First Baloch Female To Make It To The Olympics
Though, this maybe news for us, Madiea revealed she was unaware that she was the first female Baloch to represent at the Olympics. All the more reason for her to work harder towards it.
“I feel honoured to be a part of this huge event and to be an inspiration for the Baloch people, especially the youth,” she said. “I had no idea I was the first Baloch girl to participate at the Games until someone informed me about that. This has made me even more determined to do the best I can.”
Taking pride in this, she says she has been involved in track and field since a young age and was spotted when she was 13.
“We had a sports event at my high school where my coach Sammy Monsels noticed my potential and asked me if I would pursue formal training,” she said. “Ten years down the road, I’m training in the Olympic stadium in Amsterdam with the help of my coach Urtha Rozenstruik.”
Madiea continues to impress us as she got awarded a bronze medal in the 2011 European Athletics Junior Championships in Estonia, where she finished third in the women’s 400m event, and has raced for the Netherlands in indoor European championships as well, reaching the semi-finals. According to the young athlete she was surprised to be selected for the current Olympics and had suffered a bad year due to injury.
“I was stunned when I received the news, but I was grateful as well,” she said. “I have prepared myself physically and mentally for the relay the best I could, and hope I can vindicate my selection.”
Conclusively, she leaves a simple yet inspiring message for all athletes, "Never give up on your dreams."