By Goth Mohamed Goth
The third Dahabshiil- Somaliland 42 KM and 10 KM Marathon races was held at the Hargeisa Stadium on Friday, with more 300 local and international participants taking part.
The competition, which was co-hosted by the Somaliland Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Somaliland Marathon, was joined sponsored by Dahabshiil Group, SBI, Sagal Jet Edna Adan Hospital and other entities.
Not only was the run colorful and exotic to the international runners but, to them, it was also an event that beautifully merged the excitement of visiting new land, meeting new people with a spirit of being part of a charitable cause, along with their Somali runners.
Among the dignitaries were the Ministers of Interior, Minister of Youth and Sports, the mayor of the Maroodijeex Region, the Director-General of the Somaliland Ministry of Sports.
The race attracted competitors were from Sool, Sanaag, Awdal, Sahil, Togdheer and Marodijex regions took part in the race and for the first time, female participants took place.
Dahabshiil group of companies awarded each of the runners a prize starting with Mr. Mohamed Hussein Ahmed, was the overall winner of the 42Km race in the section, he won the overall prize of $ 800 cash prize.
The first runner-up came Mustafe Abdikadir Mohamed, who received $ 500, from the Somaliland National Defense Force. In the third place was Abdullahi Adan Farah, won $ 300 dollars in cash.
As well as the second half of the race, running 10km ahead, Said Farah Omar, who won $ 600. Second place came in by Abdi Qani Hamud, who ran in the name of the group. The third was Yahye Mohamud Ibrahim.
In the 10 Km female race , Ms Hana Muhktar Abdillahi clinched the overall prize $600 dollars, while Ms. Hamda Abdi Dahir in second place $400 and the third place was Ms. Ido Ruush Arab got $300 dollars.
Somaliland Minister of Youth and Sports Hon Boos Mire Mohamed, who addressed the event, thanked the various companies that took part in the tournament. We challenge young people to distinguish themselves from individuals who are not working for their own interests and who are committed to their development and future.
He said, “Know your history, and re-evaluate who has hurt you and who has benefited you. Yesterday was your opponent, and today he is against you. I congratulate you and your youth who participated in this competition.
I congratulate them all. In particular, the youngest boy who went to Borama, I would particularly like to congratulate him, ”said Minister Boos Mire.
Meanwhile, Somaliland’s Minister of Interior, Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, urged the youth to strive for international competitions.
He thanked Dahabshiil, which is a major sponsors of all youth empowerment programs in the country.
He said, “I would like to thank and congratulate all those who took part in the the two races especially the young man from Borame.
On the other hand , Mr. Mohamed Kahin Ahmed , the Minister of Interior speaking at the end of the race urged the participating to widen the scope and take part in international sporting events. The minister thanked Dahabshiil group for sponsoring the event for the third consecutive year.
Ms. Hibo Warsame , speaking on behalf of the Dahabshiil group of companies and Hyundai Motors Somaliland said “Not only do the races contribute to the physical fitness of runners, but they also bring together runners from the host country and from further afield in the world. Some of the runners have come from as far as from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America,” he said.
She added that more than 360 persons participated in the race 330 from Somaliland and 30 foreigners.
The foreigners are motivated by the fact that they are encouraged to see that our country can host such an event and we hope they come back again , ”said Hibo Warsame.
Hibo Warsame thanked the Somaliland Ministry of Sports and the Somaliland Association for their contribution to the tournament.
Dahabshiil-Somaliland Marathon 2020. Other sponsors, such as SagalJet, Dasani, Edna Adan, Darlington Foundation, Untamed Borders, all contributed – at a lesser scale – to the success of the event in one form or the other: pre-event publicity, certificates, beverages, health, and the like.
Dahabshiil Group, comprising Dahabshiil Pvt Ltd – the international money transfer wing of the Group, Dahabshil Bank International with both local and international branches, and Somtel Telecommunication International, E-Dahab, and Hyundai motors never fails to loom large ahead at social responsibility schemes which span across all sectors positively impacting on the lives of tens of thousands of people. Of late, the Group has focused on making financial services available to the ‘unbanked’ and more vulnerable groups of the society, and special attention to youth and women.
