“It's an honor to represent the girls of my homeland" - Afghanistan sprinter Kimia Yousofi set to feature at Paris Olympics 2024
Kimia Yousofi wants to be a source of inspiration for Afghan women through the Paris Olympics 2024. It will be her third appearance on the global stage. She will be part of her nation's six-person team in 100m for the Paris Olympics.
“It’s an honor to represent the girls of my homeland once again. Girls and women who have been deprived of basic rights, including education, which is the most important one,” Kimia Yousofi said via the Australian Olympic Committee on Tuesday.
Kimia Yousofi first made headlines with her appearance at the Olympics at the age of 20 in the Rio Olympics. She competed while wearing a Hijab and left a major mark on the sport. Even though she finished last, Kimia Yousofi was appreciated by fans for her fearless approach.
In the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Yousofi became the first woman to represent Afghanistan as the flag bearer. In the first heat of 100m, she broke the national record in 13.29 seconds. However, she was eliminated in the same round.
Afghanistan has been through a major political turmoil in 2021. The Taliban took over the country, and the fate of the athletes was a major concern. Fearing her future, Yousofi flew to Iran and was welcomed by Australia in 2022 to train for the Paris Olympics. The move was organized by the Australian Olympic Committee.
Gender Neutral Sprint Team for Afghanistan Ft. Kimia Yousofi
With Yousofi, the Afghanistan Olympic Committee has selected a gender-neutral team for the Paris Olympics 2024. Afghanistan Olympic Committee president Yonus Popalzay said that there will be a team of three women and three men who will be representing the nation. Popalzay also expressed his gratitude to the Australian Olympic Committee who have helped the former at every step.
John Quinn, the head coach of the runners, will also travel with the team. Quinn mentioned that there was a huge language barrier at the start with Kimia Yousofi but a translation app helped to make things better. He also mentioned that Yousofi’s performance has technically improved on the tracks and she is expected to do much better in the upcoming Games.
The Australian Olympic Committee and the Afghanistan Olympic Committee have been working together to make things better for the sprinters. The team is expected to produce better results this year.