Talented sprinter Abdullah Djabali (Year 12) has won a silver medal in the 4 x 100m relay at the national finals of an athletics event – a remarkable achievement for his first major competition!
At the National Final of the English Schools Athletic Association (ESAA) Track and Field Championships 2025, Abdullah represented County Durham in two events: the senior boys’ 100m and the senior mixed 4 x 100m relay.
Despite a tricky start in the 100m, Abdullah managed to complete it in a personal best time of 11.15 seconds.
When it came to the 4 x 100 relay, Abdullah was quite relaxed, and perhaps this was his secret to success. “I felt really excited before the event and wasn’t at all nervous,” he said. After the race, he headed straight to the board to check how his team had performed and found out they had come second!
“I had no words to describe how happy I felt,” he said. “To win a medal at my first big competition was more than I had ever wished for, and to see it happen was surreal.”
Abdullah’s journey to the national finals began with a winning time of 11.4 seconds in the 100m at the Durham Counties event at Monkton Stadium on 14 June. This result qualified him to represent Durham at the Inter Counties Championship in Middlesbrough on 21 June. Abdullah finished second with a time of 11.14 seconds – a new personal best but not a legal time because of a strong tailwind.
Abdullah has been a keen sportsman for years. He started sprinting in Year 6 but stopped for several years because of the pandemic, taking it up again in 2023 but only starting to train consistently this year. Now, Abdullah has a committed training schedule. He runs for Gateshead Harriers on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and he follows a routine of sprint training three times a week, plyometrics once or twice a week at his local gym, and core and hip flexor work once or twice a week. His sprinting skills are also put to good use as a footballer – Abdullah plays in the Durham Under-18 league for Morpeth and is part of our decorated College sixth-form team.
“I felt so grateful and proud that all my hard work had paid off, and that I had finally got a chance to prove to people that the improvements I have made throughout the years have worked,” said Abdullah. “It was a great experience and the atmosphere at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium was amazing!”
Abdullah has his sights set on reaching the nationals again next year and maybe even going a step further. “I hope to continue sprinting after sixth form and participate in big competitions, potentially even running for team GB at some point!”
When he’s not out running, Abdullah has equally ambitious plans for his studies and his career. He is hoping to study Mechanical Engineering at a top university or as a degree apprenticeship.
We wish him every success for his future ambitions, on or off the track!
