Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Sarah Johnson, Laure Delacloche in Beirut and Stephen Burgen in Madrid

In a class of their own: three Olympic sportswomen talk about overcoming war, hardship and the Taliban

Olympians: (from left to right) Manizha Talash, Ray Bassil and Alexandra Ndolo.
Olympians: (from left to right) Manizha Talash, Ray Bassil and Alexandra Ndolo. Composite: Getty Images & Ofelia de Pablo & Javier Zurita for The Guardian

The épée fencer: Alexandra Ndolo, Kenya

One of Alexandra Ndolo’s greatest career achievements so far is winning a silver medal for Germany at the world fencing championships in Cairo in 2022. But when the daughter of a Polish mother and Kenyan father looked up and saw the Kenyan flag hanging from the roof of the arena for the one athlete who hadn’t won anything, she had a moment of reckoning.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.