Abdihamid "Abdi" Nur (born October 14, 1998) is a Somali-born American long-distance runner. [1] He competed collegiately for Northern Arizona University from 2019 to 2022, where he won multiple national titles in the NCAA and set a collegiate record in the outdoor 5000 m. After graduating, Nur signed with Nike and has since won 2 national titles and represented the US at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships.
Nur was born on October 14, 1998, in Mogadishu, Somalia. He is the second youngest of eight children. He has three older brothers, three older sisters, and a younger sister. His family moved away from Somalia when he was very young due to the country's political instability. He remembers little of his time there since he was still an infant. His mother wanted a safer life for them, so she made the decision for them to leave Somalia. [2] [3]
They stayed in Kenya, where their mother owned a shop, for three short years prior to settling in Cairo, Egypt for five years. Nur was only 4 when they arrived in Egypt. Then, they immigrated to the United States in 2006 where they first lived in New Mexico for a brief period of time. However, they relocated to Apple Valley, Minnesota, where they had extended family members near the area. Their mother was the primary provider for the family. She worked odd jobs as a janitor and babysitter to financially support them. They would relocate once again to Phoenix, Arizona, while Nur was about to enter high school in 2013. Their mother grew tired of the cold climate in Minnesota. [2] [3]
Initially, Nur played soccer as an underclassman at North High School before he ever started running. He shared that "sports brought [him] closer to people and helped [him] make friends". He even attributed sports for his smooth transition to the United States by allowing him to acclimate to a new culture. But, a nearly fatal car accident in his second year was what ultimately brought Nur to running. A driver in another car struck the car that Nur was riding in as a passenger in the backseat. Nur ended up tearing ligaments in his knee and required surgery to fix his injured collarbone. He was bedridden temporarily, missed the entire soccer season as a result, and was unable to go to school for three months. He recalls the experience messing him up and being a "really bad time for [him]". [2]
Eager to return to soccer in his junior year, he went through rehab just so that he could quickly get back to the field in good shape. During his rehabilitation, he needed to improve his endurance and conditioning. His coach advised him to give cross country a try. Immediately, Nur showed great potential by coming in third place at his first meet in Flagstaff, Arizona. His coach saw this and recommended that Nur forget soccer and seriously consider switching to running. Nur thought the idea sounded crazy because "soccer was something [he] grew up loving" and an integral part of his identity. His whole family played soccer, including all of his brothers, which is why he struggled to envision quitting the sport. [2]
Soon though, Nur actually took a liking to running and it became something that he did out of genuine interest. Later, he won the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Cross Country Division I State Championships in his senior year of high school which opened up many opportunities with colleges for him.
Nur is a 2016 Arizona Interscholastic Association Cross Country Division I State Champion, and 3-time Arizona Interscholastic Association Division I State finalist. Nur set personal best times of 5 km 15:30.0, 3200 m 9:27.02, & 1600 m 4:28.34.
He began to receive calls following his win at the AIA Cross Country Championships, putting him on Northern Arizona University's (NAU) radar. Despite failing to qualify academically for the university's cross country team right away, he had to implement changes to his studies to compete for the university at the collegiate level. [2]
Nur enrolled at Coconino County Community College in Flagstaff in 2017. He fully devoted himself to his grades and training exclusively so that he could increase his chances of being accepted into NAU. Additionally, he had to adjust to the challenges of training without a coach or team, living on his own in a new city, and college courses. Since he remained in his home state, not far from Phoenix, he knew friends in town who he would train with off-campus. The cross country coach at NAU, Michael Smith, kept in contact with Nur and would check in along the way to see how Nur was progressing in his efforts to run for NAU. [4]
Given Flagstaff's small population and size, Nur inevitably encountered athletes from the NAU team on his long runs on trails or road loops. He looked at them in complete astonishment and amazement as they passed him with utter ease. Expectedly, it led him to cast some doubt upon himself and his abilities. He questioned if he could be a part of NAU, run with the squad, or make their team. It would be difficult enough for him just to be added to the roster, let alone finish in the top seven. Despite Nur's attempts to meet the NCAA standards, he was deemed a non-qualifier for yet another year in the spring of 2018. As disappointed as he may have been, waiting to achieve his goals, he appreciated that the two years he had off taught him to maintain his focus and continue to chase his dreams harder than before. [4]
It was not until the summer of 2019 that he finally raised up his grades and qualified for NAU. He reached out to Coach Mike Smith who started Nur out slowly because Smith was uncertain of what Nur could handle after a two-year break. By this point, Nur was more than ready and gravitated toward the top runners like his teammate Luis Grijalva who acted as his training partner and mentor. They pushed and motivated each other to do their best, becoming close friends as well in the process. Nur would run 80 to 90 miles a week and Grijalva would run 90 to 100 miles a week. Nur surprised himself during one particular workout where he found himself next to Grijalva's shoulder at the end of the session. He boosted confidence in himself and believed that he may be able to place in the top seven at competitions after all if he can keep up with Grijalva. [4]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  United States | |||||
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 11th | 5000 m | 13:18.05 |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 12th | 5000 m | 13:23.90 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 19th (heat) | 5000 m | 14:15.00 |
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Nike | |||||
| 2021 | USA Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | DNF | 10000 m | N/A |
| 2022 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 3rd | 5000 m | 13:08.63 |
| USA Road 5 km Championships | New York City, New York | 1st | 5 km | 13:24 | |
| 2023 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | 5000 m | 13:24.37 |
| 2024 | USA Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 2nd | 5000 m | 13:09.01 |
| Year | Competition | Position | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships | 33rd | 10,000 m | 31:14.0 |
| 2020 | Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships | 1st | 3000 m | 8:17.30 |
| 1st | 5000 m | 14:29.83 | ||
| NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships [5] | All-American | 5000 m | Cancelled by COVID-19 | |
| Big Sky Cross Country Championships | 1st | 8000 m | 23:55.6 | |
| NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships | 7th | 10,000 m | 30:05.3 | |
| 2021 | Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 5th | 1500 m | 3:48.20 |
| 1st | 5000 m | 14:09.20 | ||
| NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 3rd | 10,000 m | 27:42.73 | |
| Big Sky Cross Country Championships | 4th | 8000 m | 23:21.6 | |
| NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships | 7th | 10,000 m | 28:52.9 | |
| 2022 | Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships | 1st | Mile | 4:03.98 |
| 1st | DMR | 9:50.86 | ||
| NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships | 1st | 3000 m | 7:59.88 | |
| 1st | 5000 m | 13:19.01 | ||
| Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 1st | 1500 m | 3:43.55 | |
| 4th | 5000 m | 14:10.90 | ||
| NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 3rd | 10,000 m | 28:14.51 |
| Year | AIA Cross Country Division I State Championship | AIA Outdoor Track and Field Division I State Championship |
|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | 15:49.0 1st | 3200 m 9:27.02 4th |
| 1600 m 4:32.86 8th | ||
| 2015–16 | DNQ | DNQ |
Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. Founded in 1899, it was the final university established in the Arizona Territory.
The NAU Lumberjacks are the varsity athletic teams representing Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona in intercollegiate athletics. The school's mascot was adopted in 1946. The Lumberjacks compete in NCAA Division I and are full members of the Big Sky Conference with the exception of the women's swimming and diving team which is an affiliate member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's basketball team represents Northern Arizona University, located in Flagstaff, Arizona, in NCAA Division I men's competition. The school's team has competed in the Big Sky Conference since 1970. The team's most recent appearance in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was in 2000. Northern Arizona also appeared in the NCAA tournament in 1998. In 2023, the Lumberjacks have reached the Big Sky conference tournament title game as a Cinderella team as they were the 9th seed in the tournament. The Lumberjacks are currently led by head coach Shane Burcar who replaced Jack Murphy in June 2019. NAU Lumberjack basketball games are broadcast on KAFF Country Legends 93.5/AM 930 in Flagstaff, Fun Oldies 1450 AM/100.9 in Prescott and KDUS AM 1060 in Phoenix, with commentary provided by the "Voice of the Lumberjacks" Mitch Strohman, Coach Dave Brown with the play-by-play and Dave Zorn, host of the NAU Halftime Report. All games can be also heard online at KAFFLegends.com
Donald Cabral is an American cross country and track runner from Connecticut who went on to star at Princeton University. He has been most successful in the steeplechase, but has also been a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American in cross country and the 5000 meters, as well as the Ivy League champion at the 3000 meters. He is a former American collegiate steeplechase record holder and was the 2012 NCAA steeplechase champion. He competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics in the steeplechase. At Princeton, Cabral was an eight-time NCAA All-American and ten-time individual Ivy League champion. He was a long distance running champion in high school for Glastonbury High School, winning two Class LL championships as a sophomore and then open state and New England championships as a junior and senior.
Juan Diego Estrada Constantino is a Mexican-American long-distance runner. He competed in the 10,000 metres at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London for Mexico. After some confusion about his eligibility after becoming a U.S. citizen, he was excluded from the U.S. Olympic trials even though it was later known that Estrada was misinformed on his eligibility possibilities. Estrada resides in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Johanna Nilsson was a Swedish middle- and long-distance runner. She was a bronze medallist at the European Cross Country Championships in 2005. Despite an early retirement in 2006 she had a highly successful collegiate career in the United States, winning three NCAA indoor titles and winning the NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship in 2005. Her sister, Ida Nilsson, is also an international distance runner.
Peter Lomong is a South Sudanese-American runner who competed for Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, US. His elder brother Lopez Lomong also competed for Northern Arizona University.
The 2018–19 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's basketball team represented Northern Arizona University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by seventh-year head coach Jack Murphy and played their home games at the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Arizona as members of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 10–21, 8–12 in Big Sky play to finish in a tie for eighth place. They lost in the first round of the Big Sky tournament to Sacramento State.
Nell Rojas is an American triathlete, long-distance runner, coach, business owner, and winner of the 2019 Grandma's Marathon. She also competed at the 2020 USA Olympic Marathon Trials and finished in 9th place.
Rory Linkletter is a Canadian long-distance runner. He represented Canada in the marathon at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships. He holds a personal best of 2:08:01 set at the 2024 Seville Marathon making him the second fastest Canadian of all time over the distance. He formerly held the Canadian half marathon record from January to October 2022 set at the 2022 Houston Half Marathon.
Matt Baxter is a New Zealand long-distance runner.
Rachel Smith is an American middle- and long-distance runner. She competed collegiately for Georgetown University. Smith represented the United States at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha and at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
Andy Trouard is a professional American Distance runner who competes in the 5000m for the Oregon Track Club Elite and has a personal best in the event of 13:21.07. In 2018, he won the NCAA Division I National Championship in the 3000m, won two team NCAA national championships in Cross Country with Northern Arizona University in 2016 and in 2017, and is an NCAA All-American in Track and Field.
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks cross country are the cross country teams of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Lumberjacks compete in the Big Sky Conference at the Division I level in the NCAA and are head coached by Mike Smith.
Luis Miguel Grijalva is a Guatemalan long-distance runner. Born in Guatemala, he attended Armijo High School in Fairfield, California, where he was a state champion in cross country and track. He competed for Northern Arizona University from 2017 to 2021, securing multiple All-American finishes in the NCAA. In 2021, Grijalva began competing professionally, sponsored by Hoka One One. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, he finished 12th in the 5000m. He also finished fourth in the 5000m at both the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Nicolas Young is an American long-distance runner. He is a two-time NCAA champion having won both the 3000 m and 5000 m at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships while competing for Northern Arizona University. He also holds the collegiate records in the 5000 m (12:57.14) and 10,000 m (26:52.72), both set in 2024. He came out as gay in 2022.
George Beamish is a New Zealand middle- and long-distance runner, who won the 1500 metres at the 2024 World Indoor Championships. He holds the Oceania area record in the 3000 m steeplechase of 8:09.64 and the New Zealand record in the indoor 3000 m and 5000 m. He finished fifth at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in the 3000 m steeplechase.
Mario García Romo is a Spanish middle-distance runner, who specializes in the 1500 metres. He was the national champion in the event in 2022, and he represented Spain in the 1500 m at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, finishing fourth and sixth.
Mike Smith is an American coach who has been the director of cross country and track and field at Northern Arizona University since 2017. As the head coach of the men's and women's programs, he has led the men's teams to five NCAA Division I men's cross country championships titles.
| Qualification |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Men's track and road athletes |
| |
| Men's field athletes | ||
| Women's track and road athletes |
| |
| Women's field athletes |
| |
| Coaches |
| |
| Medical Staff |
| |
| Qualification | | |
|---|---|---|
| Women's track and road athletes |
| |
| Women's field athletes |
| |
| Men's track and road athletes |
| |
| Men's field athletes |
| |
| Coaches |
| |
| Qualification | | |
|---|---|---|
| Women's track and road athletes |
| |
| Women's field athletes |
| |
| Men's track and road athletes |
| |
| Men's field athletes |
| |
| Coaches and staff |
| |
