SPORTS November 3, 2008 Issue

BLOOM WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED

MARK SWINNEY

IF A FLOWER SEED drops into a crack in a rock, next to a trash can, or in a queen's garden, it blooms just the same. Its beauty and value are constant. As with flowers, people have the opportunity to bloom in whatever place they may find themselves "planted."

Iraqi sprinter Dana Abdulrazak is an inspiring example for all of us. Not many can imagine the conditions in which she lives day to day. She trains on the track at Baghdad University. This track looks like most of those you'd see anywhere—except for the mortar scars. Aside from her difficult training conditions, Dana has religious extremists to deal with. On occasions she's had to bribe militia members to let her train in peace. Her commitment even to run each day truly is a bright light for people everywhere. And she is blooming nicely, even in such bleak conditions. She has now competed internationally, including in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Maybe it's not surroundings or culture, but other factors that would appear to keep athletes from achieving their best. Their prospects for participation may be affected adversely by a person or organization—politics apart. It might relate to their age or size. Or it might stem from the whim of some coach.