Libya is once again expected to send a small team to this year’s Olympics in London. Eight Libyans participated at Athens 2004 and seven at Beijing 2008. Check out this video in which I profile three Libyan Olympic hopefuls.
The Libyans sent only one athlete to the country’s first Olympics in Tokyo in 1964. And only one Libyan competed at the 1968 Games in Mexico City.
Libyan Olympic officials say they hope to send at least nine athletes to London. They add if they can’t get on the Olympic medals table for the first time at London 2012, they hope to do so at Rio de Janeiro 2016.
Mohamed Khouaja, the national record holder at 200 meters and 400 meters, says the Libyan Olympic team in London will be remembering those who died last year in the country’s revolution. “God willing, we will do our best for Libya,” says the 24-year-old Khouaja, “just as the martyrs did and sacrificed their lives for Libya and this blessed revolution. So, we also hope to give something to them and to our people.”
Libya is a young country, with tremendous potential for sports. The vast majority of the Libyan population is below 30, and has the vigor to raise the nations new flag everywhere. Luckily, Libya is a warm climate with the potential for year round sporting events, hence the best place to train. The kind of fervor the Libyan youth displayed in securing its freedom, the spirit of Libyan youth can dominate the sports world. The government of Libya has the opportunity to re-direct the Libyan youth from guns to physical development, in relatively with short period of time. The government needs to start planning new sports facilities for the youth to practice, the government needs to invest in the Libyan youth.
Libya can produce the best soccer players, the best swimmers, the best cyclists, the best boxers, and the best players of any sport. The youth in Libya had been forced to look around constantly for many decades, its time to switch on the lights in the Libyan youth mind they never knew existed. Time for Libya’s youth to take part in any sports they think they can excel. The government can do best for itself by directing the attention of the Libyan youth toward sports, including sports for those with limited physical activities due to the conflict, so everyone has something to look forward to, the people haggard from gun violence can at least have a team to cheer for. Sports need to be introduced at every level, in elementary schools and high schools and colleges and universities.