Olympic silver medallist Christine Mboma dreams of returning to the Olympics one day.

The star, who has been on a close-to 20-month hiatus from the track, recently spoke to international media, where she opened up about her journey, struggles, and unwavering determination. “My dream is to run the Olympics again, to be better than the last Olympic,” she said, reflecting on her past performance and her hopes for the future.

She recalled a touching moment from her Olympic experience that has stayed with her. “When I was running the Olympic, there was this guy who was screaming, ‘Boma Doka! Boma Doka!” she said, smiling. Doka means ‘to run’ in my language. And every time children see me, they also chant, ‘Boma Doka’, and tell me they want to be like me when they grow up.”

These moments have become a powerful source of motivation for her. “That tells me I am inspiring the children. If I give up, what will they think of me? I am their role model.”

However, her path has not been without obstacles. “You know, unfortunately last year I was not ready. I was still fresh from injury.”

Mboma suffered a serious thigh muscle injury on 7 May 7, 2022, during the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya. She pulled up during the 100m race and had to be carried off the track, ending her season prematurely.

Since then, the physical recovery has been only part of the challenge. The mental toll has just been as daunting. “I was kind of thinking about what happened. All the flashbacks made me scared. I wasn’t mentally ready.”  

– lmupetami@nepc.com.na