A Somali Olympic athlete has reportedly drowned while attempting to reach Europe on a migrant boat. Runner Samia Yusuf Omar was trying to cross from Libya to Italy in April when the boat she was travelling in sank, according to Italian media.
The head of Somalia's National Olympic Committee confirmed to the BBC that she had died but did not say how.
Samia competed in the 200m event at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 despite having almost no formal training.
Although she came in last place, several seconds behind the other competitors, BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says it is extraordinary that she was able to take part at all.
She had grown up and trained in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, facing war, poverty, a complete lack of athletics facilities and prejudice from some quarters against women participating in sports.
According to a profile of Samia on al-Jazeera, she faced death threats and intimidation when she returned to Somalia after the 2008 Olympics, with the Islamist militia al-Shabab controlling parts of the capital.
In October 2010, the runner is reported to have moved to Ethiopia in search of a coach to help her train for the London 2012 Olympics. What happened between then and her apparent death in the Mediterranean Sea is unclear.
According to al-Jazeera, there were no guarantees that she would be accepted to train at the stadium in Addis Ababa - it was dependent on her running times and permission from the Ethiopian Athletics Federation.
Reports in Italian media suggest she may have been hoping to find a coach in Europe who could help her reach the London Olympics.
Italian newspaper Corriere Della Serra says Samia's fate only came to light when former Somali Olympic athlete Abdi Bile brought it up at a talk.
He mentioned Mo Farah, the Somalian runner who moved to the United Kingdom aged 12 and triumphed in this year's Olympics.
Quote
"We are happy for Mo - he is our pride", he said. "But we will not forget Samia".
Posted: at 20-08-2012 10:39 PM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Bellablue at 20-08-2012 10:57 PM (12 years ago) (f)
Nawah ooo.May GOD help us all..huh..cos of Europe..
Posted: at 20-08-2012 10:57 PM (12 years ago) | Newbie
Dienedal at 21-08-2012 10:27 PM (12 years ago) (m)
Quote from: soul2020 on 20-08-2012 11:23 PM
Poverty in the highest order, can something good ever come from Somalia
It is not poverty she was running from the Islamic sect, Al shabab that's been threatening her owing to the fact that they do not support her wears in sports/and sports generally
Posted: at 21-08-2012 10:27 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
Just imagine this type of story. Africans let's think before we do, such an actress other countries are praying to have, well may her soul rest in peace..
Posted: at 22-08-2012 04:02 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
i wonder why some pple prefer suicide all in the name of travelling abroad if yu cant get a visa to EU while dont yu try something else than this road thing cant Somalia govt atlest help her by geting visa to EU for her
my name is kebella ........yu already no that ...heheh...if yu wanna smell what kebella is cooking........bring it up!!
Posted: at 22-08-2012 09:58 AM (12 years ago) | Addicted Hero
if yu cant get a visa to EU while dont yu try something else than this road thing 
........yu already no that 
...heheh...if yu wanna smell what kebella is cooking........bring it up!!
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