Shamha breaks national record in Germany

Shamha Ahmed has broken the Maldives' record by finishing fourth in the 5,000 meter race in Germany.

During the race on Wednesday, Shamha finished with a time of 19 minutes and 42.45 seconds, securing the fourth position in the Frankfurt Railway Open 5,000 meter race in Germany.

Previously, the record was held by Aminath Jaisha Junaiz, who set the record in 19 minutes and 43.09 seconds during the national marathon held in September 2022.

Shamha finished second in her age group, demonstrating her exceptional performance against younger competitors despite being 41 years old.

During the race, she also broke the country's 3,000 meter record by completing the distance in 10 minutes and 58 seconds, the previous record being around 12 minutes.

Shamha expressed her intention to compete in the 10,000 meter race in Germany on Saturday, aiming to set another record.

Her coach, marathon runner Nasrulla Ahmed (Nasru), believes that Shamha can achieve this given her current form.

Nasrulla emphasized that while setting records is commendable, the ultimate goal is to match the timing of South Asian athletes, which requires support from the athletics association.

Shamha now holds the Maldives marathon and half-marathon records.