Born in Khartoum on 10 September 1984, Ismail is a Sudanese runner specializing in the 800 meters. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, he reached the final in the 800-meter event. He also competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing where Ismail won the silver medal. He is the first Sudanese national to win an Olympic medal in history. He won the gold medal at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games. Ismail is a member of the Fur people of Darfur.