# Sultan Kigab

Abd El Magid Sultan Kigab (Arabic: عبدالمجيد سلطان كيجاب; 1955 – 17 October 2024), known as Sultan Kigab, was a Sudanese-Canadian marathon swimmer and presidential candidate.
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, coming second to Omar al-Bashir.
Kigab was known for being a "showman".

## Early life and education

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).

## Swimming career

Kigab started his career as a percussionist and choir with Naam Adam [ar], Ishag Karamallah and Zaki Abdul Karim in 1962. 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 (22 mi)) in Italy, along with his colleague Mohamud Mustafa and Fadel Suleiman.
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.
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. In 1973, he came 9th, swimming 46 mi (74 km) in the La Tuque, Quebec race and 32 (out of 35) overall in the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation (WPMSF) rankings.
In June 1974, he established and competed in the Jabal Awliya race (50 km (31 mi)), 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. There, he came first, covering the distance in 13 hours, followed by Salim and Sara Gubara. In the Atbara race (30 km (19 mi)) and 1974 Wad Madani to Um-Sunat (30 km (19 mi)) race, where 30 swimmers participated, he came first. In the 1978 race from Wad Nemari to Dongola (30 km (19 mi)), held during the Independence holidays, he also came in the first place. 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.
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. In 1978, Kigab was ordered by President Nimeiry to cross the English Channel, but he gave up 2 mi (3.2 km) from the French coast. Kigab tried again and failed. Yet, Kigab claimed crossing the Channel on a different attempt in 11 hours and half, which is not mentioned at the official full list of successful Channel swims, records, statistics and swimmer information.
In 1977, Kigab was ranked 20 (out of 21) on WPMSF ranking after coming 13 (out of 14) on 10 July race in Chibougamau, Quebec which had a distance of 10 mi (16 km), that he finished in 05:11:10.
On 12 August 1979, he did not finish the Traversée Internationale du lac Memphrémagog in Quebec, Canada. Kigab became a Canadian citizen in 1979.
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 (15 mi)) which was on 19 July. The final race in Alexandria was cancelled due to the assassination of Anwar Sadat. James Kegley, an Honour Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, remembers Kigab running to him while screaming "Sadat has been shot!".
On 29 July 1984, Kigab participated in the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada, but did not finish.
Kigab claimed to have crossed the Saginas Lake in 15 hours 3 time, and participating 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 the 50 km (31 mi) wide Lake Magog 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, Kigab claimed to have won 126 awards, cups, medals, shields, and certificates.

## After retirement

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

### Presidential candidacy

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), 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.
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.
Consequently, in the 1996 Sudanese general election, Kigab 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. Opposition groups boycotted the elections, claiming they were unfair. Due to the Second Sudanese Civil War, no voting took place in 11 Southern states.
Kigab ran as an independent and came second, receiving 133,032 votes, a 2.41% of the total votes. The New York Times described his candidacy as a "charade", which he denied.

## Personal life and death

Kigab was married to Mashair Suwar al-Dhahab from Al-Ghaddar village [ar], Northern State, Sudan. 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. Together they have 2 daughters and 2 sons, Abu Haef, Buthina, Nazek and Nawaf. 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.
Kigab became a Canadian citizen in 1979 and lived between Canada and Sudan. He was known for being a "real showman".
Kigab died following a brief illness in New York City, on 17 October 2024.