A Somali Olympic athlete has reportedly drowned while attempting to reach Europe on a migrant boat. Runner Samia Yusuf Omar was trying to cross from Libya to Italy in April when the boat she was travelling in sank, according to Italian media.
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The head of Somalia's National Olympic Committee confirmed to the BBC that she had died but did not say how.
Samia competed in the 200m event at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 despite having almost no formal training.
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Although she came in last place, several seconds behind the other competitors, BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says it is extraordinary that she was able to take part at all.
She had grown up and trained in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, facing war, poverty, a complete lack of athletics facilities and prejudice from some quarters against women participating in sports.
According to a profile of Samia on al-Jazeera, she faced death threats and intimidation when she returned to Somalia after the 2008 Olympics, with the Islamist militia al-Shabab controlling parts of the capital.
In October 2010, the runner is reported to have moved to Ethiopia in search of a coach to help her train for the London 2012 Olympics. What happened between then and her apparent death in the Mediterranean Sea is unclear.
According to al-Jazeera, there were no guarantees that she would be accepted to train at the stadium in Addis Ababa - it was dependent on her running times and permission from the Ethiopian Athletics Federation.
Reports in Italian media suggest she may have been hoping to find a coach in Europe who could help her reach the London Olympics.
Italian newspaper Corriere Della Serra says Samia's fate only came to light when former Somali Olympic athlete Abdi Bile brought it up at a talk.
He mentioned Mo Farah, the Somalian runner who moved to the United Kingdom aged 12 and triumphed in this year's Olympics.
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"We are happy for Mo - he is our pride", he said. "But we will not forget Samia".
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May her soul rest in Peace. African Leaders should do all necessary to make Africa a peaceful place and Pride to all!
ReplyDeleteMay her soul rest in Peace. African leaders should do all neccessary to make Africa a peaceful place and pride to all!
ReplyDeleteGod bless her soul. Africa will never know peace again until the Muslim or Islam religion is ban from the continent. Allah is not the same God of peace who created heaven and earth and all human beings. His soul purpose is to hurt and destroy what the same "Almighty God" created. Untill all human beings dennounce him and return to God the father of all, there will be no peace in the world....people will perish at see. Wake up Africacan people and leave the Muslim religion!!
ReplyDeleteStop blaming Islam for this, but blame the corruption that has created brutally desperate and violent poverty and sometimes ignorance amongst our people. It is from this concoction that various evil models of exploitation is used to manipulate the people.
ReplyDeleteLol@ Anonymous 12:47...LMFAO!!!...u so funny boss...what has dis story got to do with the muslims/islam?Lol...I understand sha!..u still upset with the security situation in d country and u roping it to any story dat gets u upset...I understand bro.
ReplyDelete