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Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
Moroccans at the Olympics!
Updated: 3:41 a.m. ET Nov. 19, 2005
?S GRAVENWEZEL, Belgium - When it comes to Alpine skiing, Morocco?s Sarah Ben Mansour trains on little more than a molehill. In February, though, she will be amid the Italian peaks, hoping to become the first African woman to ski at the Olympics.
At 18, she can only dream about training on real snow, real slopes. Yet she also knows many talented European and American skiers will never make it to the Olympics because their qualifying standards and competition are much tougher.
Despite the possibilities it has given her at the Winter Games, her nationality has taken away opportunities. While promising Belgian athletes can be given a sports-oriented education at special schools, she cannot. Instead, she has left school and is studying on her own now to get a high school degree, adding that lonely pursuit to her daily training regimen.
At home, she speaks Arabic with her mother and enjoys Muslim traditions and celebrations. When she is in full training though, she applies the Ramadan rules liberally, arguing the religion does not force you to go against your body.
At the Albertville Games in 1992, a Moroccan skier was so inept during the Super G that he fell several times, but got up each time, determined to complete his Olympic run. It was a national embarrassment.
?It caused a scandal. Even now he is still shown on ?funniest video? shows in Europe,? said Derek Giroulle, her father and coach. His performance helped persuade the IOC to toughen the entry requirements for athletes, seeking to keep ?Eddie the Eagle? lookalikes at home.
?I know how it goes ? they see ?Morocco? and they already start giggling. People look at you and they don?t say anything, but you can see what they are thinking,? she said.
One thing is clear: She will not be going for medals in the slalom and giant slalom ? an honorable finish will do.
?S GRAVENWEZEL, Belgium - When it comes to Alpine skiing, Morocco?s Sarah Ben Mansour trains on little more than a molehill. In February, though, she will be amid the Italian peaks, hoping to become the first African woman to ski at the Olympics.
At 18, she can only dream about training on real snow, real slopes. Yet she also knows many talented European and American skiers will never make it to the Olympics because their qualifying standards and competition are much tougher.
Despite the possibilities it has given her at the Winter Games, her nationality has taken away opportunities. While promising Belgian athletes can be given a sports-oriented education at special schools, she cannot. Instead, she has left school and is studying on her own now to get a high school degree, adding that lonely pursuit to her daily training regimen.
At home, she speaks Arabic with her mother and enjoys Muslim traditions and celebrations. When she is in full training though, she applies the Ramadan rules liberally, arguing the religion does not force you to go against your body.
At the Albertville Games in 1992, a Moroccan skier was so inept during the Super G that he fell several times, but got up each time, determined to complete his Olympic run. It was a national embarrassment.
?It caused a scandal. Even now he is still shown on ?funniest video? shows in Europe,? said Derek Giroulle, her father and coach. His performance helped persuade the IOC to toughen the entry requirements for athletes, seeking to keep ?Eddie the Eagle? lookalikes at home.
?I know how it goes ? they see ?Morocco? and they already start giggling. People look at you and they don?t say anything, but you can see what they are thinking,? she said.
One thing is clear: She will not be going for medals in the slalom and giant slalom ? an honorable finish will do.