By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Djibouti(Mogadishu24)- Djibouti's athletes have won both gold and silve medals in the 10,000-meter race at the athletic championships among Francophone countries, hosted in Kinshasa, Congo.
Mumin Buh Gele claimed the Gold Medal in the 10,000-meter race with 28.49 minutes,while Jamal Abdi Daalo secured the Silver position, earning cash rewards.
Hassana Kamil Mohamed, Djibouti's Sports Secretary, stated that this is a milestone for the people of Djibouti. He also expressed gratitude to the government for its unwavering commitment to revitalizing the Sports department.
"I congratulate the winners for their achievements, bringing pride to both themselves and Djibouti as a whole. This win shows President Guelleh's dedication to revitalizing and investing in sports, enabling Djibouti to compete on the international stage," stated Hassan Kamil, Djibouti's Sports Secretary.
Gold medalist Mumin Gele emphasized the tactical victory, achieved in coordination with his Djiboutian counterpart, Jamal Abdi. Gele acknowledged the government's support throughout their journey, from training and preparations for the competition.
"We played a tactical game to bring this glory to Djibouti. We want to show that Djibouti can compete at an international championship. The government of Djibouti has been providing us with the necessary support and invested in us throughout the preparation period for this event," said Gele.
Djibouti's presence in global athletics championships has been progressively transforming. Djibouti last participated in the 2019 championships hosted in Doha, Qatar, represented by four athletes.
Djibouti's most recent medal award prior to this accomplishment dates back to 1991, when former long-distance runner Hassan Ahmed Salah won the silver medal in the World Championships held in Tokyo, Japan.
Hassan Ahmed Salah also secured the gold medal twice in 1985 by winning at the African Championships in Cairo, Egypt, and the World Cup held in Hiroshima, Japan. He further won a Silver medal in the World Championships of 1987 held in Rome, Italy. In the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, Hassan won the Bronze medal after finishing in the third position.
