Maryam Promises Gold For Bahrain

Sport

Maryam Jamal was born Zenebech Tola in Ethiopia.

She ran the qualifying time to compete in Athens 2004 but the same year left Ethiopia with her husband and sought political asylum in Switzerland. After applying for citizenship in the US, Canada and France, she was finally accepted by Bahrain and changed her name to Maryam Jamal. As a Bahraini athlete she went on to win two gold medals at the World Championships in Osaka in 2007 and Berlin in 2009.