International Championships
Four-time Olympian (’00, ’04, ’08, ‘12)
USA Championships
Four-time USA 10,000m champion – 2001 (28:23.82); 2005 (28:10.38); 2007 (28:13.51); 2008 (27:41.11)
2007 USA 10,000m road champion (28:12)
Two-time USA 10,000m runner-up – 2002 (27:42.83); 2004 (27:55.00)
USA 10-mile champion – 2005 (23:35); 2009 (46:35)
Third at 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon (2:09.47)
Collegiate Championships
1998 PAC-10 5,000m champion (14:01.01)
1998 PAC-10 10,000m champion (28:36.16)
1999 PAC-10 5,000m champion (14:00.80)
Awards and Honors
2012 RRCA Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee
1998 PAC-10 Cross Country Athlete of the Year
About Abdi
Known as “The Black Cactus,” Abdirahman attended Jhameyasin Carte High School in Mogadishu, Somalia, before coming to the United States. From 1996-97, he attended Pima Community College in Tucson, where he was a two-time Arizona state junior college champion. After heading to the University of Arizona, he won his first two collegiate races, the Jammin’ Invitational (24:28), and the Aztec Invitational (25:28). He had a strong showing at the 1998 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Lawrence, Kansas finishing in second. After becoming a U.S. citizen on January 28, 2000, he went on to major in retail consumer studies at Arizona. His full given first name is Abdihakim.
Results
2012: 3rd at Olympic Trials Marathon (2:09:47)
2011: USA 20 km champion (1:00:12); Sixth at USA 10 Mile Championships (47:00)
2010: 6th at Healthy Kidney Health 10 km (28:35); best of 28:35.
2009: 8th in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:35.79); 9th at ING New York City Marathon (2:14.00); 4th at Heusden (13:26.27); U.S. 10 km road champ (28:11); USA 10 Mile champ (46:35).
2008: 15th at Olympic Games (27:52.53); Olympic Trials 10,000m champion (27:41.11); 7th in 10,000m at Nike Prefontaine Classic (27:16.99 U.S. Leader); 6th at NYC Marathon (2:14:17).
2007: USA Outdoor champion 10,000m (28:13.51); 7th at World Outdoors (27:56.62); DNF at Olympic Trials Marathon; USA Men’s 10km road champion (28:12); 13th at Hengelo (27:31.46).
2006: 4th at Chicago Marathon (2:08:56PR); 7th at Hengelo (27:22.81PR-U.S. Leader); runner-up at Philadelphia Half-Marathon (61:07PR-U.S. Leader); 5th at adidas Track Classic (8:29.26); 10th at London Grand Prix (13:18.89).
2005: 1st in 10,000m at USA Outdoor Championships (28:10.38); 13th at World Outdoors (27:52.01); 5th at NYC Marathon (2:11:24PR); USA Men's 10-Mile champion (23:35); 9th at Hengelo (27:33.47).
2004: 15th at Olympic Games (28:26.26); Olympic Trials runner-up 10,000m (27:55.00); 14th at New York City Marathon (2:17:09); 5th at USA Cross Country 12 km (35:37); 9th in 5000m at Nike Prefontaine Classic (13:38.76); 4th at Stanford (10 km, 27:34.24); runner-up at USA 15 km Championship (43:21).
2003: 5th in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:07.20); 7th in 5,000m at USA Outdoors (13:43.81) 5th at USA Cross Country 12 km (39:36); 35th at World XC Champs 12 km (38:54); 4th at Mt. Sac 5,000m (13:40); 4th at Cardinal Invitational (Palo Alto) 10,000m (27:52.24).
2002: Runner-up at USA Outdoors 10,000m (27:42.83); runner-up at USA Winter XC Champs (35:45); runner-up at USATF 15km champs at Gate River Run (43:29); 4th at Oracle U.S. Open 5km (13:36.63).
2001: 1st in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:23.82); 19th at World Outdoor Champs (28:34.38); 3rd at U.S. Winter XC Nationals (35:26); 15th at IAAF World XC Championships (40:54); 5th at 2001 Goodwill Games (28:08.02); ran 5,000m PR of 13:19.85.
2000: 3rd in 10,000 (28:19.08) at Olympic Trials; 10th in 10,000m at 2000 Olympics (27:46.17); became U.S. citizen on January 28; 6th in long course race at USA cross country champs; 45th in long course race at World Cross Country Champs; ran a PR 13:37.01 in 5,000.
1999: Third at USA Outdoor Championships setting new PR of 28:28.26; was later disqualified when it was discovered he was not a U.S. citizen; ninth in the 5000 meters (14:14.15), and sixth in the 10,000 meters (29:34.03) at NCAA Outdoor Championships.
1998: Won the 5000 and 10,000 meters at the Pac-10 Championships; second in the 5000m and sixth in the 10,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
USA/World Rankings and Personal Bests
2010: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 28:35
2009: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:26.27 (No. 11 in the USA); 10,000m, 28:35.79; Marathon, 2:14:00 (No. 7 in the USA)
2008: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:16.99 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 21 in the world); Marathon, 2:14:17 (No. 4 in the USA); Ranked #3 in the U.S. in the marathon and #9 in the USA in the 5,000m by Track & Field News.
2007: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:31.46 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 33 in the world); Ranked #1 in the USA at 10,000m by T&FN.
2006: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, (No. 5 in the USA); 10,000m, 27:22.81 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 16 in the world); Marathon, 2:08:56 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 35 in the world); Half Marathon, 61.07 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 27 in the world)
2005: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:33.47 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 26 in the world); Marathon, 2:11:24 (No. 2 in the USA)
2004: Outdoor bests – 10k, 27:34.24; 5,000m, 13:30.85 (No. 7 in the USA); Marathon, 2:17:09 (No. 18 in the USA)
2003: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:23.25 (No. 3 in the USA); 10,000m, 27:52.24 (No. 3 in the USA, No. 39 in the world)
2002: Outdoor bests – 5km, 13:36.63; 10,000m, 27:42.83 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 22 in the world)
2001: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:19.85; 10,000m, 28:01.02
2000: Outdoor bests – 5,000m , 13:37.01
1999: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 28:28.26
1998: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:40.61; 10,000m, 28:36.13