO SOMALILANDERS: THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU LEAP
Somaliland: New Prefix Numbers for Somaliland; pitfalls and banana skins
You will have seen the public awareness campaign from Telesom that it will soon be rolling out a new prefix numbering range for its mobile ...
Somaliland: Early civilizations of Zeila, Bulahar, Odweyne, Adel!,
In 1548 CE, the port city of Zeila whic is related to Adel, Bulhar, Odweyne under the administrations of chief Sharmake, was annexed by the ...
Sport
Somaliland:TELESOM Adds New Prefix Numbers for Mobile Phones in Accordance with ITU Recommendation’s
By Goth Mohamed Goth TELESOM one of the largest and leading Telecommunication provider in Somaliland has issued a press release informing its esteemed customers of ...
Britain’s Farah eyes Marathon record
Olympic champion Mo Farah has set his sights on adding to his growing collection of British long-distance records when he makes his full London Marathon ...
Farah had ‘no doubts’ about running marathon
British Olympic star Mo Farah claimed on Thursday that he never considered pulling out of the London Marathon despite the fatal bomb attacks in the ...
Somaliland:National Youth Football Tournament is once again postponed for the Third Time
The Somaliland Minister of Sports, Youth &tourism Hon Ali Said Raygal has announced yet postponement of the national youth tournament which was scheduled to kick-off ...
Somali football leagues complete season unmarred by violence
The Somali Football Federation (SFF) celebrated on Friday (December 14th) the conclusion of a local league season unmarred by violence, Somalia’s Radio Risaala reported. “This ...
Congratulations to Zamzam for even making to the event but it appears to me the so called Somali Olympic Committee is rather one racist, one tribal entity. They could have found better athletes in peaceful Somali regions like Somaliland and Puntland. I am sure.
They turned the whole thing into political and the Somali people must pass forward their complaints to the Olympic Committee.
Somalia has better runners than the two currently in London. I have seen the regional games in Somaliland and Puntland record better times than this.
It is shame that the Somali Committee became Tribal Committee. It is also disappointing to see them say that Somaliland is part of the country but they won't name athletes from that region.
Everyone feels sorry for her but the corruption, nepotism, tribalism at the top is what brought the Somali game to its knees more than the crazy al Shababs and civil war.
There are peaceful regions in Somalia, Somalia is not only the five bullet ridden suburbs of Mogadishu. Totally disgusting.
@kayse.
The reason not selected athletes from somaliland and Puntland is if They won any olympic madel They may run around in The stiduam Their own liitle regional flags.so somali olympic committee mr fiidow & taxoow decided not to take That risky chance(kkk it’s JOKE mate).
I don’t Think These two athletes in The olympic have any real talent as a runners.most good runners in somalia usually hail from notthern,north east,central.mogadishu and beyond produces good athletes in area football,basketball,boxing.
before next olympic 2016 somali olympic committee should be dismantel reshuffle.The new committee must come from every part of somalia Atleast twenty member strong.to qualified to become olympic committee The person must have one of This, good athletec background with proven record,ex coach with good success record,physical education degree.
Lmaooooo Somalis are a joke, these two so-called Somali Olympians need protein more than anything else, If anyone is hungry to see the Somali Flag, I say Google it. how can u be settle and be satisfied by just seeing a flag somwhere..hahaha as long as we see ourselves as victims and use Alshabab as an excuse we always be at the bottom.
don't get me started on so called Olympic Committee….money hungry freaks. Not only did they not train them properly they didn't even train them in the UK, instead the committee were organising parties all around London for them and wasting time taking pictures off them outside the Olympic village…I'm sure if they were serous about this game there are better runners in Sourth, North and Central regions.
anyway I'll be cheering up for Mo Farah and Great Britain.
Nicely said Miss Khaatumo,
I couldn't have agreed more. The so called Somali Olympic Committee is not only tribal gangs but also one of the most corrupted organizations in Somalia. If they truly cared about winning they would find real athletes across Somalia instead of using al Shabaab BS and two maskeen people from Mogadishu.
Somalia is not only Mogadishu and there are hundreds of track and fields that they could have trained that al Shabaab doesn't control.
This is BS and unacceptable.
More like Xamar Jajab committee of corruption, bunch of losers. I am glad they were humiliated in front of the world.
These athletes competing in the games come from all regions of their respective countries not the capital and its few suburbs.
This is the problem with southern Somalis and I believe Puntland and Somaliland should form a union and request immediate changes to this kind of mentality.
It is more shocking the Olympic Committee endorses this tribal gang and makes Somalia only one war torn town.
I feel sorry for Zamzam and Mohamed who were used by the tribal committee in Mogadishu to get grants from the international committee and as political tool.
They simply Banadir runners, nothing more. I would be happy if they were taken to peaceful regions to train but this al shabaab this that is just lame. It became like Somaliland's Siad Bare cry.
wallahi this was one of the most embarrassing moments for me personally as i have friends whoa re not somali who were literary laughing. why are the haw!ye people always hell-bent on embarrassing Somalis. only an idiot would think this was a good thing. i am so ashamed to be from this disgusting place and i hope to change my name and claim I am from another nationality. what is the point in sending out two very unexperienced and oblivious people to a world stage. this animatistic nation continues to embarrass itself, what a big joke. un fortunatly these subhumans are preseved to be somalis instead of animals and are linked to the iss@qs
kooon.
is@@qs have nothing nothing to afford accept winching uncontrollable human emotion.
So hostile man, its Ramadhan for God's sake. Nobody would care if u disown your own heritage, go ahead. Whether you like it or not, you are who you are, and independence won't ever change that. This is the problem with you landers, in order to have progressive talks towards independence, why must your justifications always be in reference to supposed 'animal' tendencies of the South? so disgusting….
zoomalia
She is ugly like the rest of them SL haters. There is a reason why well proportioned pretty people make the best athletes, but Zoopeople do everything upside down.
Kayse and this Khaatumo were cursing people here when we warned you of the duplicitous and insincerity of such people who use the titles "Somali" whether it be for the Olympics or FIFA events. It is too late to complain now because you lost your self worth while you too busy on SL.
Let’s not get personal here mr jackaroo.i know quite a lot of somalilander or is@@q look like silverback gorilla.
The two olympian athletec They are just participating This event, because international olympic committee ask The TFG to send couple of athletecs in goodwill gesture.
Everybody knows somalia does not have at The moment well train athletecs,i don’t see what is This all fuss about.dilusionist need to get The facts first.
Why would u call her ugly, I am a Somalilander and disagree with what you have just said. The problem with out people is we never know when to leave the politics at the door and we can never say anything nice about fellow somalis in the south.
Yes we do have sl haters but to stoop their low level would not be right either
To be fair, these two runners have committed no crime, they were told that they could run and they tried their best. The problem sits with those who alluded that they could run, these are the people who brought shame to the somali name. People were cheering for Abdi Bille for years, but we just found out that he is a show off and nothing else, how come he did not share some of the experience he claims to own with the shameful committee and the two runners. Please spare me the empty United Somalia slogan and stop bringing shame to the bloody Somali name time and time again.
Somaliland has produced one of the best athletics couch, Jama Karaacin and runners like MO Farah and Somaliland flag does not need a shameful waloweeyn running around with its flag – Why would Somaliland need this when it has MO Farah to do this with pride and dignity?
To train Athletes first it needs a lot of time effort resources you can’t Produce good athletes overnight.
Abdi bille he’s not memeber of This yaaqshiid committee,put he did run for somalia in civil war years he could choice Those days run for U.S decided not to.
The question is why Mo Farah not run for somaliland if he’s real somalilouder? The answer is obvious who wants run for unknown unheard place.
@warfaa
i am suprised that you can talk after that shocking preformance by your so-called athlets. the somali name has been shamed by couple of ugly haw!ye animals.
If haw*ye are animal Than your double animal cuz haw*ye They related to is@q.kkkkk.
Don't listen to that kid he doesn't know anything. Isaac, a Dir and Hawiye are brothers. He still thinks he is some holy Arab Sheikh, maybe a suicide bomber :)
didn't you see mo farah making heart signs with Prime minister cameron? he did it for the UK, his home country, not somaliland, stop begging it. stop living vicariously through the achievement of others and do something with yourself other than hating
Some of the comments here are unbelievable lol
Anyhow I say well done to Zamzam for her courage to play for her country proudly and patriotically and I really feel sorry for her, she was put in that position and maybe while fasting. But Somalis became careless bila dhiig and they certainly don't care about Somalia. All they needed to do was to find a potential runner and shape them with extensive training and with the right amount of protein and nutrition making sure they meet the requirement and criteria of Olympic runners. If Somalia don't have competitive mind and patriotism, how do they expect to reach anywhere in life (No wonder why they are in this state)
A chines athlete cried in world stage; when asked why are you crying? He said I disgraced my motherland…..because I won a silver (instead of gold)
Aiming high is what Somalis need
If you put your mind and heart to it anything is possible. The search for next Olympic runner should start now.
Zamzam and Mohamed have nothing to do with this. They are just two innocent Somali athletes used by the corrupted and tribalistic one-suburb committee some called Somali Olympic Committee.
The international community has right to know the truth. If Yabarow and the current president did care about Somali athletes, there are countless venues to develop the game everything isn't the old military stadium in Mogadishu.
I can assure you that athletes from north Somalia can clock in much faster times than this.
This is what happens when tribal leaders spoil everything for everyone. More amazing to me is until now the OC has not even questioned them why the game has not been promoted in other parts of the country where athletes can train without al shabab or war.
Kayse,
Somalia's world revolves around bullet ridden Mogadishu only. It's not the athlete's fault walahi Somali Olympic Committee let them down and the whole of Somalia dhiig male, just corrupted (I'm sure they know what the requirements are for the Olympic). Zamzam had the spirit and you can see her deep love for her country walahi but she had neither the proper training nor the body force. I would suggest her to continue with her sport and maybe train to be long distance runner instead.
2016 Olympic, I hope Somaliland gets included. I'm sure we can find good athletes that show the world what Somaliland is and to represent good image for the Somali name. Both Somaliland and Somalia represent the Somali people
Warfa,
The reason MO Farah did not run for Somaliland is because of the enviousness of Somalia people and their hatred of Somaliland its people. But to correct you, Mo Farah did display Somaliland flag after winning and expressed his pride of being from Somaliland unlike Mr. Bille, who is suffering of identity crisis.
Just wait until Somaliland is recognized and I assure everybody contrary to Somalia people, we will bring dignity to the Somali name.
He first won a scholarship from the Siyadist regime to go to USA on the tribal card. Having been weak academically, he took to the track running 400m and saw an opportunity to become an athlete representing Somalia than USA since he stood a chance to go and represent Somalia than USA with many competitive athletes.
He was no good at the 400m, but could get by in the middle distances. That is why he was fast in the last stage during the year he won the championship cos he trained himself for endurance and kicked in his experience of running 400m in the last lap.
So it was by luck and D-Block early start initiative, and nothing to do with dedication. Hence the ignorance because of the "easy come easy go" demeanor.
Atleast Abdi bille well known figure world Athletes.
yusuf.
First of all Mo Farah never wave somaliland regional flag in any event what so ever.he is british national & represent britain.
Second,mr Bille he does not have identity crisis if he has he would not carry somali flag in national events.
Third,recognition not in sight.olympic games are not just running 400-1500-5000-10,000 meters.other sports included too.
Last put not least if you know somali sports history in 70′s The best 10,000m and marathon runner his name was mr WARABE ALI somali national not from north put south west well known in The olympic arena won Three times in both events.
sad dar00ds your people are ugly and worthless
Corrections for Warfa,
check your facts please , MO Farah waved the Somaliland flag after wining in London. If its Warabe Tawaahi you talking, this guy was born in Aden and was originally from Burao, Somaliland. Let us not talk cheap, all Somali greatness comes from Somaliland!
hear hear. there is no beating around the bushes about it, lets face it all the best things come from somaliland
He never wave s/land regional flag,what is The point waving it worth nothing put toilet paper.warabe he was not born in yemen put somalia.to be honest nothing good came out is@@qland/somaliland accept insane folks keep dragging The past complaining while other tribes go forward.
There is no point talking like the rubbish you had written like the tiolet paper you must be sick in your mind why you envy Somaliland if your not part of it why bother let alone.
so much lies.. he ran for the UK because he has a British passport. google Mo farah and check him making the heart sign infront of David Cameron you maskiin
he is British, stop begging it, he doesn't wana run for your country
A job well done Zamzam! In running around the track, you have shown the world your resiliency, dedication and "never quit" attitude – traits more precious than gold. I wish you the best on your future endeavors. See you in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Inshallah.
From the land of losers who don't know how to break sweat for a single day to liberate themselves from France.
Bitter aren't you. I bet she can beat you in a race, you fat SOB.
jabuutwi.
Some folks here Too much emotional usual is@@q symptoms.
bismillah another embaresment in 2016
My homeboy placed first in his heat. Check out the link below.
http://www.rtd.dj/index.php?option=com_content&am…
These kids needed training and money behind them but the TFG etc were too busy robbing Somalia, which is why Somaliland left we dont want to be like those kids left flapping in the wind when go time comes.
I commend the kids for trying but I condemn the idiots who didnt give them the proper training and support ahead of time so that they can do something great instead of feeling like they were left on their own in front of the whole world.
Other countries train them for years! If you cannot support your athletes and give them a fighting chance then just dont show up!
So glad I am a Somalilander and not from Somalia, phewww Dodged a slooooooow bullet there
kkkkkk true say true say. but there is a reason why theycall it zoomalia
Looooool look in the mirrow, you look like a somalian kkkkkk to the white ppl all black look the same to them kkkkkkk
@somaliqueen
but he deosnt look like a monkey which is the difference between our species
you are so glad you area from Somali-land, and not from Somalia because? what is there to be proud off? you live in a semi desert dominated by the same tribal tendencies and superstition.
nice one zam zam run for the blue and white. u the best.
this walaweyne girl was running as if her feet were tons of steels, or more like a chicken with broken legs. I could not bear the embarrassment, i smashed my TV set. It was so embarrassing I wished i did not watched that race.
Walweyta maqajilan ceebe tacaal. this imbecile are dying to see the ugly blue flag they don't care if they are embarrassing themselves and their godforsakenn flag. Zoo malians will always be zoomalians.
@jambazi
that is the pure truth and nothing more. zoomalia
viva somaliland and mo farah
he was running for the UK, not somaliland.
look up the term 'vicarious living' or living vicariously… may be a light bulb will go off
If she got 1 per cent of the facilities that Mo Farah got she would beat the world. It's in her blood. My salute to her spirit.
Those who sent this poor kid to humiliate herself and her nation are scum of the earth and I hope Al-Shabab gets them in dark corner. This is not a sympathy contest it is an thletics one. Even the British commentators who are normally kind and dignified could not help themselves to snigger at this girl's complete uselessness. "she sems to going backwards" said one them on TV.
Have I also heard that she was fasting too? Who advised her to fast?
tribalist, the lot of you
everything they say is about tribalist
oh my god don't tell me they could not find someone who could keep up at least with the lot in whole Somalia. whoever selected the runners must be fired and charged with treason against the nation if that was possible in sport. on the other hand i congratulate this young athlete wannabes for trying their best. how on earth could not the coach foresee and compare the time difference of 26 second with world athletes?.