Home>News Center>World
         
 

Fastest runner in Iraq brings Olympic hope
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-03-22 10:05

The Iraqi town of Amarah doesn't much look like a breeding ground for Olympic athletes.

Sewage flows openly through the streets, and many of the children who live in the impoverished town do not wear shoes. But out of all this has emerged Iraq's fastest long distance runner: 16-year-old Ali Hamdan Hashim al-Bahandi.

Ali Hamdan Hashim al-Bahandi, 16, achieved his Olympic dreams against all odds.  [ABCNEWS.com]
For the past three years, Ali has trained on a rutted, sometimes muddy dirt field. In October, he won the country's top marathon and fulfilled his dream of becoming a member of Iraq's brand new Olympic team.

The old Olympic team in Iraq was more of a nightmare than a dream, nearly destroyed by international sanctions and war. The team was run by Saddam Hussein's sadistic son, Odai, whose methods of motivation included the torturing of athletes who failed to win. Ali says he just feels grateful to be representing his country at such a hopeful time.

"During Saddam's days, we were taught that Americans were always saying bad things about us," Ali said through a translator. "I know now that wasn't really true. A lot of things weren't true."

A Young Celebrity

In his town Ali has become a celebrity. His father and five brothers are stunned by all the attention.

"We are very proud of him," his father said, "It's great to have a famous track star."

Ali's mother was not allowed to speak to ABCNEWS because of restrictions on women that are part of the Islamic tradition.

The traditional, religious life was the only one that Ali knew until three months ago when he was invited to America.

The California International Marathon in Sacramento had been looking for an Iraqi runner, and Ali was the best. At the California event, he finished third in his age group. But more than that, he discovered a whole new world.

Ali met movie directors and posed with the Sacramento Kings' cheerleaders. With the help of Bassil Kamas, an Iraqi-American who fled Iraq 24 years ago, he learned what American teenagers are interested in.

Girls and Gold Medals

When one high school boy asked him what the thought of the girls in America, Ali said through a translator: "They are all beautiful."

"I saw in Ali a young man who's focused, who's hardworking, who's disciplined," said Kamas. "And he's a good human being."

Although Iraq has not won an Olympic medal since 1960, Ali and his brothers are confident that will soon change.

Kamas predicts that Ali will be a champion at the Olympics, and the only question is which medal.

"Gold, silver or bronze," Kamas said. "One of those three positions."

Any one would be a position he could never have dreamed he'd be in just one year ago.

 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Office: Beijing watches Taiwan developments closely

 

   
 

State tightens farmland protection

 

   
 

Doctor starts 49-day fast to test TCM regimen

 

   
 

Fighting follows Afghan minister's killing

 

   
 

China values military ties with neighbors

 

   
 

Dad asks: 'Who's my kid's papa?'

 

   
  Attacks kill two GIs, two Iraqi civilians
   
  100 die in violence as Afghan minister assassinated
   
  Al-Qaeda's No 2 claims to have nukes
   
  Global protests rally against Iraq war
   
  Voting starts in Malaysia
   
  Pakistan: 100 fighters captured in battle
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Love among the suicide bombs: Iraq's opera
  News Talk  
  The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2003  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲AV无码一区二区三区人| 女人十八黄毛片| 亚洲欧美一区二区三区在线| 黄网站欧美内射| 天天欲色成人综合网站| 中文字幕网站在线| 欧美性猛交xxxx乱大交3| 国产一级一片免费播放| 亚洲天堂水蜜桃| 成人性生交大片免费视频| 亚洲成av人片在线看片| 色一情一乱一伦一视频免费看| 国产高清在线观看| 久久久精品久久久久三级| 波多野结衣办公室33分钟| 制服丝袜第六页| 老司机亚洲精品影院| 国产亚洲精品无码专区| 91精品久久久久久久久网影视| 无毒不卡在线观看| 亚洲成人www| 爱妺妺国产av网站| 国产日韩一区二区三区在线观看| 97久久精品无码一区二区天美 | 最近2019好看的中文字幕| 亚洲国产精品成人午夜在线观看| 精品国产免费观看久久久| 国产无套中出学生姝| 全免费毛片在线播放| 国产精自产拍久久久久久蜜| 一级毛片免费播放男男| 日韩精品国产丝袜| 亚洲一区精品视频在线| 痴汉电车中文字幕| 国产三香港三韩国三级不卡| 你懂的免费在线| 国产精品电影院| h视频在线免费| 婷婷久久综合九色综合绿巨人| 三上悠亚亚洲一区高清| 日本电影痴汉电车|