Rabah Yousif

Rabah Mahhamed Yousif Bkheit (; born 11 December 1986 ) is a Sudanese-born British track and field athlete, who initially competed for Sudan before obtaining British citizenship.

Early life and British asylum Yousif is the son of Mohamed Yousif Bakhit, who was Sudanese National Champion in the 100 and 200 metres in the late 1960s and early 1970s. There were also three other athletes within his close family, and he took to sports at a young age. However his asylum application was declined.

In 2005, it was reported that Yusif was seeking British citizenship. In 2007, he was described as "one of Britain's brightest hopes for an Olympic medal", but a judge turned down his asylum plea, and he faced deportation. By that point, he had married a British woman in 2008 – and has two children, thus, granting him a spouse's visa to remain. while competing internationally in the colours of Sudan having "got back in touch with the Sudanese authorities who guaranteed his safety through his solicitors" and working part-time in factories and restaurants. He set a new record (45.72 seconds) at the 400 metres event of the Bedford International Games in 2007. He won the event again in 2008, with a time of 47.05 seconds.

In April 2008, despite an injury during training, he competed at the 2008 African Championships, and won a silver medal in the 4 × 400 m relay, setting a new national record of 3:04.00 with his teammates. as he had tested positive for cannabis in a competition on 23 February. He received a two-month backdated suspension for the anti-doping rule violation.

He qualified to join the Sudanese delegation at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and took part in the men's 400 metres. He reached the semi-finals, where he set a new personal best in 45.13.

In May 2013, he announced that he now had been granted a British passport, and aimed henceforth to represent Great Britain in future athletics events. His transfer of allegiance, allowing him to represent his new country, was completed by the following month. Yousif finished sixth in the final in 44.68 in the first ever race to comprise three men going under 44 seconds.

In May 2016, Yousif earned a European Athletics Championship bronze medal as part of the men's 400m relay team.

Yousif was selected to double up for the 2016 Olympics in both the 400m and 400m relay. However, having travelled to Rio, he was unable to take part in either event due to injury.