Sudanese Armed Forces: The Birthplace of Individual Sports Heroes
17 August, 2025
PortSudan, (Sudanow) — At the (1986) Olympics, the Sudanese runner and legend Khalifa Omer was chosen to carry the Olympic torch, signaling the start of the historic global event. During his journey with the torch, Khalifa met with most of the world's presidents. At the United Nations headquarters in New York, the final stop of the torch relay, the Secretary-General addressed him, saying, "Khalifa, I will not thank you, but I will thank the Sudanese people who gave birth to you."
Khalifa Omer was a Sudanese runner who came from the heart of the Sudanese Armed Forces, which is currently celebrating its centennial. The Armed Forces produced all the champions in this type of sport. Omer was ranked among the top three runners in the world in the 1980s (one of them later held a high position). He was a champion in the (1500-meter race), shining and becoming an exception in a time of failures. He later served as a coach for the Armed Forces team.
Khalifa played a role in raising awareness about Sudan when the region was hit by drought in the 1980s. He, along with other international runners, contributed to a fundraising campaign that included a large number of American musicians, led by Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Wonder, and Lionel Richie. He advocated for athletics to return to the care of the Armed Forces, arguing that they know how to create champions. His affiliation and connection to the Armed Forces were key reasons he refused the citizenships offered to him (German, New Zealander, British, Italian, and Australian), declaring his unwavering commitment to his Sudanese nationality.
Another Sudanese runner named El-Kashif Hassan, also from the Armed Forces, won the gold medal in the (400-meter race) at the World Athletics Championships held in Montreal in 1976.
In 2008, Sudan achieved Olympic glory when runner Ismail Ahmed Ismail won the silver medal in the (800-meter race) at the Beijing Olympics after a fierce competition with Kenyan runners who took first and third place.
Brigadier General Mustafa El-Abbadi, the former head of the Athletics Federation, contributed to raising the spirits of other sports besides athletics, helping Sudan achieve glory. Muhamad Younis, a high jump champion, did not let him down, becoming the first Sudanese to earn the honor of a continental gold medal.
Talking about the Sudanese Armed Forces and their achievements in Sudanese sports leads directly to a talent whose star emerged at an Armed Forces festival. He won first place in the (cross-country race) in Khartoum, and then this talent went on to win a number of medals in regional and international races in 1980 in the 10,000-meter category. Our runner, Musa Gouda, retired to work in the Military Sports Branch. Like Khalifa Omer, Gouda refused several citizenships that were offered to him and worked as a coach in Saudi Arabia until he passed away there.
Air Defense First Sergeant Abubaker Kaki Khamis was the youngest runner in the world to win the gold medal in the (800-meter) indoor race in 1989 at the age of 18. In 2008, he won the gold medal at the Bislett Games in Oslo and became an icon of Sudanese athletics and a symbol of sports in Sudan during that period. Rumors of his death in the city of El Fashir during the current war circulated, but he personally denied them.
Team sports were also associated with the Armed Forces for a period, most notably volleyball in the 1980s. Al-Majd and Al-Sajjanah teams, in particular, saw players from most clubs join military units. A group of star players represented the military volleyball team, most notably Abdul Majeed, Kamal and Yassir Babikir (the Jagawa brothers), Salah Ras, Al-Sheikh, Mahir Al-Beer, and a large number of other stars of the sport.
Athletics, dubbed the "mother of all sports," remains the most promising and suitable sport for Sudan's youth. It is the most celebrated sport in Sudan after football, having produced a number of runners who have been recognized globally for their excellence. The Armed Forces have consistently been the main provider and primary source for this sport, which is considered the "bride" of sports at the Olympics.
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