From Forced Marriage to Global Podiums: The Unbreakable Journey of Roya Karimi

Although Roya later became a Norwegian citizen and proudly represented Norway in competitions, she refused to detach her athletic achievements from her Afghan identity. On every competition stage, she held the Afghan tricolor flag that symbolized an era of hope before the Taliban’s return. Her victories, she insisted, were dedicated to the women of Afghanistan, especially those still denied the freedom she fought so hard to obtain.