Episode 69 - Mazen Khatib, President of Palestine Athletics Federation - a podcast by Mass Participation World

On today's edition of The Aid Station we make a fascinating and  inspiring trip to Ramallah, Palestine to meet Mazen Khatib, President of  Palestine Athletics Federation.



Another incredible example of the power of sport and our industry to  change lives as Dr Khatib shares the story of the Palestine Marathon in  Bethlehem which has grown from 400 to 7,000 runners in eight years and  how Global Running Day in Gaza was a vehicle for Hamas allowing girls to  run in public for the first time.



Listen to the challenges he  has helped overcome to set up a track program which includes the  building of two concrete tracks. "It was so hard for our runners to  train in the sand so we built two concrete tracks, one of them is not  even 400m long because of limited space".



COVID has been  incredibly tough with strict lock-down and a huge impact on the already  struggling economy. "Some days we just do not know what to do but we  look for solutions". Part of that included a recently completed World  Athletics officials accreditation course conducted using zoom.



Make sure you listen till the end to hear some of the inspiring stories of young athletes in the track program.



Be inspired here https://youtu.be/8qaNr6K49hU

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