Hargeisa, (HargeisaPress) —As a part of global celebrations to mark International Youth Day, Somaliland Athletics Federation in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth organized a mini Marathon under the theme “Youth and Sustainable Development” in celebration of International Youth Day.
Funded by International Organization for Migration (IOM), the 5-km Marathon was held in Hargeisa with the participation of more than 70 athletics from the different districts of the city.
Thousands of spectators poured into the city’s main street in order to watch the contest in which the city’s western exit check point served as the begun line where the Ministry of Sports and Youth headquarters served as the finish line.
In a brief ceremony held inside the sports ministry compound to distribute awards to the winners of the marathon was attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Abdilahi Farah Maydhane, the directors of Sports and Planning departments of the ministry, Mohamed Nuoh Jibril and Abdirashid Aided Yasin as well as the chairman and General secretary of Somaliland Athletics Federation.
In his welcoming remarks, the chairman of Somaliland Athletics Federation, Mustafe Ali Nour thanked International Organization for Migration (IOM) for funding the contest and pointed out the importance of such competition, where he said that the event is a good platform for the youth to demonstrate and mobilize their skills.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Youth and Sports, Abdilahi Farah Maydhane expressed his delight towards the successful culmination of the competition and stressed the importance of such competitions to the mental and physical development of youth.
“I am very delighted to take part this beautiful competition, and I would like to offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Athletics Federation for organizing such beautiful event and International Organization for Migration (IOM) for funding the competition” Minister Maydhane said.
The minister also offered congratulations to the winners of the competition where he also thanked the city’s police force and Hargeisa Group Hospital staff for taking lion’s share for the successful completion of the contest.
Other officials who also spoke at the ceremony including the directors of Sports and Planning departments of the ministry, Mohamed Nuoh Jibril and Abdirashid Aided Yasin as well as the General secretary of Somaliland Athletics Federation Osman Hussein Ali.
Five players from Somaliland Police Force Athletics team won the first five places where they were awarded medals and huge sum of money as a prize.
Diriye Abdilahi Yusuf finished first where Mohamoud Ibrahim Moumin, Idiris Hassan Maygag, Harir Yusuf Arab and Guled Mowlid Abdilahi finished second, third, fourth and fifth respectively.
The prizes awarded to the winners of the competition were as follows:
First Prize: a cup, medal and 1,500,000 SL Shillings.
Second Prize: a medal and 1,000,000 SL Shillings.
Third Prize: a medal and 700,000 SL Shillings.
Fourth Prize: a medal and 500,000 SL Shillings.
Fifth Prize: a medal and 300,000 SL Shillings.
International Youth Day (IYD) is an awareness day designated by the United Nations. The purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth. The first IYD was observed on 12 August, 2000.
HargeisaPress News Desk — Hargeysa
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