Youcef Abdi: Olympic Steeplechase Finalist

© 2008 The Runner's Tribe, all rights reserved.

If you were looking to find a story of inspiration, hard times and persistence, which finished with a happy ending, you would need not go further than that of Youcef Abdi. After fleeing his home country at a young age, he switched allegiances to Australia, and has represented his adopted country with pride. Abdi, a former Commonwealth Games bronze medalist over 1500m, switched to the steeplechase three years ago, much to the surprise of most of the Australian Athletics world. Many thought he would not be able to make the transition smoothly, but Abdi has come up against the odds, and was rewarded with a spot in the Beijing 2008 team. Justifiably so, as he finished the final in 6th position, only 0.24sec off the long standing Australian record. We had a brief chat with Youcef while he was in the Olympic Village.

RunnersTribe: First off, congrats on the selection. It's been a long time coming and well deserved. How satisfying was it to finally see your name on the team list?

Youcef Abdi: I was over the moon when I realized I was going to go down in history as an Olympian. I went through a lot of stress to get there, and our governing body (Athletics Australia) made it bloody tough to get in, which probably needs to be addressed if they want to improve the development of our sport. Running is a fairly simple thing, and I don't know why it has been made so complicated!

RT: The switch to the Steeple has seemed to be paying off; you've run 8:18 twice, only two seconds off the national record. How different is the running you are doing now compared to the 1500m training you were used to?

YA: Basically I'm just doing more mileage in my runs and sessions. On top of that, I am finding more core work is the key. You can throw in a few coffees into the equation; it gives you a great buzz.

RT: Considering the circumstances you had to go through to make the Olympics, what do you consider as your best performance…making the Beijing Games, or the Bronze Medal you won at the 2002 Commonwealth Games over 1500m?

YA: That's a tough question, but I will go with Olympic Selection. There is no greater feeling than being part of this huge spectacle. The Olympics is the only event that stops the world for a period of time, and there is no greater satisfaction than knowing you are part of that event.

 

 

 

Beijing Olympics

RT: Still on the topic of the Olympics, how is the atmosphere in the Olympic Village? Can you tell our readers a bit about the village and what its like?

YA: I think if the perfect world existed, this would be it. We are here to do what we love (run) and the rest is done for you. The food hall is open 24/7 and has a wide range of foods from all different countries. The rooms are made up daily, your laundry is looked after, and there is an endless supply of PowerAde. Everywhere you go you see athletes, whether they be walking, running, riding, carrying their hockey equipment around etc. Sometimes it just feels like you are in a fantasy land!

RT: What are your thoughts on the exclusion of Marty Dent after his B Qualifier and National Title? Would you like him to be on the start line at Beijing alongside you?

YA: It would have been nice to have Marty on the team, and more Australians in general. I believe if he has run an A qualifier he would have been guaranteed a selection.

It would have been nice to have more Australians...I believe if any one had run an A they would have been added to the team.

RT: You're pretty passionate about your tattoo. Can you tell us the meaning of it?

YA: Tattoos were never something I thought I would get into, but this one was special to me. The symbol represents BERBER (indigenous people of North Africa) which I am one of. It means a lot to me as the Berbers struggled throughout the centuries to live free but unfortunately some places in the world are not fair and just.

RT: After working so hard to get into the Australian team, you blew us away with your 6th place in the final! Can you take us through the race and how you were feeling from the onset of the race, and what was going through your mind with one lap to go?

YA: We always believed I was good enough to final, we had a plan for the heats and it came through. In the final I knew that I was feeling good in my body and my mind. I wasn't nervous, and you could feel a lot of energy just from the magnitude of the event. Walking out through the tunnel into the stadium felt like you were part of the set of gladiators, coming into this huge arena, the noise was deafening!

During the race we were grouped up and moving everywhere, and I knew I had to just stay out of trouble, but keep in contact with the front pack. The plan worked, and with one lap to go you just throw everything you have at it. Many athletes only get one shot at the Olympics, so there is no point wondering what if. I picked up a few athletes after the last water jump, and passed the 2004 Olympic champion on the line. To run a PB in the heat, and then a PB in the final, and be so close to the Australian record was very pleasing.