Aldama, Jaber lead Sudan to African Championships

All-African Games 400m hurdles champion Muna Jaber and triple jump winner Yamile Aldama will lead a strong Sudanese squad for the 16th CAA African Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa.

The strong squad also includes two former world youth champions- 2003 400m boys champion Nagmeldin Ali Abubaker and 2005 girls 400m winner Nawal El Jack- and an 800m Olympian in Ismael Ahmed Ismael.

MEN - Sudan boosted by strong medal hopes

Over the last five years, Sudan has been one of Africa’s emerging countries. And the runner who in many ways kick-started the resurgence in 2003 will be among those hoping to blossom in the Ethiopian capital.

At the world youth championships in Sherbrooke, Canada nearly five years ago, a little-known Nagmeldin Ali surprised many by winning Sudan’s first ever continental title over the 400m. Although the 25-year old has failed to rich such high scales ever since, his precarious talent could make him one of the favourites for medals in Addis Ababa.

Besides Ali, Sudan will also have their first and only Olympic track finalist Ismael Ahmed Ismael competing over the 800m, one of the expected highlight events of Addis 2008.

WOMEN - Jaber and Aldama are the stars

Sudan will have even more medal hopes in the women squad than the men. All-African Games champions, Muna Jabir (400m hurdles) and Yamile Aldama (triple jump) will be the favourites in their respective events after scaling to such continental heights last year.

Nawal Eljack, the 2005 World youth 400m champion, is another medal hopeful in the talented Sudanese squad.

Sudan squad for Addis 2008:

MEN
400m: Nagmeldin Ali Abubakar, Rabah M. Yusuf, Awad Karem Elmaki
400mH: Hafiz Mohamed, Abdulgadir Idriss
800m: Ismael Ahmed Ismael, Abdalla Abdulgadir

WOMEN
400m: Nawal Eljack
400mH: Muna Jaber, Faiza Omar
800m: Amina Bakhit, Gibril Ehsan
Triple Jump: Yamile Aldama