Afghanistan’s Kimia Yousofi, competing in her third Olympics, holds up a sign after competing in the women’s 100m competition at the Paris Olympics.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The record books will show that Afghanistan’s Kimia Yousofi ran the slowest time in her preliminary round of the women’s 100m competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Competing in her third Olympics — Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo — Yousofi finished with a time of 13.42 seconds, slower than the 13.29 three years ago. Most athletes would be disappointed at this point, with years of struggle and hard work culminating in a less-than-impressive finish.
But for Yousofi, this race is just the beginning. As the competition concludes, she removes the bib pinned to the back of her jersey, turns it around, eager to show the camera what is written on the other side. It’s important that people see it.
“Education, Sport, our right,” it reads.
Each of the runners in the preliminary rounds has their own story. Faiqa Riaz, from Pakistan, is participating in her first international competition. She’s never run in a stadium as big and filled with as many people as the Stade de France.
Iakopo Filomenaleonisa of Samoa, a former bodybuilder, has made a multi-day trip to Paris and set a national record (12.78). Regine Tugade-Watson of Guam is a former USA Naval Academy member. Each athlete is pursuing personal yet significant goals.
Yousofi has her own story, too. But she’s not running just for that. “Of course, the Olympic Games is a big dream for every athlete. I’ve run at the Tokyo Olympics and the Rio Olympics. But in them, I was running just for myself. But now I’m here for Afghanistan’s girls,” she says.
“I was in Kabul when the Taliban came. I wanted to stay because I felt I was from this country. My people needed me. But a lot of people told me they couldn’t guarantee my safety. I was a woman with a public face because I’d carried the flag of Afghanistan just a few days before. I had to flee,” Yousofi adds.
Yousofi is determined to fight for all Afghan women. “I had to choose between competing as a refugee or an Afghan. I was born not in Afghanistan but in Iran (her parents had fled to that country back in 1996 when she was born). So, when I opened my eyes for the first time, it was as a refugee. But I am an Afghan. I will always represent my women and people.
“I have a message for Afghan girls. Look for opportunities, and then use them. Don’t give up. Don’t let others make your decisions for you,” she says.
