Samia Yusuf Omar

Samia Yusuf Omar, also Samiyo Yusuf or Samia Omar Yuusuf written, (born 25 March 1991, Mogadishu, Somalia; † early April 2012) was a Somali athlete. The sprinter represented her country at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Life

Samia Yusuf Omar was the daughter of a fruit seller and, according to conflicting information, the oldest of six siblings and the youngest of seven siblings ( 3 brothers, 4 sisters). Her father died in 2006 in one of the many existing conflicts in their home country. As the BBC reported that she lived with her mother, in turn, a former athlete in poverty in the Somali capital Mogadishu and was threatened by Islamic extremists who opposed the sporting activity of women and girls.

The Somali, who was also the swimming and basketball connected next to the athletics as an active athlete, was according to media reports in May 2008 Africa champion in the 100 - meter track, but this is in contradiction to result list of this championship. The BBC, for example, reported at the African championships they have taken part, but had become in their lead only last. They then took part in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where he was the flag bearer of their country at the opening ceremony. In the 200 -meter run of games they dropped out with a personal best of 32.16 seconds in the flow.

Having coached by Mustafa Abdelaziz Samia Yusuf Omar was exposed to in their home country reprisals and threats, she went in October 2010 to relatives in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Since the Somali embassy refused to issue her papers, training did not materialize at the Ethiopian Athletics Federation. She decided to flee to Europe with the aim to participate in 2012 at the Olympic Games in London. She was supported by her family and relatives in Europe. In September 2011 she joined refugees and came across the Sudan to Libya, where she was housed in a warehouse and after a first failed escape boat a few weeks spent in prison. In April 2012, she took along with her ​​aunt in a squat with 62 persons Inflatable another attempt to reach Europe. During the crossing, the refugees should be taken off the coast of Malta from a ship. She rushed there with some other people in the crowd into the water and drowned.