Hall of Fame
Ibrahim Aden was born in Borau, Somalia and came to the United States in 1988. He entered Fork Union Military Academy in September 1990 and in his senior year was the world's fastest high school miler, sweeping all major U.S. races with a time of 4:05.
He was the 1992 winner in the 5th Avenue Mile and Millrose Games in New York; Sunkist Invitational in Los Angeles; Penn Relays in Philadelphia; Volunteer Track Classic in Knoxville; Golden South in Orlando; Golden West in Sacramento; and Keebler Invitational in Chicago.
After leaving FUMA, he attended Central Arizona College and became the National JUCO Champion in the 1500m in 1994. He was the IC4A Champion in the 1500m at George Mason University in 1995 and 1996.
Aden's international competition is quite extensive. As a two-time Olympian for Somalia, he carried the national flag in the 2000 Summer Olympic opening ceremonies in Sydney. He also competed in the 800m in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. In the 1500m, his competition included the World Championships in Athens (1997) and the World Championships in Seville (1999).
Coach Fred Hardy remembers Aden as one of the most talented track athletes he ever coached:
"His collegiate record and his accomplishments on the world track scene speak for themselves. With his obvious talent, Ibrahim brought a tenacious commitment to bear that made him one of the best middle-distance runners of his day. And that commitment also served him well outside of athletics. During his years at FUMA, Ibrahim struggled with a language and a curriculum that was not familiar to him. I recall only a very few students who worked as long or as diligently every night on their schoolwork. I'm sure it was this same commitment that led to his earning a degree from one of Virginia's finest universities. Ibrahim Aden is an example of the FUMA philosophy at its best."
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