Bahta left in tears – Aftonbladet

Zurich. Meraf Bahta were jubilant over their European Championship gold.

But one question at the international press conference about the escape from Eritrea won Gold at the scan to break down in tears.

– Why they should always ask about it and not on the run, said Bahta before she left the courtroom.

Meraf Bahtas way to the European Championships has been tougher than most people can absorb. Her extraordinary father Ulf Björklund told Sportbladet Thursday about how Sweden’s newest athletics star seen as a deserter in the home and that her mother and father were jailed immediately after the escape.

– It was in early 2009, and in February we found out that the mother had died in prison – and it was not by disease or age reasons. In Eritrea, the women are not worthy of anything, especially not if the president has any grudge against them. So it’s as bad as it can get, said Ulf Bjöklund then.

Left press conference in tears

And the tragedy is ever present became clear at the international press conference after the race. Both Sifan Hassan and Meraf Bahta was asked by an English journalist if it was difficult to leave their home countries Ethiopia and Eritrea. Sifan Hassan replied short and annoyed while Meraf tearfully chose not to respond at all.

“Why do they matter?”

Afterwards, she was very emotional and irritable.

– Why must all ask about Eritrea? Why can not they ask about race ?, she told her coach Ulf Friberg before she left the press conference hall along with coach and press officer Fredrik Trahn.