Following her unprecedented performance during the international women’s 100-meter event at the World University Games in Chengdu, China, on Monday, a Somalian athlete triggered skepticism.
Usain Bolt of Jamaica completes it in 9.58 seconds, while Shericka Jackson, the world’s fastest woman, completes it in 10.65 seconds. Not Nasra Abukar Ali of Somalia, who set a record for the 100-meter race in 21.81 seconds after finishing last as she was the slowest. Gabriela Silva of Brazil won the competition.
A video clip making the rounds on the internet essentially depicts what would occur at a typical race, anywhere in the globe, until you watch closely and see the performance of a certain athlete from Somalia, who apparently finished the race in a mind-boggling 21 seconds.
The selection of Ms. Ali for the World University Games has drawn the attention of Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, which has launched an investigation into the matter.
Since then, it has come to light that Ms. Ali is the niece of Khadija Aden Dahir, Somali Athletics Federation Chairperson. Dahir has now been suspended by Somalia’s Youth and Sports Ministry. The inquiry found that Ms. Ali has neither trained for an official race nor been recognized as an athlete.
The video has gone viral on Twitter, and hundreds of appalled users have criticized Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports for taking the apparently untrained runner to the race.
