How to Defy the Odds and Become Your Own Champion with Olympic Boxer Ramla Ali #202

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Health & Fitness, Medicine, Alternative Health, Mental Health

4.8 • 10.9K Ratings

🗓️ 21 September 2021

⏱️ 111 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Caution: Contains themes of an adult nature. The term ‘inspirational’ can be overused when it comes to describing public figures. But in the case of today’s guest, it couldn’t be more fitting. Ramla Ali is a professional sportswoman who became the first-ever boxer to compete for Somalia in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Her incredible story is told in her new book Not Without A Fight: Ten Steps To Becoming Your Own Champion, and I’m honoured to hear it from her first hand. Ramla is a former refugee whose family fled from Somalia to Kenya after the civil war. After settling in the UK, she describes a pivotal moment in her teenage years when she was attacked by a group of boys for wearing a hijab. This, together with advice from her GP that she was obese, proved an incentive for Ramla to begin boxing. But it was a secret she kept hidden from her traditional, religious family. We talk about the range of feelings these events gave rise to, sharing our thoughts on the immigrant experience, and on being the subject of parental disapproval as well as pride. And we discuss Ramla’s journey to the Olympics and how much the African experience differs to that of Western athletes. Until she found sponsorship, modelling helped to pay Ramla’s way in sport. Yet she talks with touching honesty about struggles with confidence, self-esteem and finding her identity as a Somali woman in the public eye. Today, Ramla’s confidence comes from the knowledge she has achieved all this against the odds – and that her fight helps women and girls of all backgrounds, races and religions to be seen. She’s giving back not just through this platform and as a Unicef Ambassador, but through her Sisters Club, a free boxing club that provides a safe space for women in London to access the sport. Ramla is a true role model and living proof that we can all be our own champions. I really think you are going to enjoy listening. Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/202 Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Follow me on https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on https://www.facebook.com/DrChatterjee DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you put your mind to something, you will stop at nothing to achieve it.
0:05.0	Be brave enough to take risks, be brave enough to put yourself in uncomfortable situations,
0:12.0	and you'll end up being happier.
0:14.0	Hi, my name is Rangan Chatsji.
0:18.0	Welcome to Feel Better Live More. Rangan Chatschi, welcome to feel better, live more.
0:26.0	Hello, how are you doing? It feels really good to be back in the swing of weekly episodes.
0:32.1	Feedback to last week's episode with Andrew Weil has been absolutely incredible. Thank you to every one of you who listened
0:39.1	and shared it with your friends. Now, the term inspirational can be overused when it comes to
0:45.3	describing public figures, but in the case of today's guest, it couldn't be more fitting.
0:51.9	Ramla Ali is a professional sportswoman who became the first ever boxer to compete
0:56.2	for Somalia in the Tokyo 2020 Games. Now, Rampla's an incredible lady with an astonishing story,
1:03.9	which is outlined in her brand new book, Not Without a Fight, which has just been released.
1:10.5	Ramla is a former refugee whose family fled from war-torn Somalia when she was just a child,
1:16.2	and after settling in the UK, she was bullied at school and physically abused,
1:21.4	including one particular episode when she was attacked by a group of boys for wearing a hijab.
1:28.9	This, together with advice from her GP, that she was obese, proved an incentive for Ramla to begin
1:34.9	boxing. But it was a secret that she kept hidden from her traditional religious family.
1:42.0	Fast forward a few years, and Ramlett is now an Olympic athlete and a model
1:47.1	who has graced the covers of Elle and Vogue magazine. So what happened in between? Well, that is the
1:54.2	subject of our conversation today. We talk about so many different topics, including how she
1:59.5	managed to defy the odds, how she dealt with parental
2:02.4	disapproval. And I have to say, she talks with a really touching honesty about her own
	...

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