21 Facts About Abdi Bile

Abdi Bile holds the highest number of national records in athletics in Somalia across various disciplines.

Abdi Bile is currently Somalia's national record holder in nine athletic disciplines, and is thus far Somalia's most decorated athlete in history.

Abdi Bile defeated Britain's Sebastian Coe at the 1500m to win gold at the 1989 World Continental Cup.

Abdi Bile won silver at the same event in the 1985 African Championships in Cairo.

Abdi Bile was born in Las Anod, Somalia a member of the Dhulbahante sub-clan of the Daarood.

Abdi Bile was raised with fourteen siblings, in a nomadic society.

Abdi Bile began competitive running after hearing of the Somali runner Jamac Karacin, a scholarship recipient in the US.

Abdi Bile won the 1500 m World Championship in 1987, running the final 800 m of the race in 1:46.00, the fastest final 800 m of any 1,500-metre race in history.

Abdi Bile was a two-time Olympian and dominated the event in the late 1980s.

Abdi Bile was ranked first in the world at the mile distance in 1989.

Abdi Bile was World Cup champion in the 1500 m in 1989 and two-time world Grand Prix final champion.

Abdi Bile graduated from George Mason University with a BSc in marketing management.

At George Mason, Abdi Bile was team captain and a two-time NCAA Division I 1,500-metre champion, winning his first title in 1985 and the second in 1987.

Abdi Bile won many conference titles and held the inter-collegiate 1500 m record for more than ten years.

Abdi Bile was coached by John Cook, the former coach of 2008 Olympic 10,000-metre bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan.

Abdi Bile's career was riddled with injuries, and he missed the 1991 World Championships as well as the 1988 and 1992 Olympics because of such problems.

Abdi Bile has won gold medals in the 1987 World Championships in 1987 at the 1500m.

Abdi Bile holds Somalia's national records in seven outdoor disciplines, namely the 800m, 1000m, 1500m, one mile, 2000m, 3000m and the 4x1500 metre relay as well as in two indoor disciples, namely the 1500m and the one mile, thus in a total of nine disciplines.

The collapse of state institutions from 1990 onwards and injuries had prevented Abdi Bile from competing at the Olympics during his prime years.

Abdi Bile has traveled widely and has inspired many young people and helped several humanitarian organizations.

Abdi Bile is married, with two sons and daughter named Farhiya, born in 1995, Ahmed born 1993 and Mohamed born 2001.