[1] At the age of 14, while training for the Championships with other Sudanese athletes in Sheffield, in the United Kingdom, he applied for asylum, and was granted temporary leave to stay.

[1] In 2008, he was still living in the United Kingdom,[7] with his wife in the English town of Middlesbrough[8] 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.

[1][3] After being finally granted British citizenship in 2013 Yousif switched his alliance to Britain and became a full-time professional athlete.

[7] 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.

[12] 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.

[2] He represented GB in the 2014 European Athletics Championships, running the qualifying round of the 400m relay, helping his adopted country into the final with the fastest time.

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