The Somali athletics federation (SAF) has successfully concluded week-long completions of different athletics events to mark on the International Athletics Federation’s IAAF day, which is annually-commemorated in every IAAF-member nation.
For the past several days the Athletics federation in Somalia has held eight different events in which competed by 200 athletes from Mogadishu-based schools and clubs. Senior national athletes who took part in international games like the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games also participated in the competitions.
A very large conclusion ceremony of the IAAF day competitions was held at the Somali police academy, which is currently working as sporting village in Mogadishu, where international style stadiums are closed because of the daily armed confrontations in the city has been experiencing for the past three years.
First vice president of Somali athletics federation Qadija Aden Dahir who addressed at the closing ceremony said that Somali athletics federation has been holding the IAAF day commemorations for the past 15 years.
“Today we are very proud of the successful end of what we have been doing for the past week in which young male and female athletes competed in different events” the Somali athletics federation first vice president said in her remarks at the closing ceremony late on Sunday.
The president of Somali National Olympic committee Aden Hajji Yabarow who delivered a short speech at the congregation praised the athletics federation for its activities in and outside the country.
“Some federations have done tangible activities as wanted, but there are more federations which haven’t held even a single competition since their election and that is unacceptable to us” the Somali NOC president said adding that active federations and inactive federations will not be similarly valued.
The week-long events in which the Somali senior athletes have been competing include:
The 3000 Meters running, 1500 meters running, 800 meters running and the low jumping by both female and male athletes, while the school children were competing in the events of 1500 meters running, 1000 meters running, 80 meters running and the low jumping performed by both female and male athletes.
The first six athletes of every event were presented cash and porting equipment as kind of encouragement.
