Maryam Yusuf Jamal
Encyclopedia
Maryam Yusuf Jamal (born Zenebech Tola) (born September 16, 1984) is a Bahrain
i middle distance runner
.
Born in Ethiopia
, 2005 was her first full season. She gained the national record
and ran the fastest 3000 m
of 2005 with a time of 8:28.87 at a race in Oslo
. Jamal is a two-time world champion in the 1500 m
, having won at the 2007
and 2009 World Championships in Athletics
.
She represented Bahrain
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
, finishing fifth in the 1500 m final. She has had much success at regional competitions: winning two gold medal
s at the 2006 Asian Games
and winning the Asian Cross Country Championships
in both 2007 and 2009.
in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
, an area famous for distance runners, including Haile Gebreselassie, Kenenisa Bekele
and Tirunesh Dibaba
. She was born into the Christian family from the Oromo
ethnic group, and fled with her husband, Tariq Yaqoob, due partially to political and economic problems. Jamal had run a qualifying time for the 2004 Summer Olympics
, but was allegedly refused permission to represent her home country by the Ethiopian Athletic Federation due to the competition in the country as well as politics.
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. First, she applied for citizenship in America, Canada and France. 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.
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).
, but was obstructed in the final, which resulted in the disqualification of the silver medal
list Yuliya Chizhenko
. She beat the event winner, Tatyana Tomashova
, soon afterwards to take the gold at the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final
. After a bronze medal
performance at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
, Jamal beat Tomashova twice more at major events the following year, bringing Asia victory in the 1500 m at the 2006 IAAF World Cup
and winning at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
. She closed the year with a 800/1500 m double at the 2006 Asian Games
.
She turned her skills to cross country running
at the start of 2007: she took first place at the Cinque Mulini
and went on to win the individual and team gold medals at the Asian Cross Country Championships
. At the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
in Osaka
, Jamal passed Yelena Soboleva
in the last 200 metres to win the women's 1500 metres, winning the only gold medal for Bahrain. She made it a third consecutive World Final victory at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
, finishing ahead of Soboleva (who was later disqualified for switching urine samples to avoid drug testing).
At the start of the next season, she competed at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships
and ran a close indoor 1500 m against Gelete Burka. Sobeleva set a world record for the victory but was later stripped of the title. Burka was elevated to gold while Jamal gained the silver medal, which she won in an Asian record time of 3:59.79. She did not build on her World Championship success with an Olympic medal as she finished fifth in the 1500 metres at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Another win at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
closed the year.
She became the first female athlete to win twice at the Asian Cross Country Championships, taking her second gold and competing in Bahrain for the first time. She ran at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
at finished ninth overall. Making up for her Olympic defeat, she defended her world title on the track with a win at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
, just staying ahead of Lisa Dobriskey
at the finish line. A fourth place finish at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
brought an end to a successful season.
In 2010 she competed on the inaugural Diamond League circuit, including a second place finish behind Sentayehu Ejigu
at the Herculis
meeting. Later that season she ran at the 2010 Asian Games
and she retained her title over 1500 m. She opened her 2011 with a win at the Eurocross
, following on from compatriot Mimi Belete
's win the previous year.
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.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
i middle distance runner
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
.
Born in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, 2005 was her first full season. She gained the national record
Bahraini records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Bahrain maintained by Bahrain Athletics Association .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:ht = hand timing# = not officially ratified by federation-External links:* * *...
and ran the fastest 3000 m
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
of 2005 with a time of 8:28.87 at a race in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Jamal is a two-time world champion in the 1500 m
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
, having won at the 2007
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
and 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
.
She represented Bahrain
Bahrain at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Bahrain competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The country sent a total of 15 competitors to the Games, competing in athletics, swimming and shooting,. This constituted Bahrain's largest Olympic delegation to date. Among the country's representatives is Maryam Yusuf Jamal, reigning...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, finishing fifth in the 1500 m final. She has had much success at regional competitions: winning two gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s at the 2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
and winning the Asian Cross Country Championships
Asian Cross Country Championships
The Asian Cross Country Championships is a biennial regional cross country running competition for athletes from Asia. It is organised by the Asian Athletics Association and was first held in 1991 in Fukuoka, Japan...
in both 2007 and 2009.
Early life and transfer
Jamal was born in the Arsi ZoneArsi Zone
Arsi is one of the 12 zones of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Arsi is also the name of a former province. Both the Zone and the former province are named after a subgroup of the Oromo, who inhabit both...
in the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, an area famous for distance runners, including Haile Gebreselassie, Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, who holds the world record and Olympic record in both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events...
and Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba also known as Tirunesh Dibaba Kenene is an Ethiopian long distance track athlete and the outdoor 5000 metres world record holder. She is the current Olympic 5000 metres and 10,000 metres champion...
. She was born into the Christian family from the Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
ethnic group, and fled with her husband, Tariq Yaqoob, due partially to political and economic problems. Jamal had run a qualifying time for the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, but was allegedly refused permission to represent her home country by the Ethiopian Athletic Federation due to the competition in the country as well as politics.
In 2004 she and her husband sought political asylum in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. She applied for multiple citizenship papers before Bahrain granted them to her that same year. First, she applied for citizenship in America, Canada and France. Bahrain, eager to gain a sporting image, granted this in exchange that she change her name to an Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
one and that she compete in the Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
in 2006. She was allowed to keep her religion though.
Based in Lausanne, Jamal often trains at altitude in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
. She is trained by her husband Tariq Yaqoob (who was Mnashu Taye before being granted Bahraini citizenship with his wife).
Competing for Bahrain
She ran at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
, but was obstructed in the final, which resulted in the disqualification of the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
list Yuliya Chizhenko
Yuliya Chizhenko
For the Russian backstroke swimmer with the same name see Yuliya Fomenko Yuliya Nikolaevna Chizhenko-Fomenko is a Russian middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres....
. She beat the event winner, Tatyana Tomashova
Tatyana Tomashova
Tatyana Ivanovna Tomashova is a Russian middle distance runner. At the 2000 Summer Olympics she competed in 5000 metres, but she has participated in shorter races since, now competing mainly in the 1500 metres...
, soon afterwards to take the gold at the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final
2005 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 3rd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 9, and September 10, 2005.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary on September 3 as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.- Medal...
. After a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
performance at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations was held in Moscow from March 10 to March 12, 2006 in the Olimpiyski Sport arena....
, Jamal beat Tomashova twice more at major events the following year, bringing Asia victory in the 1500 m at the 2006 IAAF World Cup
2006 IAAF World Cup
The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece....
and winning at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*...
. She closed the year with a 800/1500 m double at the 2006 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2006 Asian Games
An Athletics competition was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 7 to December 12. Twenty-three events were contested for the men while 22 were on the slate for the women. Only the 3000 Meter Steeplechase was not contested for by the women...
.
She turned her skills to cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
at the start of 2007: she took first place at the Cinque Mulini
Cinque Mulini
The Cinque Mulini is an annual cross country running race in San Vittore Olona, Italy. First held in 1933, the course is unusual in that it revolves around a number of water mills, which lend the competition its name – meaning Five Mills in Italian. It is one of the IAAF cross country permit...
and went on to win the individual and team gold medals at the Asian Cross Country Championships
Asian Cross Country Championships
The Asian Cross Country Championships is a biennial regional cross country running competition for athletes from Asia. It is organised by the Asian Athletics Association and was first held in 1991 in Fukuoka, Japan...
. At the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Jamal passed Yelena Soboleva
Yelena Soboleva
Yelena Vladimirovna Soboleva is a Russian middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres.In February 2008 she established a new world indoor record of 3:58.05 seconds in a race in Moscow, and in March 2008 she beat her own world record in Valencia...
in the last 200 metres to win the women's 1500 metres, winning the only gold medal for Bahrain. She made it a third consecutive World Final victory at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 5th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 22 and September 23, 2007.-Men:- Women :-External links:*...
, finishing ahead of Soboleva (who was later disqualified for switching urine samples to avoid drug testing).
At the start of the next season, she competed at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Luis Puig Palace in Valencia, Spain, March 7-9, 2008.-Bid:Valencia was announced the winning bidder by the IAAF on November 13, 2005 at an IAAF Council meeting in Moscow, Russia.-Men:...
and ran a close indoor 1500 m against Gelete Burka. Sobeleva set a world record for the victory but was later stripped of the title. Burka was elevated to gold while Jamal gained the silver medal, which she won in an Asian record time of 3:59.79. She did not build on her World Championship success with an Olympic medal as she finished fifth in the 1500 metres at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Another win at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied...
closed the year.
She became the first female athlete to win twice at the Asian Cross Country Championships, taking her second gold and competing in Bahrain for the first time. She ran at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in the Al Bisharat Golf Course at Amman, Jordan on 28 March 2009. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...
at finished ninth overall. Making up for her Olympic defeat, she defended her world title on the track with a win at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 1500 metres
The women's 1500 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium between 18–23 August.-Medalists:-Records:-Qualification standards:-Schedule:-Heats:...
, just staying ahead of Lisa Dobriskey
Lisa Dobriskey
Lisa Jane Dobriskey is an English middle distance athlete. She was the Commonwealth champion in the 1500 m in 2006. More recently, she won a silver medal in the 1500 m at the 2009 World Championships....
at the finish line. A fourth place finish at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
2009 IAAF World Athletics Final results
These are the results of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final, which took place in Thessaloniki, Greece on 12 and 13 September.The year's top seven athletes, based on their points ranking of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour, qualified to compete in each event, with an extra four athletes selected...
brought an end to a successful season.
In 2010 she competed on the inaugural Diamond League circuit, including a second place finish behind Sentayehu Ejigu
Sentayehu Ejigu
Sentayehu Ejigu is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, who specializes in the 3000 and 5000 metres...
at the Herculis
Herculis
The Herculis is an annual track and field meet at Stade Louis II in Fontvieille, Monaco. Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.-World records:...
meeting. Later that season she ran at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme...
and she retained her title over 1500 m. She opened her 2011 with a win at the Eurocross
Eurocross
Eurocross is an annual international cross country running competition which takes place in Diekirch, Luxembourg in February. It is one of the IAAF permit meetings which serve as qualifying events for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships....
, following on from compatriot Mimi Belete
Mimi Belete
Mimi Belete Gebregeiorges is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner who competes internationally for Bahrain. She won the 5000 metres title at the 2010 Asian Games....
's win the previous year.
Controversy
After winning the 3000 m in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
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
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
led by MP Hamad Al-Muhannadi. In 2004, Bahraini champion Ruqaya Al Ghasra competed in the Athens Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
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.
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m | 1:59.69 | Geneva Geneva Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland... |
June 11, 2005 |
| 1500 m | 3:56.79 | Rieti Rieti Rieti is a city and comune in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of c. 47,700. It is the capital of province of Rieti.The town centre rests on a small hilltop, commanding a wide plain at the southern edge of an ancient lake. The area is now the fertile basin of the Velino River... |
June 14, 2005 |
| 3000 m | 8:28.87 | Oslo Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... |
July 29, 2005 |
| 5000 m | 14:51.68 | Hengelo Hengelo Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:... |
May 29, 2005 |
| 1/4 Marathon | 34:19 | Lausanne Lausanne Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west... |
October 24, 2004 |
| 1/2 Marathon | 1:11:43 | Uster Uster Uster is a city and capital of the district Uster in the Swiss Canton of Zürich.It is the third largest city in the Canton of Zürich, with over 30,000 inhabitants, and is one of the twenty largest cities in Switzerland... |
September 18, 2004 |