Battling the Same Issue as Suni Lee, Track and Field Athlete Ahmed Muhumed Reflects on His Career

In the ongoing World Athletics Cross Country Championships, Ahmed Muhumed contributed a hefty point in keeping the American team in contention. On March 30, his 36th position in Belgrade may not give a champion’s look. However, there, his iron-cast determination was nothing short of a crafted parable. Moreover, Ahmed Muhumed has already secured his berth for the next 2026 Cross Country Worlds as well. So what has been his success juice? 

In his conversation with Olympian Amy Begley, Ahmed narrated his post-impostor syndrome transformation after shifting to the HOKA camp. Such steps have also helped him to minimize his Impostor syndrome effect. 

Ahmed Muhumed’s story of defying Impostor Syndrome 

In that YouTube conversation, Ahmed Muhumed thanked HOKA for sponsoring him. Meanwhile, the cross-country runner added about the brazen effect of his Impostor syndrome on him last year. In his elaboration, he stated, “I’ve been running a lot of with a lot of impostor syndrome especially the last year being unsponsored athlete in September”. That was the dark part of Ahmed’s career when success remained far away from him. Eventually the late sponsorship and the responsibility of representing the country in the highest worked on him as therapy. 

In Riga last year, Ahmed Muhumed carried the national participation in the World Athletics Road Running Championships. However, he took time to acclimatize himself to the changed situation. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian-born runner felt elated with the chance. As per him, he was ready to give “110%” to represent the nationality. In his narration, the situation went like this: “I drove to from Portland to Flagstaff and I was like all right I need to get to work now, I’m representing a whole country.”  As a result, he finished the 5k race, grabbing the 22nd position. Meanwhile, he also recognized his training program with the HOKA elites and national runners helping him to overcome the problem. 

Ahmed Muhumed’s situation somehow has equaled him with Tokyo Olympics champion Suni Lee. The gymnast went through the same debilitating mental state. However, her step-over feels the same as well. 

Suni Lee countered her issue similarly 

After winning the Tokyo Olympics all-around title, Suni Lee had to shift to her NCAA gymnastics schedule for Auburn. However, she didn’t find this shift to be easy. “The pressure, I think, was what got to me because going from an Olympic gold medalist to competing at college is two different things, and I think everyone just expected me to kind of go to Auburn and win everything,” the gymnast said once. Moreover, her champion mindset faced an upheaval because of that. But, Suni Lee wasn’t ready to give up her Paris Olympics dream. 

Battling the Impostor syndrome, the gymnast decided to retire from college gymnastics and focus solely on elite gymnastics. “I just want to go out there and prove to myself that I can be able to do it,” she mentioned afterward. So, both American sporting individuals are fighting their issues by donning the national color. That gives out a true patriotic form. 

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