Canadian runner Moh Ahmed’s appeal of his disqualification following a fall during the 5,000-metre event at the Paris Olympics has been denied.
The 2020 silver Olympic medallist stumbled just before the final lap of the race on Aug. 7. Despite finishing 16th in his heat and ranking 35th overall with a time of 14 minutes and 15.76 seconds, Ahmed’s disqualification was upheld.
“Unfortunately, while running in the pack, Moh stood on the ankle of an athlete in front of him, which caused him to fall,” Athletics Canada stated.
Ahmed’s silver in the 5,000 metres in Tokyo marked Canada’s first Olympic medal in a long-distance track event. He had previously set a best-ever Canadian result in the 5,000 metres at Rio in 2016, finishing fourth after an appeal.
The St. Catharines, Ont., athlete, born in Somalia and raised in Kenya until age 10, moved to Canada in 2001. He won bronze in the 5,000 metres at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, a first for Canada in a long-distance track event.
Broke Own National Record
In 2020, Ahmed broke his own national record in the 5,000 metres with a time of 12 minutes and 47.20 seconds. He also set a Canadian record in the 10,000 metres in March 2022, achieving a time of 26 minutes and 34.14 seconds, meeting the Olympic entry standard for Paris.
Ahmed made his Olympic debut at London 2012, finishing 18th in the 10,000 metres. Inspired by his brothers’ track success, he started running at age 13 and fulfilled his dream of representing Team Canada.
His achievements include finishing ninth in the 10,000 metres at the 2013 World Athletics Championships and winning gold in the same event at the 2015 Pan Am Games. In 2015, he also broke a 17-year-old Canadian record in the 5,000 metres.
