Ruky Abdulai
Rukayatu Abdulai | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rukayatu Abdulai August 8, 1985 Accra, Ghana |
| Occupation | Athlete |
| Years active | 2000s–2010s |
| Known for | Long jump, heptathlon |
Rukayatu "Ruky" Abdulai (born 8 August 1985 in Accra, Ghana) is a Canadian athlete specializing in long jump and heptathlon, holding dual citizenship with Ghana. She secured a bronze medal in the long jump event at the 2009 Summer Universiade held in Belgrade, Serbia, recording a distance of 6.44 metres.
Abdulai pursued her studies at Simon Fraser University under a track and field scholarship and obtained Canadian citizenship in early 2008 to represent Canada internationally. She established a national record of 6.72 metres during the Azusa Pacific Invitational and captured several collegiate titles. Although she fell short of the Olympic qualifying mark at the Harry Jerome International Track Classic, she earned her place on the Olympic team by winning the national long jump championship at the Canadian Track and Field Championships.
Competing in the women's long jump at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Abdulai finished twenty-sixth overall with a jump measuring 6.41 metres. Subsequently, her ranking improved by one position following the disqualification of another athlete for doping violations.
In 2010, Abdulai transitioned her focus toward the heptathlon, achieving victory in her first international heptathlon contest at the Mount Sac Relays with a total of 6,086 points. The following year, she won the Canadian heptathlon championship with an A-standard performance of 6,150 points, narrowly surpassing competitor Jessica Zelinka.
Abdulai made her debut in the women's heptathlon at the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, where she attained personal bests in three events along with a seasonal top mark in high jump, accumulating 6,212 points and finishing thirteenth overall.
External links
- 1985 births
- Living people
- Canadian women long jumpers
- Canadian heptathletes
- Black Canadian women track and field athletes
- Naturalized citizens of Canada
- Olympic track and field athletes for Canada
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
- Sportspeople from Coquitlam
- Athletes from Accra
- Ghanaian emigrants to Canada
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada
- Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)
- FISU World University Games bronze medalists for Canada
- Medalists at the 2009 Summer Universiade
- Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
- Simon Fraser Red Leafs women's track and field athletes
- Simon Fraser University alumni
- 21st-century Canadian sportswomen
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics