The cheers resonated like nothing ever heard before. As Farida Abaroge gracefully surged toward the finish line in her heat of the women’s 1500m on Tuesday, the 80,000 spectators in one of Europe’s largest stadiums erupted with deafening screams and roars.
“There were so many people, and the noise was overwhelming, accompanying each step I took,” she shared. “This was my first time experiencing the Stade de France. It’s incredible to have raced here in France, a country that saved my life. This is now my home. I am grateful to all those who made this dream possible.”
Abaroge, now 30, is a member of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Refugee Team, which represents over 100 million displaced individuals. When she stepped onto the track beside notable athletes like Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir and the USA’s Elle Purrier St Pierre, it marked her first experience in a stadium of such magnitude.
After escaping her homeland of Ethiopia eight years ago due to persecution, she was a black belt in karate, a football player, and an aspiring track runner who dreamt of one day competing in the Games yet saw no clear path. Her harrowing journey for safety spanned more than a year, taking her through Sudan, an Egyptian refugee camp, and Libya, where she faced imprisonment, ultimately arriving in France in 2017, where she was granted asylum.
Despite enduring severe hardship, malnutrition, and a botched stomach surgery along the way, Abaroge made an impressive comeback to sports, taking up athletics and joining the 37-member Refugee Team competing across 12 sports in Paris.
Abaroge now stands as a symbol of resilience and sporting triumph in France. She recalls arriving in Alsace eight years ago without a single pair of trainers. She credits the local town-hall team in Thal-Marmoutier, where she first settled, for kickstarting her running journey by taking her to buy running shoes.
Farida Abaroge kisses the Olympic flag during the opening ceremony of the Games on the River Seine. Photograph: David Burnett/IOC/Getty Images
“When I arrived in France, alone, they asked me what my passion was. I told them it was sport. They took me to get some trainers and gear, and that’s when I started running,” she explained.
She balanced intense twice-daily training in Strasbourg with a full-time job packaging parcel deliveries in a warehouse. Support from the IOC enabled her to take two months of unpaid leave to participate in the Games. “The workers there are all cheering for me,” she mentioned. Prior to receiving assistance from the Refugee Team, she constantly worried about finding a training routine that would allow her to maintain her job and pay her rent.
In France, where she has no family, Abaroge describes the Refugee Team as a “family.” Her motto remains straightforward: “I won’t give up after everything I’ve endured.” Reflecting on her first Olympic 1500m race, she stated, “I’m not accustomed to such a huge stadium; I’ve never competed in a competition of this scale, amidst all the noise.”
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“The other athletes started slowly and then sped up; I’m not used to that since I’m usually the front-runner in my regional competitions,” she remarked.
At the back of the pack, she persevered towards the finish line, fueled by the crowd’s incredible cheers, which inspired her to achieve her best time of the season. “When I crossed the finish line, I felt immense pride. I was overflowing with energy, and it was emotional,” she expressed.
“I didn’t even realize it was the finish line; I wanted to continue running. But then I noticed everyone around me had come to a halt, so I stopped as well. It felt as if I had hardly run, like I’d just stepped out for a jog.”
Abaroge mentioned that she felt mentally and physically prepared and was eager to run again on Wednesday in the 1500m repacharge. “I’m really proud of what I have achieved.”
