Marwa Hassan is an 11-year-old girl from Aswan who decided to ignore the fact she had no running shoes or running attire in order to participate in a children’s marathon for the Aswan Heart Centre. Despite the inequality she faced, Marwa finished in first place, winning hearts across Egypt and the Arab world. “I woke up and found a bus making a lot of noise, I went to see what’s happening…I told them I know how to run and they said okay…so I took off my slippers and joined the race,” explained Marwa in an interview with DMC. According to local media, participants have to pay EGP 200 to run in the children’s race. However, organizers of the Aswan 42 marathon event, which was held in support of Dr Magdy Yacoub’s Aswan Heart Centre, allowed Marwa to participate without paying participation fees. Days after the event, photographs of Marwa at the event went viral. Marwa was pictured running without shoes and while wearing a heavy scarf and traditional dress. Asked by one television presenter whether it was difficult, Marwa confidently answered that she still would have won if she was wearing her slippers. Egyptians…
This Egyptian Girl Couldn’t Afford Running Shoes, Still Finished First
February 11, 2018
