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Dominic Lobalu is one exceptional talent in the 5000m but many are unaware of his journey as a refugee athlete who fought to be given a chance to now chasing history at Paris Olympics.
Dominic Lobalu wants to make history as he gears up for a gruelling task in the men’s 5000m scheduled for Saturday night.
Lobalu, born in a war-torn region of South Sudan, is not defined by his background, but rather, by what he has achieved so far in his running career. He secured a gold medal earlier this year at the European Championships and continues to chase his dreams on the Olympics stage.
In a documentary released by On Running titled “To Chase a Dream”, Lobalu is the epitome of overcoming challenges from his struggles as a youngster to making a huge name for himself.
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15:45 - 09.08.2024
Paris 2024 Olympics: Event guide for Saturday 10 August
Kenya aims for three golds in athletics, with Kipchoge, Wanyonyi, and Kipyegon leading the charge on a packed Saturday.
Follow the Pulse Sports Kenya X handle for more updates.
“I don’t feel bad when people tell me that I have no home country. It’s true that I am a refugee. But when I put on my shoes and run, there is one thing I think about. How is my story going to end,” Dominic says at the beginning of the film.
He was orphaned at nine years old following a civil war in South Sudan, and managed to escape to a refugee camp, Kakuma in Kenya.
His talent was discovered on the streets of Nairobi when he was 15, eventually leading him to join the Athlete Refugee Team.
In 2019, while in Geneva for an international competition, Dominic sought asylum in Switzerland, a move that saw him relinquish his eligibility to compete for the refugee team.
When Lobalu was 21, he met Swiss running coach Markus Hagmann, who became his mentor and coach, nurturing his mental and physical prowess as a competitive athlete.
Lobalu has grown to become one of the best 5,000m runners in the world, winning his first Diamond League in June 2022 and becoming eligible for national championships. At the time, he was barred from international championships due to his ineligibility to represent either the athlete refugee team or Switzerland.
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13:23 - 10.08.2024
Paris 2024 Olympics: Jakob Ingebrigtsen & Hagos Gebrhiwet standing in the way of Kenyan trio out to end 36-year drought in 5000m final
Kenya will be aiming to end a 36-year drought in the 5000m final during Saturday night’s thrilling Olympic race.
When a new development in his case was finally unlocked, Lobalu got a chance to race at the European Athletics Championships in Rome.
“The people here have so much love for me, even though what I am doing is too little to deserve their love for a stranger like me. When I am here, I feel like I am in my homeland and it’s a place I call home. Now, I feel like I want to do more and more and more. I want to go for the big medals,” he said.
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