The feet of Mehboba Andyar pound the pavement repeatedly as she weaves around potholes, trash piles and open drains. It’s nighttime in Kabul, Afghanistan, and navigating the streets during late hours is very risky, especially when you’re a woman. However, for Andyar, this is the only choice that makes sense, since it’s too dangerous for her to run in the city during the day. Neighbors threaten her, bystanders throw stones and there are never-ending letters and phone calls to Andyar’s home warning of physical harm.

Yet, despite all this, the 19-year-old woman, who grew up under fundamentalist Taliban rule, refuses to be discouraged. In an extremely conservative society that doesn’t see women as having a place beyond the home, Andyar is a runner representing Afghanistan in the 2008 Olympic Games in the 800- and 1500-meter races. She is the only female athlete in the entire country competing in Beijing, and this has made her a target of hate.

There is a lot we can learn from Andyar’s struggle to reach the starting line of her race. The first thing this should bring to light is the reality that many women in the developing world are still lacking many of the fundamental rights we take for granted. Take Andyar’s home country, where schools for girls have been burned down to prevent them from getting an education. Only 30 percent of girls have access to an education, and the illiteracy rate for women is 87 percent. On top of this, 80 percent of women are forced into marriage, and one in every three women experiences physical, psychological or sexual violence. Did I mention these numbers are for after the fall of the Taliban rule? It was worse before.

How about the media coverage of the Olympics? There are more stories of athletes overcoming unimaginable obstacles in their lives to fulfill their dream. Yet all we hear about is the conflict between Tibet and China.

There’s no doubt that issues pertaining to human rights in China have their place, but the media is focusing solely on the negative politics surrounding this athletic event. Is anyone else tired of hearing about politics? Discussing the trials and tribulations of the athletes whom we seem to have forgotten about would be refreshing. It would also give us insight into the difficulties athletes such as Andyar have faced and inspire us to explore them in greater depth. This would go much further in establishing meaningful dialogue and action on issues than jumping the torch carrier and screaming for boycotts.

It’s difficult to look at what Andyar is facing and not reflect on our own goals and aspirations and question how committed we are to them. How do we respond in the face of adversity? In a dog-eat-dog world where walls of all sorts stand between us and what we aspire to, we need to understand the walls are there for us to prove how badly we want something. After looking at what Andyar is running through, I get the sense my walls aren’t quite as overwhelming as I once perceived them to be.

Finally, we can learn from Andyar that sometimes the journey is what really matters, and how you cross the finish line is more important than where. When Andyar competes, she’s going up against women from other countries who train with the top coaches and have refined their fitness in some of the best facilities in the world. Whether wins or loses, she will inspire others to follow in her footsteps. Whether it be on the track, in the workplace or at the polls, Afghani girls who watch Andyar’s race will one day finish what she started.

Traditionally, after an international track and field race, the winner takes a victory lap while carrying their flag proudly. Regardless of where Andyar finishes, the Olympics officials should allow her to do the same. She’ll have won that race in every way that mattered.

Matt Dernoga is a sophomore government and politics major. He can be reached at mdernoga@umd.edu.