'I fled Afghanistan to achieve my Olympic dream'

Manizha Talash is an Afghan refugee and a talented breaking athlete who is preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Her journey to this point has been filled with challenges and sacrifices. Manizha first discovered her passion for breaking after watching a video of a man spinning on his head. This moment inspired her to dedicate her life to this unique style of street dance. However, pursuing her dream came with significant risks, including the need to flee her home country and hide her identity. Manizha's journey into the world of breaking began later than most. Initially, she tried her hand at shoot boxing, a martial art that combines wrestling and kickboxing. She wanted to learn self-defense while helping her father sell groceries in the bustling streets of Kabul. Unfortunately, after a few matches, she suffered a shoulder injury that forced her to stop. At the age of 17, she stumbled upon the Superiors Crew, a breaking collective in Kabul, and instantly fell in love with the art form. 'I couldn't believe it was real,' she recalled. The news that breaking would be included in the Paris 2024 Olympics fueled her ambition even further. However, her path was not without obstacles. When she first visited the Superiors Crew's training club, she was taken aback by the fact that it was predominantly filled with boys. The coach, Jawad Saberi, was initially skeptical about her potential. 'She was so small,' he remembered. 'I was doubtful because there were other b-girls who didn't stay long. ' Despite the doubts surrounding her, Manizha's passion for breaking shone through. Unfortunately, her love for dance was met with disapproval from her community. 'Everyone was judging me,' she said, recalling the whispers and criticisms from relatives and others. Social media also became a platform for negativity, but she chose to ignore it. The situation took a turn for the worse when a car bomb exploded near her dance club in December 2020. This incident brought the violence that plagued Afghanistan closer to her reality. 'It really scared me,' she admitted. Yet, despite the fear, she continued to pursue her passion. Jawad recognized her determination and commitment. 'We were under attack, but she came back,' he said. 'I saw that she had a dream to go to Paris 2024 - she was fighting for it. I said: 'She can do it. ' I saw the future. ' As if things couldn't get any more difficult, Manizha's father was kidnapped by insurgents, and she became the primary provider for her family. She saved money for her training, but soon after the car bomb incident, the club was forced to close due to security threats. 'Security forces stormed our club, walked over to a man and put a hood on his head,' she recalled. The man was identified as a potential suicide bomber who had been planning an attack on the club. 'They told us that this time we were lucky because there were people who wanted to bomb our club and if we loved our lives, we should shut it. ' Despite the dangers, Manizha refused to give up on breaking. To protect her family, she decided to change her last name to Talash, which means 'effort' or 'hard work' in Farsi. This decision was made in hopes of shielding her loved ones from any potential threats due to her involvement in the sport. In August, the Taliban returned to power, and life for women and girls in Afghanistan drastically changed. They were banned from schools and gyms and were required to wear full-body clothing. Music and dancing were also effectively prohibited. The new restrictions forced Manizha and her friends to make a difficult choice - they had to leave Afghanistan. 'If I'd stayed in Afghanistan, I don't think I'd exist,' she said. 'They'd execute me or stone me to death. ' Manizha, along with some members of the Superiors Crew, fled to Madrid, Spain. They found work and sent money back home, but they also connected with local breakers and practiced wherever they could - in clubs, on the streets, and even in shopping malls. It was a challenging transition. 'Every night when I got to bed, I'd struggle with lots of questions,' Manizha admitted. 'What can Afghan women do? Why can't I do something for them? ' She realized that competing for her home country in the Olympics would be nearly impossible due to the Taliban's restrictions. However, she discovered that she was eligible to compete for the Refugee Olympic Team, which supports athletes from countries experiencing conflict. In May, she was selected to represent the Refugee Team at the Games, and the International Olympic Committee arranged coaching for her. 'When they announced my name, I was happy and upset all at once,' Manizha said. 'I was sad because when I left Afghanistan, I had to leave my family behind. I chose my goal over their safety. ' As she prepares for her Olympic debut, Manizha feels a sense of relief. When she steps onto the stage in Paris, her family will be safe. After her selection, they managed to escape Afghanistan, and they were finally reunited in Spain after two years apart. Manizha acknowledges that winning a medal in Paris is unlikely, as she still needs to 'make up for all those years I lost. ' However, her primary focus is not on the podium. 'I'll compete for my friends and for their dreams and hopes,' she stated. 'The girls of Afghanistan will never surrender. Whatever pressure you put on an Afghan girl - restrict her, or even imprison her - she'll definitely find a way out and will definitely achieve her goals. We fight and we will win.