Jan. 31, 2008

BURNABY, B.C. - It's been a three and half year process, but Simon Fraser's (B.C.) Ruky Abdulai is now officially a Canadian citizen. At a ceremony earlier this morning (Jan. 31) in downtown Vancouver, the fourth year Simon Fraser University Clan track and field star and Coquitlam resident was sworn in by Immigration Canada, and now has the possibility of competing for Canada at the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China.

Abdulai's personal best of 6.70m in the long jump, set at the 2007 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, would have broken the current Canadian record of 6.66m, set by Nicole Devonish in 1996, had she been Canadian at the time.

"It feels so good, I am so proud to today to say I am a Canadian," said an ecstatic Abdulai, who now truly is a Canadian after spending the rest of the morning waiting in line at the passport office.

"It's been a long journey, from applying for landed immigrant status and reading all of the rules and then following all the rules and procedures, it just means so much to me. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such nice people, from Brit [SFU head track and field coach Brit Townsend] and the coaching staff, to all the people at SFU, to all of my family and friends who have helped me along the way, I really am grateful."

Born in Ghana, Abdulai moved to the Netherlands at the age of 13. At 17, she moved to the Bronx, New York, and in 2004 moved to Canada and started at SFU on a student visa. Almost immediately Abdulai applied to become a landed immigrant, a status she received on June 4, 2007. The race was then on to ensure that Abdulai could obtain her Canadian citizenship with enough time to make standard for the 2008 Olympics. 

Abdulai set a new NAIA record in 2007 with a long jump of 6.70m at the Outdoor National Championships. Abdulai had jumped 6.79m at the 2006 Championships; however that jump was ruled to have been wind aided. The B Standard for the Olympic Games in 2008 is set at 6.60m in the long jump, the A standard is 6.72m. To put into context, at the 2007 World Championships Brazil's Keila Costa finished in seventh place overall with a finals jump of 6.69m. Russia's Tatyana Lebedeva is the reigning IAAF World Champion, winning the title with a finals jump of 7.03m. 

"I remember the conversation we had back in 2004, and how committed she was then to becoming a Canadian," said SFU head coach Brit Townsend. "And that commitment has never wavered. There are so many people who have helped out in this process, I've written letters, [SFU president] Dr. Michael Stevenson has been so supportive, Ruky's adopted Canadian family of Ted and Pat Klassen have been so supportive and MPs Ed Fast in Abbotsford and Dawn Black in Coquitlam have been so helpful.

"And really, it's been Ruky's perseverance through the whole process, this has been her dream, and she has done everything possible to make it happen."

Abdulai, who turned 22 in August, is a long jump specialist who also hopes to compete for Canada in the 400m. Abdulai was named the Outstanding Performer of the Meet at both the 2007 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor National Championships, and is currently completing her Bachelor of Arts at Simon Fraser. 

"I just love the people here, they are truly the nicest people in the world," said Abdulai of her choice of countries. "I have been to so many countries, and I have never met as many wonderful people as I have in Canada. I think the most important thing a person can do is surround themselves with great people and I feel privileged to be able to do that in Canada."