Monday April 22, 2024
Mahamed Mahamed rejoices as he crosses the finish line at the London Marathon, capturing fourth place and becoming the third fastest British male sprinter, his Olympic dreams now within reach. (CREDIT: Daily Echo)
London (HOL) — Mahamed Mahamed, a rising star from Southampton, England, has solidified his status as one of Britain's fastest sprinters, securing fourth place in the London Marathon on Sunday. His time of two hours, seven minutes, and five seconds (2:07:05) positions him as the third fastest British male sprinter in history, just nineteen seconds behind his childhood friend and third-place finisher, Emile Cairess. This event marks the first time since 1988 that two runners from the same city have finished in the top four.
His time was good enough to qualify for the Olympics.
"It's a dream come true. I'm so happy to get the qualification time for the Olympics," Mahamed said following the race. " I'm over the moon. Improving my time and qualifying for Paris after working on this project for the last two years is incredibly fulfilling."
He delved into the challenges he faced during the race and his determination, saying, "When the pacemaker dropped at 30k, I was on my own and just had to dig deep in the last 4k to bring it home." His efforts resulted in an outstanding finish, which he described as "fantastic."
Born in Ethiopia, Mahamed relocated to England in 2011 and has been a dominant force in British athletics since his school days at Cantell School. He won the Under 17 Championship in 2015, repeated as Under 20 Champion, and clinched the All England Championship three times by 2018. Moreover, Mahamed triumphed at the British National Senior Championships in 2019 and 2022 and was a runner-up in last year's London Middle East race, surpassing the renowned Mo Farah.
His accomplishments have earned him a spot to represent Britain at the Olympic Games in Paris later this year. Mahamed expressed profound joy and satisfaction with his career progression, inspired by watching the 2012 London Olympics, where Mo Farah, a British runner of Somali descent, clinched gold medals in 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. Watching someone with a similar background conquer one of the world's most prestigious athletic stages provided Mahamed with tangible proof that dedication and hard work could lead to monumental achievements.
With this latest achievement under his belt, Mahamed looks ahead to potential Olympic glory, a dream inspired by the 2012 London Marathon. "Seeing the London Marathon in 2012 inspired me to start running, and now to think about participating in the Olympics is incredible," he said
Reflecting on their shared successes and the journey ahead, Emile Caires noted, "We've always made progress together, so it's fantastic to see him doing so well."