Abdi Bile

Abdi Bile

Personal information
Full name	عبدالله بله عبدالله
Nationality	Somalia
Born	December 28, 1962 (1962-12-28) Las Anod, Sool
Height	1.85 metres (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	75 kilograms (170 lb)
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	800 metres 1500 metres

Abdi Bile (Somali: عبدالله بله عبدالله, Cabdi Bille Cabdi, born December 28, 1962) is a former middle distance runner. He was born in Las Anod, Somalia. In 1987 he became world champion in the 1500 metres, the first Somali to do so.

Career

Bile won the 1500 m World Championship in 1987, running the final 800 m of the race in 1:46.0, the fastest final 800 m of any 1,500 meter race in history. He was a two-time Olympian (1984 and 1996) and dominated the event in the late 1980s. Bile was ranked first in the world at the mile distance in 1989. He was World Cup champion in the 1500 m in 1989 and two-time world Grand Prix final champion.

Bile graduated from George Mason University with a BS in marketing management. At George Mason, Bile was team captain and a two-time NCAA Division I 1,500 meter champion, winning his first title in 1985 (3:41.2) and the second in 1987 (3:35.79). He also won many conference titles and held the inter-collegiate 1500 m record for more than ten years. He was coached by John Cook, the former coach of 2008 Olympic 10,000 meter bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan. His career was riddled with injuries, and he missed the 1991 World Championships as well as the 1988 and 1992 Olympics because of such problems. In 1996 he finished 6th in the Olympic 1500 m final.

Bile has traveled widely and has inspired many young people and helped several humanitarian organizations. He is married, with a son named Ahmed, born in 1993. As a senior in high school, Ahmed won the Virginia state cross country title, the 1000m title and 1600m title along with being a two-time New Balance All-American in the 800m.

Personal bests

• 800 metres - 1:43.60 (1989)
• 1000 metres - 2:14.50 (1989)
• 1500 metres - 3:30.55 (1989)
• One mile - 3:49.40 (1988)
• 3000 metres - 7:42.18 (1994)

Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Notes
1984	Olympic Games	Los Angeles, California	5th (quarter-finals)	800 metres
			4th (heats)	1500 metres
1985	African Championships	Cairo, Egypt	2nd	1500 m
1987	World Championships	Rome, Italy	1st	1500 metres
1989	IAAF World Cup	Barcelona, Spain	1st	1500 m
1993	World Championships	Stuttgart, Germany	4th (heats)	800 m
			3rd	1500 metres
	IAAF Grand Prix Final	London, United Kingdom	2nd	1500 m
1994	IAAF Grand Prix Final	Paris, France	3rd	1500 m
1995	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	7th (heats)	1500 m
1996	Olympic Games	Atlanta, Georgia, United States	6th	1500 metres

References

• IAAF profile for Abdi Bile