Tokyo (SD) – Mohamed Ahmed, who is of Somali origin but runs for Canada, came second in the 5000 meters at the World Olympic Games in Japan.

Mohamed finished second winning a silver medal in Friday afternoon’s race in Tokyo, running in 12 minutes, 58.61 seconds.

“I did not think this race was going to be fast. I thought they were just going to let it go. But Joshua came to play tonight. The real Joshua, that’s when he runs the best when he’s up front, when he dictates the pace,” Ahmed said following his run.

The 5,000-meter sprint is one of the world’s most important races and it has been previously dominated by Mo Farah, who has been left out of this year’s Olympics in Japan.

A number of runners of Somali origin but running for other countries are among those competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which are coming to conclusion.

Mohamed Ahmed, born in January 1991 in Mogadishu, spent the first 10 years of his life in Kenya, before his family moved to Canada in 2001.

Ahmed previously won a bronze medal in the 5000 m at the 2019 Doha World Championships, and was the first Canadian to win a medal at the event.

He also won two silver medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the 5000 and 10,000 m, Ahmed also participated in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Ahmed previously competed in the 10,000m in Tokyo and finished sixth.