Nagmeldin Ali Abubakr of Sudan wins the 400m (© Getty Images)
Sudan’s Nagmeldin Ali Abubakr and Young Talkmore Nyangani of Zimbabwe currently top the 2005 world season list for the men’s 400 metres. Both have also been long-term students of the IAAF’s High Performance training Centre (HPTC) in Dakar, Senegal.
Abubakr, 19, and Nyangani, 21, may not yet be household names but as they say ‘watch this space’ for they are tremendously gifted athletes. The former is the reigning World Youth champion at 400m and sped to the World Junior silver last summer in Grosseto, while the latter took third in the senior 2004 African Championships and has sliced through the world lists this winter during the South African ABSA circuit.
Both men were Olympians last year, exiting at the first round stage, but their times this year already indicate it will not be long before they are vying for major global honours. Abubakr who has been training at HPTC Dakar since December 2004 won the 400m at the Islamic Solidarity Games on 14 April in a world leading and personal best of 44.93, while Nyangani set his life-time fastest in Pretoria on 18 March. His 44.96 (at altitude) is the second quickest time in the world in 2005. After spending two years training at HPTC Dakar, the Zimbabwean has now moved to Pretoria to continue his studies.
This pair is also shooting up the IAAF World Rankings with Nyangani already 15th and Abubakr in 30th positions in their 400m event.
So while it should be recognised that we are still at the beginning of the main 2005 outdoor season, this should not stop us recognising the prodigious promise of these two young sprinters and the nurturing policy of the IAAF HPTC network which has taken them to world class.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
Click on the titles below for previous information about these two athletes which has appeared on the IAAF website -
Sprinters show promise in Pretoria
Cillier’s 48.98 Hurdles win highlights ABSA opener
Saudi and Sudanese one-lap stars celebrate in Pan-Arab Games - Day Two
No hurdle too far for Richardson in Day Four of 3rd World Youth Championships
