Athletes

This teenaged Sudanese sensation is among the world’s most gifted athletes.

Born in Elmuglad, Abubaker Kaki Khamis was spotted running a cross-country race in war-torn Khartoum in December 2004 by his current coach Jama Aden. From that moment his plans to become a goalkeeper were put on hold.

Convinced by Aden that his future lay in athletics, Kaki made an impact at the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakech after just six months of serious training. Competing in the 1500m rather than his favoured 800m, he ran with great maturity to take the bronze. Reverting to the two-lap distance later that year he finished seventh in the African Junior Championships but ended the season on a high with a bronze and a new PB – 1:48.43 – in the Pan Arab Championships.

In 2006 Kaki set a national junior record of 1:45.78 but was a shade disappointed to finish sixth, with a time of 1:48.46, in the IAAF World Junior Championships' 800m in Beijing.

Kaki, who trains in Khartoum where there are no weight facilities, showed more flashes of his potential in 2007.
He began the season by finishing fourth in Doha in a new national junior record – 1:45.42 – and backed this up by claiming a surprise gold medal at the All Africa Championships, taking the scalp of Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, South Africa’s Olympic silver medallist, in the process. However, he suffered disappointment in the World Championships, where tactical inexperience saw him dumped out in the first round.

However, if he showed glimpses of his ability in 2007, his indoor form in 2008 was a revelation. He signalled his intentions by running a national record – 1:46.06 – in Leipzig and hinted at his potential at the longer distances by clocking a 1000m junior world record – 2:15.77 – which put him fifth on the all-time list. He then enjoyed the finest hour of his fledgling career: a stunning performance at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia. Still just 18, he became the event’s youngest gold medallist by claiming a gun-to-tape 800m victory in 1:44.81.

He carried this form into the early part of the outdoor season and further revealed his sensational ability by running a World Junior 800m record and national record of 1:42.69 in Oslo.

Predictably, he followed this up by winning 800m gold in the World Junior Championships in Bygdoszcz in Poland but after a long hard season he looked fatigued by the Olympic Games, and failed to progress beyond the semi-finals in Beijing.

He does not turn 20 until June and showed signs he is returning to his best by remaining unbeaten in his three indoor races - over the rarely run 1000m distance - in 2009.

Interview

Q What attracted you to running and how did you become involved?

A I used to run track in Khartoum. I was running cross-country for my school when my current coach Jama Aden discovered me.

Q Did you have any athletics heroes when you were younger?

A I admire the way Bernard Lagat, the 1500m and 5000m world champion, runs. He has a super-smooth action.

Q Your first major international appearance was when you finished third in the 1500m at the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships. Why have you switched to the 800m?

A I was training to compete in the 800m when all of a sudden my coach told me there was more of a chance in the 1500m. After winning the bronze he told me I was going to be one of the greatest 1500m runners in history but that I needed to concentrate on the 800m in the short term. I agree.

Q You made a breakthrough in 2007 by running 1:43 for 800m. What had changed?

A In 2007 I was targeting 1:45 but my coach kept telling me I could run sub-44. I thought he was crazy. But when I achieved that goal I was surprised how easy it was.

Q What are the facilities like in Sudan?

A Really bad. We have no weights facilities and the track is very dusty and beaten up because of the hot weather.

Q Did your world indoor title come as a surprise to you?

A My coach told me the indoor season was just for fun, so I really enjoyed it. I was confident of winning in Valencia, although my winning time of 1:44.81 surprised me; I thought the winning time would be around 1:46.

Q What is your long-term ambition?

A To be one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time.