Safia Abukar Hussein

{{short description|Somalian sprinter}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

Safia Abukar Hussein (born 1 January 1981) is a sprinter who competed internationally for Somalia. Hussein was the first Somali female to compete at the Olympics for her country{{cite sports-reference|title = Somalia at the Olympics |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/SOM/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200417092511/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/SOM/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = 17 April 2020 |access-date = 3 September 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/lists/99/manual |title=First female competitors at the Olympics by country |work=Olympedia |accessdate=14 June 2020}} when she competed in the 400 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

She was not always supported in Somalia, where female athletes are uncommon and older men would criticise her for not staying at home.{{cite news|title=With no government in their country, Somalia rallies under banner of sports|url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2000/sep/08andy.htm|publisher=Rediff.com|date=8 September 2000|access-date=16 March 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110161826/http://www.rediff.com/sports/2000/sep/08andy.htm|archive-date=10 November 2012}}{{cite news|last=Gough|first=David|title=Somalia: the little Olympic team that could|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/2000/0815/p7s1.html|work=The Christian Science Monitor|date=15 August 2000|access-date=16 March 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912042423/http://www.csmonitor.com/2000/0815/p7s1.html|archive-date=12 September 2015}} Hussein's father disliked the idea, as he was concerned that it would prevent her from finding a husband. Nevertheless, he subsequently allowed her to compete in Sydney for the sake of Somalia.{{cite news|last1=Seibert|first1=Sam|last2=Santoro|first2=Lara|last3=Roberts|first3=Melissa|last4=Terziff|first4=Juliette|last5=Ephron|first5=Dan|title=Happy Just To Be Here|url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A65098390/GPS?sid=GPS&xid=d7570807|work=Newsweek|date=11 September 2000|accessdate=16 March 2019|page=34|url-access=subscription}} Ultimately, she finished her heat in sixth place and did not progress to the next round. {{cite sports-reference |title = Safia Abukar Hussein |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/hu/safia-abukar-hussein-1.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418092149/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/hu/safia-abukar-hussein-1.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 18 April 2020 |access-date = 3 September 2019}}