Abdihamid Nur facts for kids
Nur (left) competes for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in 2020.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | October 14, 1998 Mogadishu, Somalia |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Northern Arizona University '22 North High School '17 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employer | Nike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 5000 m, 10,000 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University team | Northern Arizona Lumberjacks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Michael Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Abdihamid "Abdi" Nur (born October 14, 1998) is an American long-distance runner. He was born in Somalia. He ran for Northern Arizona University from 2019 to 2022. During this time, he won many national titles in the NCAA. He also set a college record in the outdoor 5000 meters race.
After college, Nur joined Nike. He has since won two national titles. He also represented the United States at the World Championships in 2022 and 2023.
Contents
Abdi Nur's Early Life and Journey
Abdi Nur was born on October 14, 1998, in Mogadishu, Somalia. He is one of eight children in his family. His family left Somalia when he was very young. They moved because of safety concerns in their home country. Abdi was too young to remember much about Somalia.
His family first lived in Kenya for three years. Then, they moved to Cairo, Egypt, for five years. Abdi was only four when they arrived in Egypt. In 2006, his family moved to the United States. They first stayed briefly in New Mexico. Later, they moved to Apple Valley, Minnesota, to be near family.
Abdi's mother worked hard to support the family. She took on different jobs like cleaning and babysitting. In 2013, just before Abdi started high school, they moved again. This time, they settled in Phoenix, Arizona. His mother preferred the warmer weather there.
From Soccer to Running: A New Path
When Abdi first attended North High School in Phoenix, he played soccer. He found that sports helped him make friends. It also helped him get used to life in the United States. However, a serious car accident changed his path.
During his second year of high school, Abdi was in a car accident. He tore ligaments in his knee and needed surgery for his collarbone. He had to stay in bed for a while. He missed the entire soccer season and three months of school. It was a very tough time for him.
To get back into shape for soccer, he started rehabilitation. His coach suggested he try cross country running to build his endurance. Abdi showed natural talent right away. He finished third in his very first race in Flagstaff, Arizona. His coach then told him to focus on running instead of soccer. Abdi found this idea strange at first. Soccer was a big part of his life, and his whole family played it.
However, Abdi soon began to enjoy running. It became something he truly loved to do. In his senior year, he won the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Cross Country Division I State Championships. This big win opened up many chances for him to go to college.
Abdi was the 2016 AIA Cross Country Division I State Champion. He also reached the AIA Division I State finals three times. He set personal best times in races. After his state championship win, Northern Arizona University (NAU) noticed him. But he needed to improve his grades to join their team.
College Journey: Hard Work and Success
Starting at Coconino County Community College
In 2017, Abdi enrolled at Coconino County Community College in Flagstaff. He worked hard on his studies and his running. His goal was to get into NAU. It was challenging to train without a coach or a team. He also had to get used to living on his own and taking college classes.
He trained with friends he knew in Flagstaff. The NAU cross country coach, Michael Smith, stayed in touch with Abdi. Coach Smith checked on his progress often. Abdi sometimes saw NAU athletes running on trails. He was amazed by how fast they were. This made him wonder if he could ever be as good as them.
Even after all his hard work, Abdi still didn't meet the NCAA standards in 2018. He was disappointed but learned to stay focused. He realized that waiting for his goals taught him to chase his dreams even harder.
Running for Northern Arizona University
Finally, in the summer of 2019, Abdi improved his grades enough to join NAU. Coach Mike Smith started him slowly. Abdi was eager to train with the top runners. He became close friends with his teammate Luis Grijalva. Luis became his training partner and mentor.
They pushed each other to do their best. Abdi would run 80 to 90 miles a week. Luis would run 90 to 100 miles a week. Abdi was surprised when he kept up with Luis during a tough workout. This boosted his confidence. He began to believe he could place well in competitions.
Abdi Nur's Competition Highlights
Abdi Nur has competed in many important races. He has represented the United States and his college team, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.
International Races
Abdi has run for the USA in major international events:
- In 2022, he competed in the World Championships in Eugene, United States. He finished 11th in the 5000 meters.
- In 2023, he ran in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He placed 12th in the 5000 meters.
- In 2024, he competed at the Olympic Games in Paris, France, in the 5000 meters.
National Championships
Abdi has also achieved great success in national championships while running for Nike:
- In 2022, he placed 3rd in the 5000 meters at the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
- Later in 2022, he won 1st place in the USA Road 5 km Championships.
- In 2023, he won 1st place in the 5000 meters at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
- In 2024, he earned 2nd place in the 5000 meters at the USA Olympic Trials.
College Championships (NCAA and Big Sky)
While representing the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, Abdi won several titles:
- In 2020, he won 1st place in both the 3000 m and 5000 m at the Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships. He also won the Big Sky Cross Country Championships.
- In 2021, he won 1st place in the 5000 m at the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He also earned a bronze medal (3rd place) in the 10,000 m at the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
- In 2022, he had a fantastic year. He won 1st place in the Mile and DMR (Distance Medley Relay) at the Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships. He then won two national titles, taking 1st place in both the 3000 m and 5000 m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. He also won 1st place in the 1500 m at the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships and earned another bronze medal (3rd place) in the 10,000 m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
High School Achievements
Abdi Nur also had strong performances during his high school years:
- In the 2016–17 school year, he won 1st place in the AIA Cross Country Division I State Championship. He also placed 4th in the 3200 m and 8th in the 1600 m at the AIA Outdoor Track and Field Division I State Championship.
