Afghan sprinter in countrywide call
Female runner urges more participation next time.
LONDON:
Afghanistan’s only female athlete urged her countrywomen to ‘come and join’ her at the next Olympics after she set a personal best in the London Games 100m heats.
Tahmina Kohistani, who has overcome huge prejudice and difficulties to reach the London Olympics, trailed in last in 14.42sec — the day’s slowest time by nearly half-a-second. However, she was overjoyed to run her best ever time. And she said more women should take up sport in Afghanistan.
“I have a big message for the women of Afghanistan: come and join me because I’m alone and I need your support,” said Kohistani. “And we must be ready for the next Olympics. We should have more than one girl in the next Olympics.”
Kohistani, dressed in a black headscarf topped with Afghanistan’s other national colours of red and green, a long-sleeved, light blue top and long trousers, missed the next round’s qualifying time by a distance.
She is part of a six-strong Afghan team including Rohullah Nikpai, whose taekwondo bronze at Beijing 2008 was the country’s first ever Olympic medal.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2012.
Afghanistan’s only female athlete urged her countrywomen to ‘come and join’ her at the next Olympics after she set a personal best in the London Games 100m heats.
Tahmina Kohistani, who has overcome huge prejudice and difficulties to reach the London Olympics, trailed in last in 14.42sec — the day’s slowest time by nearly half-a-second. However, she was overjoyed to run her best ever time. And she said more women should take up sport in Afghanistan.
“I have a big message for the women of Afghanistan: come and join me because I’m alone and I need your support,” said Kohistani. “And we must be ready for the next Olympics. We should have more than one girl in the next Olympics.”
Kohistani, dressed in a black headscarf topped with Afghanistan’s other national colours of red and green, a long-sleeved, light blue top and long trousers, missed the next round’s qualifying time by a distance.
She is part of a six-strong Afghan team including Rohullah Nikpai, whose taekwondo bronze at Beijing 2008 was the country’s first ever Olympic medal.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2012.