The first Libyan female swimmers to compete in the Olympics were sisters Nadia and Soad Al-Fazzani in the 1980  Russian games. Following in their footsteps Asmahan Farhat held the Libyan record. Today 17-year-old Daniah Hagul represents Libya.

Hagul’s participation has stirred controversy in the country about the circumstances of athletes inside and outside the country, and how none of them is receiving any support. Hagul’s bathing suit has also had received its share of criticism.

The first Libyan female swimmers to compete in the Olympics were sisters Nadia and Soad Al-Fazzani in the 1980  Russian games. Following in their footsteps Asmahan Farhat held the Libyan record. Today 17-year-old Daniah Hagul represents Libya.

Hagul’s participation has stirred controversy in the country about the circumstances of athletes inside and outside the country, and how none of them is receiving any support. Hagul’s bathing suit has also had received its share of criticism.

Correspondents met up with Hagul and her father Bashir Hagul in Rio de Janeiro following her participation in the 100-meter breaststroke.

Ms. Hagul, your father’s move to Malta at the beginning of the nineties has provided you with the chance to train professionally as a swimmer. Please tell us about this.

The material and morale support I receive from my family has always been very important, but we have also received support from the Libyan Swimming Federation and from the Olympic Committee. In order to cover the expenses of travelling and training camps we did crowd funding on Facebook. Some people interested in sports and agents inside and outside the country have also provided us with support.

When did you take on swimming as a regular sport? Some news agencies say that you started at the age of four and others say you started six years ago.

I am 17 years old. I began swimming four years ago and last year I represented Libya in international competitions in Qatar and Russia.

How did your British trainer help you reach the Olympics?

With my coach Robin Pro I have been constantly improving. Coach Pro represented his country in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and he is an excellent coach. I give him credit for improving my technic and time.

Swimmer Ahmad Al-Talisi who lives in Sweden is also representing Libya in the Olympics. Do athletes outside receive more care and attention? What is missing for swimmers inside Libya?

Yes, certainly, athletes outside the country receive better care and attention. I wish all Libyan people were taught how to swim. However, the internal situation in Libya prevents the institutions from preforming their duties. Therefore, parents must support their sons and daughters and encourage them to do sports and engage in honest competition.

You prepared in Al-Kawakeb Al-Marrkushi School in Morocco. Why Morocco?

Morocco is a dear country and it has proper facilities for training. Moreover, trainers and sports officials in Marakesh Swimming Club gave us a warm welcome after they were contacted by the Libyan Swimming Club to help us. And the trip from Casa Blanca to Rio de Janeiro is considerably shorter. It only takes nine hours.

How was your trip to Rio de Janeiro, and who were the most important figures you have met in the Olympics?

The trip has been both hard and very exciting. I had the chance to meet swimming giants like Michael Phelps. However, I still have not met Yusra Mardini, the Syrian swimmer in the refugee Olympic team, who managed to save refugees from a drowning boat. This athlete must be an inspiration for the world and especially the Arab and Islamic world, so people there encourage their sons and daughters to learn the sport and appreciate its importance.

Tell us about your new record, how did you manage to beat it?

Considering my young age and lack of training, my participation in the Rio Olympics has been understandably humble. However, I managed this year to break my own record (1:28 minutes) that I set last year in Russia, and finished the race this year in 1:25 minutes.

I was satisfied by this three-second improvement, and I hope that with more support, training and experience I might improve even more.

The Libyan record was set by Asmahan Farhat in year 2008. Do you expect to break it soon?

The swimmer Asmahan Farhat achieved her 1:21 minutes Libyan record in the Olympics held in China in 2008 when she was 18 years old. Back then, she had more experience than I do now and she enjoyed better material and logistic support, and I hope that with more experience, I can break her record in the near future.

What are your future ambitions?

I am close to finishing high school. Next year, I will graduate level-A high school from Mount Kelly School in the UK. Afterwards, I hope I can join one of the good British universities.

After the Rio Olympics, I will need some time to rest and think about the future.