Maryam Yusuf Jamal
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| Medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Maryam Yusuf Jamal at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. |
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| Women’s athletics | |||
| World Championships | |||
| Gold | 2007 Osaka | 1500 m | |
Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Amharic: ማሪያም፡ ዩሱፍ፡ ጃማል) (Arabic: مريم يوسف جمال) (born Zenebech Tola) (Amharic: ዘነበቸ፡ ቶላ) on September 16, 1984, in Ethiopia) is a Bahraini middle distance runner. 2005 is her first full season. She gained the national record and led the world in the 3000 m in July 2005 with a time of 8:28.87 at a race in Oslo. She is the current IAAF world champion in the 1500 meters.
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[edit] Youth
Jamal was born in the Arsi Zone in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, an area famous for bringing runners to the world, including Haile Gebreselassie. She was born into the Christian tribe of Oromo, and fled with her husband, Tariq Yaqoob, due partially to the political oppression of those people. Jamal had run a qualifying time for the 2004 Summer Olympics, but was refused permission to represent her home country by the Ethiopian Athletic Federation. In 2004 she and her husband sought political asylum in Lausanne, Switzerland. She applied for multiple citizenship papers before Bahrain granted them to her that same year. Bahrain, eager to gain a sporting image, granted this in exchange that she change her name to an Arabic one and that she compete in the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006. She was allowed to keep her religion though.
[edit] Training
Based in Lausanne, Jamal often trains at altitude in St. Moritz. She is trained by her husband Tariq Yaqoob (who was Mnashu Taye before being granted Bahraini citizenship with his wife).
[edit] Controversy
After winning the 3000 m in Oslo on July 14, 2005, her image was published throughout the international sporting press. Her outfit of short shorts and a sleaveless midriff bearing top caused a minor outrage in Bahrain led by MP Hamad Al-Muhannadi. In 2004, Bahraini champion Ruqaya Al Ghasra competed in the Athens Olympics fully covered. Bahrain Athletics Association vice-president Mohammed Jamal said the association was already planning to give new sportswear to Ms Jamal, which covered her stomach and her legs down to the knee. However comments by Mohammed Jamal show that to be unlikely to actually occur.
[edit] World Championship
At the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Jamal passed Yelena Soboleva in the last 200 meters to win the women's 1,500 meters, winning the only gold medal for Bahrain.
[edit] Personal Bests
| Distance | Mark | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m | 1:59.69 | Geneva | June 11, 2005 |
| 1500 m | 3:56.79 | Rieti | June 14, 2005 |
| 3000 m | 8:28.87 | Oslo | July 29, 2005 |
| 5000 m | 14:51.68 | Hengelo | May 29, 2005 |
| 1/4 Marathon | 34:19 | Lausanne | October 24, 2004 |
| 1/2 Marathon | 1:11:43 | Uster | September 18, 2004 |
[edit] External links
IAAF profile for Maryam Yusuf Jamal
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
Preceded by Kelly Holmes |
Women's 1.500m Best Year Performance 2005 |
Succeeded by Yuliya Fomenko |
Preceded by Isabella Ochichi |
Women's 3.000m Best Year Performance 2005 |
Succeeded by Meseret Defar |
