Afghan Olympian determined to compete, despite threats of death and imprisonment against her family
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- carpaydeeyum
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They call them Olympic "Games" but for Mehbooba Andyar, representing her country as the fastest runner in Afghan, it's about accomplishment and being recognized as equal in all ways to her male counterparts. She trains at Ghazi stadium, where the Taliban used to execute women for adultery, trains under cover of darkness from the disapproval of neighbors and officials, who believe she is culturally stepping out of line. She is forced to compete in a full track suit and head scarf, and runs a full minute slower than her competitors, but she is determined -- despite death threats if she does compete, and retribution against her family by imprisonment if she does not.
In a small way it reminds me of the kind of personal courage that the Olympics highlights, such as swimmer Eric Moussambani, a novice swimmer from Equatorial Guinea back in 2000, who brought the crowd to its feet as he labored to finish the heat.
In a small way it reminds me of the kind of personal courage that the Olympics highlights, such as swimmer Eric Moussambani, a novice swimmer from Equatorial Guinea back in 2000, who brought the crowd to its feet as he labored to finish the heat.
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