Teaching Values- An Olympic Education Toolkit - International ...

TEACHING VALUES AN OLYMPIC EDUCATION TOOLKIT
1
YAEL ARAD – ISRAEL –
JUDO
When Yael Arad, 29, won a judo silver
medal in the 1992 Olympics, she became
the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal. In
Israel, she trained with the coach of the
men’s team because she had trouble
finding training partners.
2
NAWAL EL MOUTAWAKEL
– MOROCCO – HURDLES
Nawal El Moutawakel was the first woman
from Africa to win a gold medal. In the Los
Angeles 1984 Olympic Games she
stunned the world by winning the 400
metre hurdles. Her talent as a hurdler was
recognised by the track coaches of Iowa
State University where she went to study
in 1983. It took her only a year to reach
the top of the podium. She became a
heroine in Morocco and since then she
has been active in support of the
development of sport among women in
Morocco and around the world. She also
lends her fame and motivation to a variety
of humanitarian efforts. She is the
founding member and president of the
Moroccan Association of Sport and
Development and sits as a member of the
National Olympic Committee of Morocco.
In 2006 she was one of eight women who
carried in the Olympic flag during the
opening ceremonies of the 2006 Turin
Olympic Winter Games. Her legacy and
leadership inspire women, not only in
Africa, but around the world.
3
TEGLA LOROUPE –
KENYA – MARATHON
Loroupe is a 4’11” (1m53) marathon
runner who became the first African woman
to win a world marathon. In 1994 she won
the New York City marathon. Loroupe, 23,
was encouraged to run in Kenya by her
mother and sister, although her father
disapproved. She competed in the
10,000m at the Atlanta Olympic Games in
1996 to give herself a rest from marathons.
Although she did not win a medal her
successes have inspired many women to
become world-class runners in Kenya.
4
GHADA CHOUA’A – SYRIA
– HEPTATHLON
Ghada Choua’a won the gold medal in the
heptathlon at the 1996 Olympic Games in
Atlanta. Her gold medal was the first ever
won by Syria. She also won the heptathlon
gold medal at the 1995 World
Championships. Some people say that the
woman who wins the heptathlon is the
best all-round female athlete in the world.
5
FATUMA ROBA –
ETHIOPIA – MARATHON
Fatuma Roba, a policewoman from
Ethiopia, became the first African woman
to win an Olympic marathon. At the 1996
Olympic Games in Atlanta, Roba finished
the race with a time of two hours,
twenty-six minutes and five seconds
(2:26:05). She was a full two minutes
faster than the second place finisher,
Valentina Yegorova of Russia, who had
won the 1992 gold medal.
FOR DISCUSSION
There are many reasons why it is
hard for young women to become
Olympic champions in a sport.
Discuss some of these reasons.
In the past, it was thought that women
were not able to run the long distance
of a marathon race. The Olympic
Games did not have a marathon for
women until 1984. Joan Benoit
(USA) became the world’s first female
gold medallist in the marathon. Today,
women as well as men compete in
marathon races. Why do you think
people thought that women could not
endure a marathon run?
Does your community or country
support the participation of women
and girls in physical activity? Why or
why not? Do you think girls should
participate and compete in sport and
physical activity? Why or why not?
Interview a female athlete in your
community. Why is sport important to
her? What barriers has she had to
overcome? How did she overcome
these barriers? What special
assistance did she need?
1 Barcelona 1992: Yael
Arad (ISR) celebrates
winning a silver medal
in the women’s judo.
2 Los Angeles 1984:
Nawal El Moutawakel
(MAR) became the first
African woman to win
an Olympic gold
medal.
3 Sydney 2000:
Marathoner Tegla
Loroupe (KEN)
competed in the
10,000m, inspiring
many female runners
in Kenya.
4 Atlanta 1996: Ghada
Choua’a (SYR) on her
way to winning Syria’s
first ever gold medal.
5 Atlanta 1996: Fatima
Roba (ETH) won the
women’s marathon –
the first female from
Africa to do so.
SECTION 3 SHARING THE VALUES THROUGH SPORT AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES
TEACHING VALUES 53