Silver for Sudan

Ismail Ahmed Ismail trains in Khartoum’s decrepit athletics stadium

Sudan has been celebrating its first Olympic medal after Ismail Ahmed Ismail battled all the way to the line for an 800m silver. The country’s big hope for a gold, the world number one this year Abubaker Kaki, crashed out in the semis but Ismail’s medal shows Sudan could become a real force in middle distance running. How ironic too that he comes from the Fur people of Darfur, one of the tribes suffering most at the hands of the government. Now he’s a national hero.