The 1500 metres or 1,500-metre run is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athletics since 1983. It is equivalent to 1.5 kilometers or approximately 15⁄16 miles. The event is closely associated with its slightly longer cousin, the mile race, from which it derives its nickname "the metric mile".
Djibouti took part in the 2000 Summer Olympics, which were held in Sydney, Australia from 15 September to 1 October. The country's participation at Sydney marked its fifth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, United States. The delegation included two track and field athletes; Omar Daher Gadid in the men's marathon and Roda Ali Wais in the women's 800 metres. Gadid failed to finish the marathon, while Wais did not progress past the first round of her event.
Djibouti took part in the 1996 Summer Olympics, which were held in Atlanta, United States from 19 July to 4 August. The country's participation marked its fourth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, United States. The delegation from Djibouti included five athletes, three in athletics and two in sailing. The three athletes for athletics were Ali Ibrahim, Omar Moussa, and Hussein Ahmed Salah while Robleh Ali Adou and Mohamed Youssef represented the country for sailing.
Djibouti took part in the 1984 Summer Olympics, which were held in Los Angeles, United States from July 28 to August 12. The 1984 Summer Olympics were Djibouti's first Olympic appearance. The delegation included three marathon athletes, Djama Robleh, Ahmed Salah, and Omar Abdillahi Charmarke, none of whom won a medal.
The 1st All-Africa Games – Brazzaville 1965 was a multi-sport event played from July 18, 1965, to July 25, 1965, in Brazzaville, Congo.
Djibouti has participated in nine Summer Olympic Games as of the completion of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. They have never competed in the Winter Olympic Games. Djibouti debuted at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States of America with three athletes, but did not take home a medal. The highest number of Djiboutian athletes participating in a summer Games is eight in the 1992 games in Barcelona, Spain. Only one Djiboutian athlete has ever won a medal at the Olympics, marathon runner Hussein Ahmed Salah, who won a bronze medal in the 1988 marathon.
Sports in Somalia are regulated by the Ministry of Sports of Somalia. The government ministry works closely with the Somali Olympic Committee and various sports governing bodies, including the Somali Football Federation. Abdi Bile from Las Anod is Somalia's most decorated athlete in history; Abdi Bile also holds the highest number of Somali national records. The longest continuously serving national team captains of Somalia's two most popular sports, basketball and football, are Yusuf Qaafow and Hasan Babay respectively.
Hellen Onsando Obiri is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. She is the only woman to have won world titles in indoor track, outdoor track and cross country. Obiri is a two-time Olympic 5000 metres silver medallist from the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she also placed fourth over the 10,000 metres. She is a two-time world champion after winning the 5000 m in 2017 and again in 2019, when she set a new championship record. Obiri also took world bronze for the 1500 metres in 2013 and silver in the 10,000 m in 2022. She won the 3000 metres race at the 2012 World Indoor Championships, claimed silver in 2014, and placed fourth in 2018. She is the 2019 World Cross Country champion. Obiri triumphed in the 2023 Boston Marathon, her second marathon race. She places fifth in the half marathon on the world all-time list.
Bashir Abdi is a Somali-born Belgian long-distance runner. He won bronze medals in the marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Championships. In doing so, Abdi became both the first ever Belgian world championship medal winner at the marathon and the first Belgian male athlete to win an individual medal at both the Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships. He claimed silver in the 10,000 metres at the 2018 European Championships. He finished second and third at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon and 2022 London Marathon respectively. Abdi is the European record holder for the marathon.
Dawit Seyaum Biratu is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres. She placed fourth at the 2015 World Championships and won the silver medal at the 2016 World Indoor Championships. Dawit took a bronze in the 5000 metres at the 2022 World Championships.
Djibouti competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The nation's participation marked its eighth appearance at the Summer Olympics. Djibouti did not field any athletes at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Abdi Waiss Mouhyadin is a Djiboutian middle-distance runner competing primarily in the 1500 metres. He represented his country at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing reaching the semifinals. In addition he won a silver medal at the 2015 African Games.
Tunisia competed at the 2019 African Games held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. In total, athletes representing Tunisia competed in all 26 sports held at the competition and they won 26 gold medals, 36 silver medals and 35 bronze medals. The country finished in 6th place in the medal table.
Djibouti competed at the 2019 African Games held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. In total, athletes representing Djibouti won one silver medal and one bronze medal and the country finished in 33rd place in the medal table.
Somalia competed at the 2019 African Games held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. In total, athletes representing Somalia competed in three sports and did not win any medals.
Ethiopia competed at the 2019 African Games held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. In total, athletes representing Ethiopia won six gold medals, five silver medals and 12 bronze medals and the country finished 9th in the medal table.
Eritrea competed at the 2019 African Games held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. Athletes representing the country won three silver medals and the country finished in 26th place in the medal table.
Djibouti competed at the 2015 African Games held in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Burkina Faso competed at the 2015 African Games held in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Sudan competed at the 2015 African Games held in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. The country won one silver medal in athletics.
