Wikipedia

Sultan Kigab

Abd El Magid Sultan Kigab (Arabic: عبدالمجيد سلطان كيجاب; 1955 – 17 October 2024), also known as Sultan Kigab, was a Sudanese-Canadian marathon swimmer and presidential candidate.

Abd El Magid Sultan Kigab
Kigab in 1996
Personal information
Native nameعبدالمجيد سلطان كيجاب
Birth nameAbd El Magid Sultan Kigab
NicknameSultan Kigab
NationalitySudanese / Canadian (since 1979)[1]
Born1955 (1955)
Al-Ghaba, Northern State, Sudan
Died17 October 2024(2024-10-17) (aged 68–69)
New York City, New York, U.S.
EducationNeelain University
Years active1970s–1980s[2]
Height6 ft 8 in (203 cm)[3][2]
SpouseMashair Suwar al-Dhahab[4]
Children4, including Abu Kigab
Sport
CountrySudan
SportMarathon swimming
Long-distance swimming
Rank32 (1973)[5]
20 (1977)[2]
11 (1981)[6]

After studying law at Cairo University (Khartoum branch), Kigab embarked on a successful swimming career, representing Sudan internationally. He competed in the Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli (Italy), Latakia International Swimming Race (Syria), and Canadian World Championships, among others. In 1974, he won Sudan's Jabal Awliya race, one of the world's longest, and continued participating in national and international events, winning numerous medals. Kigab later coached swimming in Canada and Saudi Arabia, and in 1996, he ran for Sudan's presidency, placing second to Omar al-Bashir. Kigab also worked as a representative at the International Olympic Committee.

Early life and education

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Abd El Magid Sultan Muhammad Salih Kigab was born in 1955 in Al-Ghaba district, in the Northern State, Sudan to Sultan Muhammed Salih. He studied secondary school at Tangasy [ar] and Evangelical schools. He studied law at Cairo University, Khartoum branch (today's Neelain University).[7][8]

Swimming career

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Kigab started his career as a percussionist and choir with Naam Adam [ar], Ishag Karamallah and Zaki Abdul Karim in 1962.[9] But he was a swimmer from a young age. In 1967, he joined the Graduate Club and participated in the short-distance and water polo championship, then he went to long-distance swimming alongside Fathi Bayram, Huda Hamdi, Hiba Mohamed Ali [ar], Mona Karrar, and Sara Gadalla Gubara, and has proven his worth in endurance and sprint races. In 1969, he was chosen to represent Sudan in the Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli race (36 km) in Italy, along with his colleague Mohamud Mustafa and Fadel Suleiman.[10]

In 1970, he joined the Al-Merrikh swimming club and was the first swimming team in the club. In October of the same year, he represented Sudan in the Latakia International Swimming Race in Syria In 1971.[11]

He was chosen in 1972 to compete at the Flower Show in the Canadian town of Mestine. After that he was invited by Canada to represent Sudan in the Canadian World Championships. He continued to participate in all the next seven Canadian World Championships where he swam the 24-hour relay ace.[12][11] In 1973, he came 9th, swimming 46 miles (74 km) in the La Tuque, Quebec race and 32 (out of 35) overall in the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation (WPMSF) rankings.[5]

 
President Jaafar Nimeiry handing over the winner cup in 1974
 
Sudan Independence Holidays race participants in 1978. In the middle first row is President Jaafar Nimeiry, Sara Gadalla Gubara is to his left and Kigab is behind Sarah on the second row

In June 1974, he established and competed in the Jabal Awliya race (50 km), one of the world's longest races, which started from Jabal Awliya dam on the Blue Nile and ends at the TV Building in Omdurman.[13][14] There, he came first, covering the distance in 13 hours, followed by Salim and Sara Gubara.[14] In the Atbara race (30 km) and 1974 Wad Madani to Um-Sunat (30 km) race, , where 30 swimmers participated, he came first.[13] In the 1978 race from Wad Nemari to Dongola (30 km), held during the Independence holidays, he also came in the first place.[15][16] He participated in most of the national swims, Al-Alefon to Khartoum race, Mount Olya, Al-Hudaybah to Atbara, Al-Qamar to Abu Rouf, and the Unity Festival races.[11]

Kigab established the first swimming school for young people in 1975, and the number of those who graduated from swimming schools reached more than 40,000 young people.[citation needed]

In 1975, Kigab claimed to participate in the 100th anniversary of the first English swimmer across the English Channel in 1875 in the English city of Folkestone.[11] In 1978, Kigab was ordered by President Nimeiry to cross the English Channel, but he gave up 2 miles (3.2 km) from the French coast.[17] Kigab tried again and failed.[18] Yet, Kigab claimed crossing the Channel on a different attempt in 11 hours and half,[11] which is not mentioned at the official full list of successful Channel swims, records, statistics and swimmer information.[19]

In 1977, Kigab was ranked 20 (out of 21) on WPMSF ranking[20][2] after coming 13 (out of 14) on 10 July race in Chibougamau, Quebec which had a distance of 10 miles (16 km), that he finished in 05:11:10.[21][22]

On 12 August 1979, he did not finish the Traversée Internationale du lac Memphrémagog in Quebec, Canada.[23] Kigab became a Canadian citizen in 1979.[24]

In 1981, he was ranked 11 (out of 16) on the WPMSF ranking, after coming last in the Luxor, Egypt race which was on 10 May and Port Said race on 2 October, and 11 (out of 12) in La Tuque, Canada race (24 km) which was on 19 July.[6] The final race in Alexandria was cancelled due to the assassination of Anwar Sadat.[6] James Kegley, an Honour Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, remembers Kigab running to him while screaming "Sadat has been shot!".[25] On 29 July 1984, he participated in the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada,[26] but did not finish.[27]

Kigab claimed to cross the cold Sagni Lake in 15 hours 3 times. He participated in the Montreal International Swimming Championships 4 times, the Leg Sangan 3 times, the Chicago World Race in Lake Michigan, USA, the Loth Cabot World Race in Mexico, all Egypt's international races - the Nile Race - the Suez Canal Race - the Luxor Race. He crossed Lake Magog, which is located between America and Canada, a distance of 50 km 4 times. He participated in the Iraqi Championship for short distance swimming, which was held in 1994 with his fellow swimmer Majid Talaat Farid, heading the swimming expedition. Throughout his sports career, he won 126 awards, cups, medals, shields, and certificates.[28]

After retirement

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After his retirement, Kigab participated in the meetings of the International Olympic Committee in Montreal as a representative of Sudan. He worked as a secretary for the General Local Swimming Federation. He coached swimming in Canada in more than 10 Canadian clubs. He worked as a swimming coach at the Saudi Al-Nasr Swimming Club in 1982.[citation needed]

 
Muhammad Ali and Kigab during Ali's visit to Sudan in 1988[29]

According to Kigab, he persuaded Muhammad Ali, to visit Sudan in 1988,[28][30] during which Ali visited refugee camps[31] and to raise awareness about war-induced famine.[32] Islamic Dawa Organization, among others, also took credit for Ali's visit.[31]

Kigab and his colleague, journalist Mirghani Abu Shana, prepared the program Nafhat Al-Sabah, which was presented by Laila al Maghrabi [ar]. He prepared a program to honour athletes, artists, poets and journalist with Lieutenant General Zubair Mohamed Salih, and they were honoured in the Republican Palace. Kigab, with Mirghani Abu Shana were credited with organizing and holding the Al-Hasahisa [ar] to Khartoum bicycle race, in which a thousand riders participated.[citation needed]

Presidential candidacy

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In 1996, according to Kigab, he was visiting a relative in Khartoum and while watching the Sudan TV, listening to an interview with Colonel Mohamed Al-Amin Khalifa, then president of the National Transitional Council (1992-1996),[33] talking about the requirements to run elections, for example being an adult, sane, and Sudanese citizen.. He found that the conditions apply to him so he went directly to the Elections Commission Headquarters, and met Lieutenant General Abbas Madani, who was in the Elections Committee.[34][28]

According to Kigab, Kigab told Madani of his desire to run for the presidency, to which Madani replied "Do you want to compete with Al Bashir?!". Kigab replied with "yes". Madani then gave him the candidacy form and asked Kigab to launch his electoral campaign. Kigab went to the leader of the Umma Party, Sadiq al-Mahdi, who agreed to support him. After that Kigab called former President Jaafar Nimeiri, who was in self-imposed exile in Cairo. Nimeiri told Kigab that he would stand with him along with all the Mayans.[34][28]

Consequently, in the 1996 Sudanese general election, Kigab[35] and 39 other candidates ran against incumbent Omar al-Bashir who came after 1989 Sudanese coup d'état, and emerged victorious with 75.4% of the vote.[36][37] Opposition groups boycotted the elections, claiming they were unfair.[37] Due to the Second Sudanese Civil War, no voting took place in 11 Southern states.[37]

Kigab ran as an independent and came second, receiving 133,032 votes, a 2.41% of the total votes.[38][39] His candidacy was described as a "charade"[40] which he denied.[34]

Personal life and death

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Kigab was married to Mashair Suwar al-Dhahab from Al-Ghaddar village [ar], Northern State, Sudan.[4] She is the granddaughter of Satti Majid, who spread Islam in United States in 1904 and spent 30 years converting 250,000 people to Islam.[41][42] Together they have 2 daughters and 2 sons, Abu Haef, Buthina, Nazek and Nawaf.[8][7] Abu Haef, known as Abu Kigab, is a professional basketball player who was key in Canada winning the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in 2017.[43]

Kigab became a Canadian citizen in 1979 and lived between Canada and Sudan.[24] He was known for being a "real showman".[25]

Kigab died following a brief illness in New York City, on 17 October 2024.[44][45]

References

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  1. ^ Ahmed (30 November 2015). "صحيفة المجهر السياسي السودانية - "السلطان كيجاب" لــ(المجهر) : "نميري" كان راجل (كلس) وفي عهده السباحة اصبحت اللعبة الاولي في البلد". صحيفة المجهر السياسي السودانية (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sultan Kigab - Open Water Swimming Wiki". www.openwaterswimming.wiki. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  3. ^ Sudanow. Ministry of Culture and Information. 1978. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Abu Kigab - Men's Basketball". University of Oregon Athletics. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b "World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation" (PDF). 1973. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation" (PDF). 1981. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b "السلطان كيجاب: ابنتي قائدة لمنتخب السلة الكندي.. و انضمام ابني للمنتخب الأمريكي كان أجمل خبر" [Sultan Kejab: My daughter is the captain of the Canadian National Team. My son's joining the American national team was the most beautiful news] (in Arabic). 11 July 2015. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  8. ^ a b "السلطان كيجاب: انضمام ابني للمنتخب الأمريكي أجمل خبر.. وابنتي قائدة لمنتخب السلة الكندي" [Sultan Kejab: My son's joining the American national team is the best news, and my daughter is the captain of the Canadian basketball team] (in Arabic). 11 July 2015. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
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  15. ^ البطلة السودانية السباحة سارة جادالله - سيرة تميز [Sudanese swimming champion Sara Gadalla - a distinguished biography] (in Arabic), YouTube, 26 July 2010, archived from the original on 7 December 2019, retrieved 4 February 2023
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  22. ^ Swimming World and Junior Swimmer. Swimming World and Junior Swimmer. 1977. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  23. ^ "Mohamed Gamie - Open Water Swimming Wiki". openwaterswimming.wiki. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  24. ^ a b Ahmed (30 November 2015). "صحيفة المجهر السياسي السودانية - "السلطان كيجاب" لــ(المجهر) : "نميري" كان راجل (كلس) وفي عهده السباحة اصبحت اللعبة الاولي في البلد" [The Sudanese political microscope newspaper - "Sultan Kijab" by (the microscope): "Numeiri" was a man (Kels) and during his reign swimming became the first game in the country]. صحيفة المجهر السياسي السودانية (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
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  26. ^ Munatones, Steven (9 July 2020). "Doug Northway, An Unexpected Triumph In The 1984 Traversée". World Open Water Swimming Association. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  27. ^ "Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean results - 1984 | LongSwims Database". longswims.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  28. ^ a b c d Omdurman TV (9 July 2015), حلقة طريفه مع السباح سلطان كيجاب [Funny episode with swimmer Sultan Kejab], archived from the original on 9 July 2023, retrieved 10 July 2023
  29. ^ ميادة (4 January 2018). "فيديو كليب يجمع "كيجاب" بـ"محمد علي كلاي"". كوش نيوز (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  30. ^ "أسرار زيارة الملاكم العالمي محمد علي كلاي للسودان" [Secrets of the visit of world-class boxer Muhammad Ali Clay to Sudan]. صحيفة العريشة نت. 7 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  31. ^ a b "Muhammad Ali visits Sudanese refugee camps - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  32. ^ "How Muhammad Ali became a sporting hero to the Arab world". Al Arabiya English. 4 June 2016. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  33. ^ "Mohamed Al-Amin Khalifa". Al Jazeera Forum. 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  34. ^ a b c "السباح كيجاب ل "كوش نيوز": الأمة والإتحادي والمايويون أيدوا ترشيحي لرئاسة الجمهورية" [Swimmer Kijab to "Kush News": The nation, the unionists and the Mayans supported my candidacy for the presidency of the republic]. النيلين (in Arabic). 27 March 2018. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  35. ^ Nahost Jahrbuch 1996: Politik, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft in Nordafrika und dem Nahen und Mittleren Osten (in German). Springer-Verlag. 9 March 2013. ISBN 978-3-322-95824-2. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  36. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p858 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
  37. ^ a b c Shinn, David H. (2015). "Elections" (PDF). In Berry, LaVerle (ed.). Sudan : a country study (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 232–234. ISBN 978-0-8444-0750-0.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  38. ^ "espac.org - PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN SUDAN". www.espac.org. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  39. ^ Shinn, David H. (2015). "Elections" (PDF). In Berry, LaVerle (ed.). Sudan : a country study (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 232–234. ISBN 978-0-8444-0750-0.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  40. ^ Jr, James C. McKinley (11 March 1996). "Sudan Holding Election That Some Call a Charade". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
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  42. ^ "3.2 Imam Satti Majid Muhammad 1883 -1963". www.islam101.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  43. ^ "Abu KIGAB at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017". FIBA.basketball. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  44. ^ "رحيل أسطورة السباحة سلطان كيجاب يُفجع السودانيين" (in Arabic). Al Arabiya. 17 October 2024.
  45. ^ "وفاة السباح الدولي السلطان كيجاب" (in Arabic). wat24an.net. 17 October 2024.
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