Yusuf Saad Kamel (), born Gregory Konchellah (born March 29, 1983) is a male former middle-distance runner who competed in the 800 metres and 1500 metres. Born in Narok, Kenya – the son of former two-time 800 metres World Champion Billy Konchellah – he represented Bahrain internationally. Kamel won the gold in the 1500 m and bronze in 800 m at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics held in Berlin.
In early 2009 he stopped competing for Bahrain claiming unpaid salary and bonuses. He was willing to compete for Kenya, but his Kenyan passport was held by Bahraini officials. Without a passport, he was unable to compete in any competition. Several other Kenyan runners who took Bahraini citizenship have also left Bahrain and are vying to compete for Kenya.The East African, June 8, 2009: Konchellah ‘back’ home However, he returned to the track in July 2009 at the Athletissima meeting, still representing Bahrain. Subsequently, Athletics Kenya stopped to handle his attempt to compete for Kenya.The Standard, July 13, 2009:
At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu he only participated at the 1500 m but just failed to qualify for the final.
He trained with PACE Sports Management under Ricky Simms.
Statistics Competition record
2004Asian Indoor Championships Tehran, Iran 3rd800 m1:48.89World Indoor ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary3rd (semis)800 m1:47.16Olympic GamesAthens, Greece3rd (heats)800 m1:46.94World Athletics Final Monte Carlo, Monaco 1st800 m1:45.91Pan Arab GamesAlgiers, Algeria1st800 m1:46.122005Arab ChampionshipsTunis, Tunisia1st800 m1:47.36World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland3rd800 m1:44.90World Athletics Final Monte Carlo, Monaco 2nd800 m1:47.13 2006World Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany6th800 m1:47.62World CupAthens, Greece1st800 m1:44.98 Asian GamesDoha, Qatar1st800 m1:45.742007World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan9th (semis)800 m1:45.31World Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany1st800 m1:45.61 2008Asian Indoor ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar1st800 m1:48.03 World Indoor ChampionshipsValencia, Spain3rd800 m1:45.26Olympic GamesBeijing, China5th800 m1:44.95World Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany3rd800 m1:49.40 5th1500 m3:38.502009World Championships Berlin, Germany 3rd800 m1:45.35 1st1500 m3:35.93World Athletics FinalThessaloniki, Greece4th1500 m3:36.112010West Asian ChampionshipsAleppo, Syria3rd1500 m3:40.58Asian GamesGuangzhou, China9th (heats)1500 m3:58.802011Military World GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil5th800 m1:46.89World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea6th (semis)1500 m3:47.182013Asian ChampionshipsPune, India6th800 m1:50.54Islamic Solidarity GamesPalembang, Indonesia4th1500 m1:48.272014Asian GamesIncheon, South Korea —800 m
Circuit wins 800 metres Memorial Van Damme: 2008. ISTAF Berlin: 2004.
See also List of middle-distance runners List of eligibility transfers in athletics List of World Athletics Championships medalists (men) List of sportspeople who competed for more than one nation List of Asian Games medalists in athletics List of IAAF World Indoor Championships medalists (men) 800 metres at the World Championships in Athletics 1500 metres at the World Championships in Athletics
References
External links
Pace Sports Management