nairobi, kenya —
The 2024 Olympics begin Friday, with more than 10,000 athletes gathering in Paris dreaming of winning gold, silver or bronze. Among them will be dozens of women from African countries, many of whom have overcome major social and economic challenges to get to Paris.
For the first time in history, the International Olympic Committee, or IOC, said it achieved full gender parity on the field of play at this year's Olympics.
Female athletes, who once made up only about 2% of Olympic competitors, are now present in the same numbers as men. They accounted for 48% of the athletes at the Olympics in Tokyo three years ago, which was delayed a year because of COVID.
Several dozen African women are among those who will compete. One is Esti Olivier, a member of South Africa’s canoe team. She will compete at the Olympics for the first time after missing the Tokyo Games because of physical and mental health problems.
"It's about keeping focus now and not being overwhelmed by the enormous atmosphere that the Olympics brings but enjoying small increments and moments every step of the way for me at this stage,” Olivier said. “We still [have] two weeks before we compete and I am sure the closer I get to that, the more the nerves will kick in. But at this stage it is just excitement to get to Paris."
Canoeing is not a popular sport in Africa. However, canoe teams from Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia will represent the continent at the Olympics.
Olivier said training for the sport is tough on women.
"Much of this journey I've done by myself and because there are so few females participating in canoe sprints in South Africa,” she said. “I've always had to train among men. So, it's definitely a challenge. The lack of support is a challenge. And just juggling private life with sports, you know, just because we can't only focus on being an athlete. As a woman, I have to also be a wife."
Despite the progress made by female athletes, many of the challenges that slow women's progress in sports still persist, including lack of equal pay, discrimination and poor training conditions.
Middle-distance runner Lilian Odira of Kenya, 25, who is competing in the 800 meters, said it was a long journey to get to Paris, but one that was worth the effort.
"Sports opened so many doors for me,” she said. “It's given me the confidence to be who I am. It's given me the confidence to speak out against injustices that I might witness at any point in time.
“It's given me the opportunity to be an absolute role model to young girls wanting to achieve something big in their lives, showing them that even with controversy in difficult times or various roles that you have to put on, it's still possible to chase your dream. If you really put your mind to it, it's possible."
Besides winning a medal, Odira wants to break her personal best time of 1 minute, 59 seconds.
She said she enjoys being an Olympic athlete.
"All over the world, everyone knows you, so I think it is an advantage,” she said. “When it comes to finance and so many things, we know how to tackle and handle it. Healthwise, everybody wants to be healthy. Sports is a nice career.”
Kenya is sending about 20 female athletes to Paris, second only to South Africa, which is sending 24.
African women won 17 medals in Tokyo three years ago and hope to collect even more in France.