- Title: PERSONAL: Defying odds, Guinean teen girl chases judo dreams
- Date: 19th June 2024
- Summary: CONAKRY, GUINEA (JUNE 10, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF 16-YEAR-OLD GUINEAN JUDOKA, M'MAH KOLMA BANGOURA, SPARRING WITH OPPONENTS CONAKRY, GUINEA (MAY 22, 2024) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Sousou) 16-YEAR-OLD GUINEAN JUDOKA, M'MAH KOLMA BANGOURA, SAYING: "Judo is tough, but it's about heart. If you have heart, you can do it. When I started judo, many people told me not to, because
- Embargoed: 3rd July 2024 09:23
- Keywords: 2024 Africa Guinea Judo Martial Arts Olympic Paris Sport West Africa Women Youth athletes dreams
- Location: CONAKRY, GUINEA
- City: CONAKRY, GUINEA
- Country: Guinea
- Topics: Africa,Judo,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001712831052024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: At 16 years old, M'Mah Kolma Bangoura juggles supporting her family through street vending while pursuing her dream of competing in judo at the Olympics for Guinea.
Bangoura's dedication to the sport has transformed her life, as she balances selling goods on the streets of Conakry to pay for transportation to training sessions, while maintaining an unwavering commitment to judo.
"Judo is tough, but it's about heart," said Bangoura during a recent practice. "If you have heart, you can do it."
With her mother's steadfast support, Bangoura has defied societal pressures suggesting judo is inappropriate for girls.
"If I had listened to what people said, she wouldn't be where she is today," Bangoura's mother, Sona Camara, said. "I stayed firm in my decision, because it's my responsibility to guide my daughter."
The family's limited resources have not deterred her ambitions, and even though she did not qualify for the Olympics this year, she does not plan on letting up from her training.
The teenage athlete's perseverance encapsulates the resilience of Guinea's young talents overcoming obstacles to chase their sporting dreams. For Bangoura, that means balancing family duties with her ultimate goal of winning a medal on judo's biggest stage.
"I won't be discouraged," she said. "As long as I'm in it, I'll work hard."
(Production: Souleymane Camara, Ngouda Dione, Media Coulibaly, Cooper Inveen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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