Tegla Louroupe is a guest speaker at this year’s Women in Sports conference in Nicosia organised by the Cyprus Olympic Committee.
The UNHCR Representation in Cyprus looks forward to welcoming Tegla Louroupe, Chief of Mission of the Refugee Olympic Team in Rio 2016 to our offices tomorrow. Invited to the island by the Cyprus Olympic Committee on the occasion of this year’s “Women in Sports” conference to be held today in Nicosia, Tegla will be a guest speaker at the event. At UNHCR’s office tomorrow, she will meet with refugees who are living in Cyprus to listen to their stories and share her own experiences. In the afternoon Tegla will visit the Kofinou Reception Centre, to participate in athletic activities that will take place together with residents of the Centre.
Tegla Loroupe is a constant reminder of what fierce determination, perseverance, and humility look like. A champion distance runner, peace ambassador and, last year, the leader (Chef de Mission) of the Refugee Olympic Team in Rio, she grew up in Kenya’s conflict-prone far north where she saw at first hand the devastating and negative effects of conflict.
As a result of the team’s global success, she was named the 2016 UN Person of the Year in October. “I was really honoured and I felt that, all the heavy things on my back, it was worth it.” She hopes the success will help her improve her training centre in Nairobi. “Already the door has been opened for us,” she said. “Some of our athletes have become ambassadors and spokespeople as a result.” Tegla embraces the nickname “mother to the motherless,” as she is fondly referred to by the athletes. “I will never say no to this name, I am proud to be their mother,” she said. “These people did not ask
to be refugees.”
Born in the Pokot region of Kenya, Tegla grew up with 24 siblings and spent her childhood working the fields and looking after her younger brothers and sisters. At the age of seven she started to go to school: a barefoot run of 10 kilometres every morning. When she became aware of her talent, she was determined to pursue a career as a runner, supported by nobody but her mother. Tegla grew up to be the first African woman to set a world marathon best, won several marathons in different cities and at the peak of her running career was tagged the fastest woman in the world.
Tegla is committed to building peace in her home country training former warriors through sports, supports impoverished children to get an education, and champions the role of sports and the rights of refugees for dignity and support all over the world. She is President of the Tegla Louroupe Peace Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Education Fund, UN Athlete for Peace Ambassador and UN Person of the Year 2016 in Kenya, among numerous other roles and accomplishments.
At just 40kg and 1.53m tall, in her own words Tegla says: “I think I have the strength to prove that even small people can do something big.”
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