Driver Fatumata Bah raised her arms in celebration after her amateur motor drag race in Dakar that included four men and four women competing to win. For the race, pairs of drivers in small Peugeot hatchbacks raced in order to have the best time on a makeshift 300 metre track at the old airport in the city, as a part of the capital’s first Dakar Grand Prix.
Bah stated, “I beat the boys, Being a woman or a man doesn’t mean anything, this is the 21st century – Girl Power!”
With inspiration coming from the Paris-Dakar rally, organizers were aiming to create an event where women and men could compete on equal grounds.
At the awards ceremony Bah stated, “I dedicate this trophy to my father and my husband who have always supported me in this passion, which is supposedly reserved for men, What I feel in these moments is pride for me, and joy for her, because I know this is something she loves, This cup is to show them that everything is possible in life. With courage and perseverance, you can do it,”
Bah originally began racing 20 years ago after being encouraged by her father to do so. While her husband, mechanic Cheikh Tidiane Bathily also serves as her coach. Meanwhile, Bah donated her winnings to the SOS Children’s Village organization that she has worked with since she quit her banking career.
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