Who is Retaj Al-Sayeh? The Libyan athlete eyeing Paris
Libya’s Retaj Al-Sayeh has her eyes set on the Oympics in 2024 following success stories in regional and national competitions, according to AFP, January 14.
The global sporting event will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11. It is estimated that 10,500 athletes will take part.
A country in which women’s sports is widely neglected, the 23-year-old discus thrower is attempting to reach the world’s biggest stage and needs to throw a distance of 64.5 metres.
For discus throwing, the bar has been set very high since the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021. To put into context, the bronze-medal winning throw in the Japanese capital was 65.72 metres. The Libyan’s personal record is 57 metres.
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The young prospect has had an impressive career to date and is set to take part in a competition in the UAE next month, then in June at the African Athletics Championships in Cameroon.
Al-Sayeh is often seen practicing at the Tripoli-based Sports City. Recently, the press came to some of her training sessions and whilst warming up the athlete said, “I believe in my own abilities … which will take me to the top, I challenge myself … despite the adversities and difficulties in Libya, but above all the lack of resources.”
Sport is very much in her family, her father, Salem Sayeh, was a volleyball player and captain of the Libyan national team in the 1980s and has been with her throughout her career. Salem is often spotted alongside her while she practices (perhaps he is the lucky charm).
When asked about her father she said, “My father believed in my abilities and constantly supported me, he always devoted his time, his financial support and his energy to me even when I almost threw in the towel.
“In 2016, I went through a difficult time that made me think about retiring, because of the war, I could not get a visa to participate in the Junior World Championship in Poland. I was very sad because I was convinced that I could win gold. I was at the peak of my abilities.”
AFP
