| Double gold for Don Valley runners at UK School Games |
Double gold for Don Valley runners at UK School Games
 Don Valley distance runners Abdirisak Ahmed and Mukhtar Mohammed took double gold in the 2007 UK School Games at the weekend.
The Games marked the end of a hugely successful championship season for the two friends, and former Abbeydale School pupils, who have both won gold at national and international level in the under 17 age group in 2007.
Representing Yorkshire and Humberside, Sheffield Wednesday Football Club academy scholar and rapidly rising athletics star Mukhtar finished first in the under 17s 800m in a time of 1 minute 55.
Don Valley Graduate teammate Abdi took gold in the under 17s 3,000m in 8 minutes, 43.5 seconds at the championships staged on the University of Warwick campus last weekend.
Both runners were chosen to compete in the championships as the top under 17 runners in the region and they struck gold in their final competition together.
This is because Mukhtar will return to his first love, football, as a Sheffield Wednesday scholarship player, now his brief but sensational three-month athletics career is over.
Don Valley Graduate School Co-ordinator Rob Creasey said: “Considering Mukhtar's commitments with football at Sheffield Wednesday over the last six weeks his track performances have been excellent. We have to thank all those at Wednesday who have given him the opportunity to enjoy such a brief but successful career in athletics.
“Abdi's struggle has been in overcoming asthma to pursue his potential as a world class talent athlete on the 2012 Olympic programme. Three weeks ago he had to watch as other athletes competed at Don Valley for the AAA championships because he was too ill to run.
“To compete and win at The UK School Games just six days after hospital treatment for his asthma shows how determined he is to succeed. We have to thank Kevin Burns for his continued chiropractic support which enabled Abdi to get into some kind of shape in just a few days!
“Both boys should be extremely proud of their performances. Abdi has a future career in athletics to look forward to and we will be taking a keen interest in Mukhtar's achievements on the pitch for Sheffield Wednesday!”
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