Abubaker Kaki Khamis (; born 21 June 1989) is a Sudanese runner who specialises in the 800 metres. He is a two-time World Indoor Champion over the distance and also won gold at the 2007 All-Africa Games. He represented Sudan at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. He is a member of the Messiria ethnic minority., Reuters, 15 April 2008
Running career In February 2008 he ran a world-leading 2:15.7 in the 1000 m indoors in Sweden. On 9 March 2008, in Valencia, Kaki became the youngest ever World Indoor champion after winning the 800 m final at age 18 years and 262 days.IAAF Events Reports, 9 March 2008 On 6 June 2008, he won the Bislett Games Golden League meeting in Oslo by running 1:42.69, a new world junior record. The previous record (1:43.64) was set by Japheth Kimutai of Kenya in 1997.IAAF, 7 June 2008: Dibaba’s World record and Kaki’s World Junior mark leaves Oslo in awe The following month he entered the 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics as the 800 m favorite. He was closely followed by Keny's Geoffrey Kibet in the final but managed to pull clear on the final straight to win the gold medal.Halford, Paul (2008-07-11). Kaki given a race in the 800m, First gold for Poland – IAAF World Junior Championships – Day Four-Evening Report. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-06-14.
Kaki finished 8th in the third semi-final for the 800 m and did not advance to the final at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.http://www.iaaf.org/oly08/results/eventCode=3659/racedate=08-21-2008/sex=M/discCode=800/combCode=hash/roundCode=sf/results.html#det Results 08-21-2008 – 800 metres M semi-final In the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, where he was a strong favorite, Kaki tripped and fell in the semi-final, and did not complete the race.
Kaki retained his title at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships at the age of twenty, becoming only the second athlete after Paul Ereng to complete the feat in the men's 800 m. In the outdoor season, he made his first appearance in the 2010 IAAF Diamond League in an 800 m match-up against David Rudisha. Both runners defeated Sebastian Coe's 31-year-old meeting record, but Kaki was not fast enough to beat Rudisha. Kaki's time of 1:42.23 was a new Sudanese record and, at the time, the fastest 800 m time ever recorded for a non-winning athlete.Middle distance magic in Oslo – IAAF Diamond League. IAAF (2010-06-04). Retrieved on 2010-06-07. He won at the Memorial Primo Nebiolo later that month in another quick time of 1:43.48.Sampaolo, Diego (2010-06-13). Kaki scorches 1:43.48, Robles improves to 13.08 in Turin. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-06-14. Since then he made the 800 m final at the London 2012 Olympic Games where he finished 7th in 1.43.32, a season's best performance.
Reported death Kaki was reported killed on 12 April 2025 in El Fasher, as a result of artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces, during the Siege of El Fasher in the Sudanese civil war. However, this report was refuted by African journalists, who claimed that Kaki was still alive.
Achievements Representing 2005World Youth ChampionshipsMarrakesh, Morocco 3rd1500 m3:45.06African Junior ChampionshipsRadès, Tunisia7th800 m1:50.302006World Junior ChampionshipsBeijing, China6th800 m1:48.462007All-Africa GamesAlgiers, Algeria 1st800 m1:45.227th4 × 400 m relay3:09.37World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan30th (h)800 m1:46.38Pan Arab GamesCairo, Egypt 1st800 m1:43.90 (NR) 1st1500 m3:47.92 2nd4 × 400 m relay3:06.52 (NR)2008World Indoor ChampionshipsValencia, Spain 1st800 m1:44.81African ChampionshipsAddis Ababa, Ethiopia 2nd4 × 400 m relay3:04.00World Junior ChampionshipsBydgoszcz, Poland 1st800 m1:45.60Summer OlympicsBeijing, China24th (sf)800 m1:49.192009World ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany22nd (sf)800 mDNF2010World Indoor ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar 1st800 m1:46.23African ChampionshipsNairobi, Kenya4th4 × 400 m relay3:08.522011World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea 2nd800 m1:44.412012Summer OlympicsLondon, United Kingdom7th800 m1:43.32
Personal bests +Outdoor Event Time Date Location 800 metres 1:42.23 † ‡ 4 June 2010 Oslo 1000 metres 2:13.62 3 July 2010 Eugene 1500 metres 3:31.76 † 22 July 2011 Monaco
+Indoor Event Time Date Location 800 metres 1:44.81 9 Mar 2008 Valencia 1000 metres 2:15.77 21 Feb 2008 Stockholm All Information taken from IAAF profile.IAAF, Kaki Abubaker biography: Kaki Abubaker biography
Key: † = National record
References
External links
Read Abubaker Kaki Khamis' Rising Star profile on spikesmag.com