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Afghan Olympic hopeful learnt English β€˜listening to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service’

Afghan Olympic hopeful Farid Noori reveals he learnt to speak English by listening to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service.

Afghan Olympic hopeful Farid Noori reveals he learnt to speak English by listening to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service on a portable Walkman.

Educated in a school located in a compound of UNICEF tents, Farid told Sportshour about the unusual way he leant to speak English and how he used to speak with an English accent: β€œWhen I was in Kabul going to this ruined school, one of the things that I did was I listened to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service on a Walkman.

β€œWe were not allowed to carry electronics to school, because our teachers thought that was a distraction to learning and studying. I would hide it in my pocket and I would listen to it on the bus ride, and for a time it actually affected my accent. I don’t have a British accent now, but back in the day there was a time when I did have a British accent.”

Farid first discovered mountain biking when he took part in a High School exchange programme in the United States, and having founded Mountain Bike Afghanistan – an organisation founded to promote cycling in the country - he hopes to become the first mountain biker from Afghanistan to compete at an Olympic Games.

Photo: Farid Noori takes part in a mountain biking event. (Credit: Farid Noori)

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52 seconds