"He was training for ultramarathons while hearing gunshots and explosions"

Barcelona"Kilometer by kilometer, I try to work for gender equality. This is the mantra that accompanies my life as I run, whether through the mountains, in war zones, or to inspire other women whom society wants to keep still." Stephanie Case is a Canadian human rights lawyer who runs ultramarathons. She is also the founder of Free to Run, a platform that aims to make sport a tool for freedom and empowerment for women and girls in conflict zones.

"I have worked in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Palestine," boasts Case, who recently gave a motivational talk at the third edition of the International Women in Sports Congress (IWISC), a congress organized by the Union of Federations. "When I got a job in Afghanistan, people told me I should stop running. I felt frustrated. Why did I have to give up my passion? I was working on the border of an armed zone and couldn't leave the camp alone. We could only travel in a militarized vehicle, but the longest straight stretch of the camp was filled with ultramarathons while I heard gunfire and explosions just meters away. I explored every corner of the camp," she recalls.

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Case secured funding to build three shelters for women in Afghanistan, where she conceived the idea for Free to Run. "The women I met dreamed of doing the things I did. They wanted to run, but they not only had to contend with bombs and war, but also with social norms that discriminate against women's rights. Launching a sports program in such a context seemed like madness, but I managed it," Case explains.

"I spent a year talking to other institutions and NGOs to find ways to create sports programs for women. Existing initiatives, like volleyball, were all held indoors. The initiative was successful, and we were able to export it to five different regions. When you're able to run freely, your freedom is boundless."

"If a woman runs in a war zone, people think she's a prostitute; we have to fight stereotypes like this," she warns. The obstacles are constant. "When the Taliban took control of the country, we had to rethink the program, which emphasized training inside homes. We managed to keep the movement secret, waiting for a more favorable scenario," Case acknowledges.

"If it seems impossible, it's because it was."

Stephanie Case's story is full of inspiring tales. Six months after giving birth to her first daughter, the Canadian runner participated in the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia, a 100-kilometer race through Eryri National Park in Wales. Case, who stopped to breastfeed her baby, crossed the finish line in first place with a time of 16 hours, 53 minutes, and 22 seconds. Case also became the third woman to complete the Tor des Glaciers, a 450-kilometer race. "If it seems impossible, it's because it was," she jokes. The Canadian's feat made headlines around the world. "My only goal was to reach the next checkpoint, and that's how I progressed, step by step. Just because someone tells you something is impossible doesn't mean it isn't possible," she summarizes.