Esraa Khogali Interview
A very special interview coming your way today as we speak with Sudanese rower Esraa Khogali about her groundbreaking appearance at Tokyo and what it means to her to be a history making Olympian! We learn from Esraa just what brought her into rowing and the many challenges she had to overcome in taking up the sport and pushing towards her dream appearance at Tokyo. We also learn just what it meant to her to create history by being both the first Sudanese rower, but also being the first ever female flag bearer for Sudan at an Olympic Games. Added to this we find out more about her storied sporting family and just why we may see her daughter represent Sudan at a future Olympics. It's an incredibly insightful and moving chat that you simply can't afford to miss!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Please note this is an automated transcript that may contain errors.
BEN WATERWORTH: It is Off The Podium, an Olympics podcast coming to you today for a very, very special episode. Another interview for you today, but a very special interview. We are speaking with Sudanese rower Esraa Khogali. Now, people who've listened to this show for quite some time and listened to us back during our Tokyo coverage might remember on opening ceremony day, day zero, if you want to call that of the Tokyo Olympics, we awarded our first ever athlete of the day to Esraa. She created history at the Tokyo Olympics as her nation's first ever rower, ever in the history of the Olympics, either male or female. She competed in the women's single skulls. And what we didn't also really touch on during that episode and the day that we gave that award to Esraa is she created history at the opening ceremony as Sudan's first ever female flag bearer, which obviously is a pretty big deal in itself. So we wanted to get Esraa on to talk a little bit about her journey, her very unique journey into the sport of rowing and how she was able to go from many different sports to competing for her country at the Olympics and just everything else in between, a very inspirational athlete. And unfortunately, my Arabic is not very good. And unfortunately, Esraa's English wasn't all that good. So we have a bit of help here on this episode. Amina Daraa, nearly an Olympic rower herself, didn't quite pursue it, but she joined us on the line here to translate this chat with Esraa. So what you're going to hear is obviously a very unique chat, a unique podcast here. There's obviously going to be English followed by Arabic, followed by English. The line, the technical side of things wasn't overly fantastic. So we obviously have a bit of a technical challenge on this interview that you will hear. But I really do recommend listening to every single word of this because it really is a fascinating chat, just hearing from Esraa and the challenges, the so many challenges that she had to overcome in order to make it to Tokyo. And what she hopes that her appearance at the Tokyo Olympics will not only do for the sport of rowing in Sudan, but for sport in general in her country. So this could well be the most inspirational chat you will ever hear on this show. So without further ado, here is our chat with Sudanese rower, Esraa Khogali.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm very excited for our next guest here on Off The Podium, a very special one we have today. Back during the Tokyo Olympics, we had on day zero, the day basically of the opening ceremony, our athlete of the day was a Sudanese rower by the name of Esraa Khogali, who created history on many levels during the Tokyo Olympics. Not only was she the country's first ever female rower, she was the country's first ever rower as well. And also went on to carry the flag at the opening ceremony that night for Sudan and became Sudan's first ever female flag bearer at the Olympics. We are absolutely honoured to be able to speak to Esraa a little bit more today about her career in rowing and her experiences at the Olympics. And I would like to welcome her on the line right now, as well as her translator, Amina, to Off The Podium today. So to Esraa and Amina, both of you, welcome to Off The Podium.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Welcome, Ben. Thank you for introducing us and for having us in your podcast. Yes, Esraa, may God bless you with a warm message. She said thank you so much for introducing us. And she hopes that this podcast interview will be very exciting and very informative.
BEN WATERWORTH: Me too. I really do as well. I can say that, which I'd love to learn from Esraa. How did she get into rowing? How did she get started in the sport and sort of what led her on this journey that led to an Olympic Games?
ESRAA KHOGALI: I started rowing in 2015.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): She started, she started rowing in 2015. And it was, it was just, she started up, not frequently, just she practised rowing, but not she didn't like do it, do it like in a professional way. Okay, Esraa? Okay. Okay, I usually practise several sports, but I was so, so passionate to try a different kind of sport as rowing. So I thought of just going into that field of sport rowing and practise it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Was the Olympics something that you had always strived towards in the other sports that you sort of were competing in? Was that the ultimate dream?
ESRAA KHOGALI: And for me, it was a big thing to be able to do it, and to represent my country in the Olympics.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): For me, as an athlete, it was always my dream to participate in the Olympics, and become the first one to represent my country, Sudan, in the Olympics. And it was a nice experience, and though I faced a lot of challenges, but I enjoyed it a lot.
BEN WATERWORTH: In terms of rowing in Sudan, I mean, how was it when she started in terms of were there many other rowers in the country, or kind of was it, was Esraa really the first to, I guess, really give it a go, to try and go towards an Olympics?
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Were in the Okay, actually, in the rowing foundation, there are many girls who practise rowing, and she's one of them. And the way she went to the Olympics, there was several championships before the final competition. So it was the African Championship, and also there was a championship in Tunisia. And after the competition, Esraa scored the best time. So based on her record, she was successfully selected to participate in the Olympic in Tokyo.
BEN WATERWORTH: Fantastic, fantastic. She mentioned obviously many challenges having to overcome in order to get to the Olympics. Would she be able to share with us some of the challenges that she did have to overcome along that journey?
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): You mentioned that you had a lot of challenges until you arrived at the Olympics.
ESRAA KHOGALI: Sudan, its capabilities were very limited. Even when we travelled to Tunisia, the comparison was with the African countries, in terms of capabilities and the level of the platform. I saw that the capabilities were high, and since I felt that my time was not enough, the time was different from the capabilities of the country. And I was trying to improve my skills to be able to use the training to live a new life in Sudan, even though Sudan is the water of the. And to be able to live in Sudan, it's a challenge to be able to live a new life in Sudan.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): So basically, Esraa stated that the major challenge that she faced, that the Sudan has not that advanced equipment for rowing, I mean like the boats that we use for rowing. So she faced that challenge even when she went to Tunisia for the championship. She was confident that her time was not that different from the first and the second one. So she believes that if she found the support, the financial support and also other support, and the training, the good training, she will achieve a good time. Also, she said, like in Sudan, we practise in the River Nile, and it's not possible all the year to practise since there's a floating season, and it would be very difficult. So the practising is not regular. So and also during the past years, we suffered from a political protest. And as you know, and as the world knows, that our country, like there was a revolution, so it was difficult to practise regularly. And side to that, she said, like, one of the challenges that she's also, she's a master's student, and she's doing her master's at university, and also she's a mother, so that was also a challenge for her. So despite all these challenges, she was able to work hard on herself and to try to balance between practising rowing, like her sport, and her house at the same time, and she was able successfully to achieve her goal by going to the Olympics in Tokyo. And she is very happy and proud of this achievement.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, that's an incredible story. Was it that goal of, as she was mentioning, going to the Olympics? It just kept pushing her through all those adversities, you know, through everything there. Just that ultimate goal of representing Sudan at the Olympics just kept driving her closer and closer to it.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): I mean, I can tell you with your hard work, that you couldn't make it to the Olympics and the challenges. She said also she is very glad that although she was not able to attend a closed training camp outside her country, and she was able to get in the championship with world-known rowers, and at least get a good time. So she's very proud of her achievement, and she expects in the future that she will achieve a better time, and she will do best in the future.
BEN WATERWORTH: When she achieved that qualifying time, what was the emotions like, realising that she was officially an Olympian, she was going to the Olympics?
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Tell me, the moment they chose you to go to the Olympics, how did you feel?
ESRAA KHOGALI: Even when I was in the level one course for the course, the French expert, Danette de Bois, said that she would participate in the Olympics in 2020. I was proud that he saw this in his own. Hands, and it was something I had never seen before, and I thought it was a dream. But when he came to the United Nations, and said that he would travel, I had a feeling that he wouldn't be able to reach it. Until I travelled, and entered the Olympics.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Well, she said the moment she was informed that she will be participating in the Olympics, it was a dream for her. She never thought that she would be selected. So she said also that she used to practise several sports when she was a child, and diving and also the archery. So one of the coaches, he predicted for her in the future that she will be an Olympic, she will represent her country in the Olympic. So many years passed, and finally she got that chance to represent her country. She also said that this experience made her get to build a good network, connections with people there, and get to explore different culture from her culture. And she was really excited with this experience. Although probably she didn't achieve the thing that she wanted, but it was a new avenue for her, and she's looking forward in the future.
BEN WATERWORTH: What was it like when she arrived in Tokyo just on that sort of cultural aspect of arriving in Japan and realising she's there and meeting people from all around the world and sort of getting that taste of what the Olympics are about?
ESRAA KHOGALI: It's like being with heroes. He used to see them on television.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Okay, she said it was a very nice feeling when she arrived to Tokyo, especially that all the environment is just all people speaking sports, and the environment is sports. And you see people coming from different places in the world, and those rowers that we see them in the TV, finally she is with them, taking the championship and enjoying the atmosphere, the general atmosphere. So she enjoyed it a lot.
BEN WATERWORTH: Does she have the opportunity to talk to some of those rowers and maybe get some advice and kind of, you know, see what it's like to sort of, for these athletes who are out there a little bit more and kind of, you know, take some of that advice on board to help her sort of go along.
ESRAA KHOGALI: Yes, I met them at... I mean, at the training centre or at the playground?
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Meaning, at the playground?
ESRAA KHOGALI: At the playground, I met a player from Tunisia, a player from Morocco, sorry, and a player from Qatar, and the lady player... And on the opening day, a lady from. She said, no, I'm not going to be treated. So I went to the USA training centre. And she was happy that she was taken pictures with me.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Well, she said basically she met many rowers from the Arab world. She met a rower from Qatar and also Sara from Morocco, from Libya and Abdelkhaliq from Egypt, and also many other many other rowers. And they were very happy for having her with them. And also, she was able to find or to get in touch with the International Rowing Federation, the people in charge in the International Rowing Federation. Also, she was very happy to meet the coach of the USA team. Actually, she was very happy for seeing Esraa wearing the traditional costume. And she went to her and asked her about our Sudanese traditional costume, which we call a top, a top of Sudan, the traditional Sudanese top. And she took a picture with her, and if you saw it, it was in the logo, just behind the Olympic logo. So it was a nice experience for her.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's incredible. Great, great, great experiences. It must then also be, I mean, two-part question. First part, become an Olympian, but creating that history, as I said before, to be the country's first ever rower. I mean, what did that mean to Esraa to be Sudan's first ever rower at the Olympics?
ESRAA KHOGALI: What does it mean to you? Well, I think that I am a special person in my country and in my country. I mean, the opportunity for this country to be able to participate in this show. I mean, because peonies are lucky in this way, and they are special, I mean, this is a big thing for any peonies, so I am happy and proud of myself. Her come, she would be happy to be called a mother in the world. Thank you. World.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): She said she feels that she's a special person. Especially for getting this very rare opportunity to represent her country. This chance was given from the International Rowing Federation. And it was particularly sent with her name. So she was selected among all the rowers from the Rowing, Sudanese Rowing Federation. So her feeling was very special. And she felt very special that her daughter, when she sees us during the Championship, she just points and said, that's my mother in the boat. I want to be in the boat just like my mother when I grow up. So it was very, very like a very special moment that her daughter is proud of her. And even she said at the time where she was walking and holding the flag of Sudan, and this moment was very special to her. She felt very proud that she's doing something for her country. And also her daughter, when she arrived, she sees her daughter holding the flag of Sudan up just like her mother did. Also, she said when she came, many people began to ask her about rowing, and it's a safe sport for ladies to practise. And she wanted to be a role model for every Sudanese young lady if she would like to practise this sport. And she sees her as a very fantastic experience, and she feels responsible to always represent a good image of the Sudanese young athlete.
BEN WATERWORTH: Would she like to see her daughter grow up and follow in her footsteps and compete in the Olympics in rowing?
ESRAA KHOGALI: I mean, in the field she will be in when she.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): She said, definitely, I will let my daughter start in the sport. I already registered her at one of the swimming pools, and since she's two years old, she's been practising swimming. And that's the first sport that she started with, swimming. And also, I would like just to mention that even Esraa didn't mention it, but Esraa, her mother was also an athlete. She used to play volleyball, and she was a champion. She participated in many championships, and all her family, they participated in several championships. So they come from a sport, like a very family business, like basketball, diving, rowing, football, and so on.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, that's incredible. That's absolutely amazing for sure. I think her daughter definitely will be going to an Olympics one day. I mentioned in the beginning, Esraa mentioned a little bit there as well, that honour of carrying the flag in the opening ceremony and creating history as the first ever female flag bearer from Sudan. What was that feeling like walking out into the stadium carrying the flag?
ESRAA KHOGALI: Esraa, what was your feeling when you were carrying the black flag in Palestine? And I was proud that the flag was raised in the country. Especially the headdress, as many people say, is for the people of Sudan and the non-Syrians. At the moment of the opening, millions of people are watching the flag.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): She said she felt really proud holding the flag of Sudan during the opening ceremony. And especially at this moment, the opening ceremony or the opening of the Olympics, many people watch it from around the world. So it will become like a memorial time that nobody will forget it ever. And she's very happy to be part of this moment, representing her country as the first female to hold the flag of Sudan.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, including Australia, we obviously watched it in this part of the world. And on our show, we were so inspired by her performance. And on that day as well, we absolutely loved seeing her row. We gave her our athlete of the day on that very first episode. So she has fans in Australia.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): I told you that in Australia, they saw the opening moment, and you came to the flag of Sudan and the hockey, and you have great achievements in Australia.
ESRAA KHOGALI: She's happy and loving.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's good. I'm glad.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): This thing will make her very happy and proud.
ESRAA KHOGALI: In the Olympic village, the building that was the building of Australia.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): She said next to the building, they were in the Olympic village where they stayed. So she said next to the building, there were Australian rowers or maybe sport. She said she met a lot of them, and she was very happy.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, nice, nice, good to see that connection there. How did she feel she performed at the Olympics? Was she happy with how she eventually went in her event?
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Well, she said she's happy with the participation in the championship, though she was expecting to get more support, like training camps and also some other supports. So she said despite these circumstances, and the challenges that I have mentioned previously, I am satisfied and happy with my achievement, and I'm hoping that in the future I will get a good score, and a good time, we say time.
BEN WATERWORTH: So is the goal now to go towards Paris, and as you were saying, improving on those times, and go towards another Olympics, and just keep on improving?
ESRAA KHOGALI: Insha'Allah, I have access to them on the air soon.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Definitely, for sure, that's my next goal, to participate in the Olympics in Paris 2024, and get a good score this time.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, in 11 years' time, the Olympics are in Brisbane. I mean, I'm predicting this now. She's going to keep improving and improving, and then come to Australia in 11 years' time, and she can leave with a medal around her neck. I think that's the improvement that's going to keep on going.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Yes, yes, we hope so.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which also, sort of what she was talking about before, does she hope that her performances, her achievements will inspire more people in Sudan to row? Would she like to be joined by some Sudanese teammates come Paris 2024 that she's got some people there to compete with alongside of her?
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Do you think that this experience will inspire some Sudanese to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris 2024?
ESRAA KHOGALI: Even I said that the European Games has saved a lot of. People.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Yes, we can hear you, Esraa.
ESRAA KHOGALI: And even the United Nations has a press conference for the United Nations. She said, my experience actually.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Encouraged many female athletes to practise not only the females but also the boys or the men to participate and to get ready and practise for the upcoming Olympic championship in Paris 2024. And not only that, but also the administration of the Sudanese rowing federation has encouraged other rowing clubs in different places in Sudan, like we have in the Khartoum, we have in the Unhabil in Lama. So all these are belonging to the Sudanese rowing federation to resume the practising and to get ready to prepare their athletes to practise. So she thinks that her experience actually motivated people or motivated people to practise more seriously for the coming Olympic Championship, which will be held in Paris 2024.
BEN WATERWORTH: Fantastic, fantastic. It's really such an inspirational story that we really wanted to share here on the show and hear from Esraa and just kind of hear this. And it really has been amazing to learn so much about her journey. I mean, we really do look forward to seeing how it's going to progress between now and Paris and just obviously wish her all the best of luck moving forward and see her again. March out into that stadium in Paris and just keep on improving, inspiring the next generation of Sudanese rowers and Sudanese athletes as well. It really is an inspiring story and we really appreciate Esraa chatting with us today on the.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Show. Thank you Esraa for your participation in the podcast. At the same time, we will be confident that you will be a driving force for the rest of the athletes to participate in the Sudan Olympics in Paris 2024. And we hope to see you in the stadium of Paris, there, as the Sudanese athlete, as you represented in Japan.
ESRAA KHOGALI: And I hope that you will be able to support us, and we will be able to do it.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): She said she's very happy with this meeting, and she also, through you, she wants to convey her, like she wants to say hello to her fans in Australia. And she feels that it's a great responsibility for her to continue and represent her country in a very good way. And she's thanking you once again.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, it's been our pleasure, and please, thank you for again joining us. And we obviously appreciate the time. And to you, Amina, thank you for being here and helping us have this conversation a little bit more too. I need to practise next time, and I'll improve my language skills so that we can talk just one on one.
Amina Daraa (TRANSLATOR): Thank you very much. It's my pleasure. And I also would like to mention that I'm one of Esraa's, one of the rowers. I'm also was her colleague in the rowing. So, but I quit it long time since I'm focusing now in my speciality. I'm a pharmacist and I did my PhD in Japan also. I've stayed there for three years. Yes. So, so it was a very nice consequence that I just arrived from Japan and travelled to Japan for the championship. I just arrived last year. So we are very glad, Mr. Ben, that you had us in this podcasting. And from this, we would like to say it like, still though we are suffering from many obstacles in our country, Sudan, but yet we continue to do sport and to represent our country worldwide very, like very in a good, we try to draw a good picture of our country and what a female lady can do. So we thank you, Ben, finally, and we hope to continue these interviews in the future.
BEN WATERWORTH: And a massive, massive thanks to both Esraa and Amina for their time. Obviously, again, I need to work on my Arabic, I feel, moving forward to really go for that interview in the future. But obviously, we very much thank Amina there for translating and kind of helping us get our questions there. And what an inspirational athlete Esraa is there. Again, just the challenges you overcome, rowing in the Nile River, if you don't mind. And obviously, going on to create history as the country's first ever female flag bearer, such an amazing, amazing story and one that we are so honoured to hear from Esraa there. And I can safely say we are probably the only ever Australian podcast to speak with a Sudanese rower. So we also like to create history here on the show. But again, massive thanks to both Esraa and Amina for their time. Now, we've got plenty more to come still on Off The Podium. So many more great interviews coming your way to keep you entertained between now and Beijing. We're pumping them out. We know you're enjoying them and we know you're going to keep on enjoying them as we move forward closer to the 2022 Winter Olympics. If you want to get in touch with us, you want to let us know what you thought of this interview or any of our other past episodes. Hit us up on social media, search for Off The Podium. Of course, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram is where you can find us. And while you're there, hit us up on the podcast channels. Hit that subscribe button, leave us some feedback, leave us a rating, we'd love to hear from you. And just get the vibe, get the general vibe of what you're thinking of the show. We're enjoying bringing it to you. And we are hoping that you're enjoying listening to it at the same time. Again, massive thanks to Ezra. Massive thanks to Amina. My name is Ben. This is Off the Podium. And as always, go left.
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