Twin Ambitions - My Autobiography (36 page)

One of the reasons that I decided to write this book was so that I could open people’s eyes and make them see that if you set your mind to a task and graft at it really, really hard, then you can go a long way. When I was new to Britain I was distracted; I didn’t know how things worked and I got into trouble. I did things that, looking back now, I can say, ‘I shouldn’t have done this or that.’ But at the time, you’re just a kid. You don’t know any better. I had to make those mistakes and learn from them because no one else was going to teach me.

Most importantly, I have my three girls. I have my wife. I have my family. That matters even more to me than being double Olympic champion or double World Champion. When this is all over, when the races are done, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family. I have this dream that when I stop running, Hassan will be there. His family living next to my family. His kids playing with my kids. Tania and Hoda joking around. My mum will be there too. Me and Hassan causing trouble. All of us together.

I’m looking forward to that day already.

Prepared by Peter Matthews

Born
: 23 March 1983, Somalia

Height:
175 cm

Weight:
65 kg

Club:
Nike Oregon Project

UK Clubs:
Borough of Hounslow 1995–2000;
Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow
2001–4; Newham & Essex Beagles 2005–

Coach:
Alberto Salazar

Management:
PACE Sports Management

Key to abbreviations:

+ = intermediate time in longer race

A = Altitude over 1000 metres

AAA = Amateur Athletics Association

AUS = Australia

BEL = Belgium

BL(P) = British Athletics League (Premiership)

BMC = British Milers Club

CAU = Counties Athletic Union

CC = Cross country

CHN = China

CP = Crystal Palace

CRO = Croatia

CZE = Czech Republic

dnf = did not finish

er = en route

ESP = Spain

ETH = Ethiopia

FIN = Finland

FP = Finsbury Park

FRA = France

GER = Germany

h = heat

Ha = Haringey

He = Hendon

i = indoors

IAAF = International Association of Athletics Federations

Int = Intermediates

IRL = Ireland

ITA = Italy

J = Juniors or Junior race

JPN = Japan

KEN = Kenya

KOR = Korea

m = metres

MON = Monaco

N&EB = Newham & Essex Beagles

NED = Netherlands

NJL = National Junior League

NOR = Norway

NZL = New Zealand

OS = Olympic Stadium

PH = Parliament Hill

POL = Poland

POR = Portugal

Rd = Road

RR = Road Relay

SLO = Slovakia

SP = Southwark Park

St = Steeplechase

SUI = Switzerland

SWE = Sweden

TUR = Turkey

U = Under

WL = West London

WSEH = Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletics Club

YAL = Young Athletes League