Ep. 40: Souleyman Bah – Sprinting, Tunnel Vision and Perspective

Today, I have the honour of bringing you the youngest guest I have had so far on All Things Risk – but you perhaps wouldn’t know that from speaking to him.  Meet 18-year old Souleyman Bah (remember that name!).  Souleyman is a sprinter on Team GB (Great Britain)’s paralympic team. In 2015, he gold in the 100 metres at the Paralympic School Games in Rio – a junior paralympic games.  He is currently training for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

However, there is more to Souleyman than sprinting. He as born in Guinea (Conakry) in West Africa – one of the poorest counties on earth. At a young age, it was clear that he had a problem with his vision but because of a lack of facilities in the country, no diagnosis was possible. Souleyman’s parents decided to move to Britain so that their son could get proper diagnosis and treatment. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa – a type of severe “tunnel vision” that degenerates over time. Souleyman has this in one eye and is completely blind in the other.

Souleyman’s has a very profound, mature and inspiring attitude towards life and it comes through in this conversation.  He has a great You Tube channel, has participated in a BBC 3 show about visual impairment and has inspired many people. We have a wide-ranging conversation that covers:

• Souleyman’s background, moving to the UK and adjusting to life here;
• Language and how that affects how one thinks;
• Visual impairment – and what not to say to a blind person!;
• Running and elite training;
• Success, performance and the flow state;
• Process versus outcome goals;
• Overcoming injuries;
• Risk and resilience;
• Transhumanism and philosophy;
• Sport and its role in helping young people’s lives;
• The millennial generation
• Lots more!

Show notes:

Souleyman on You Tube – https://www.youtube.com/user/Soulbah1

On Twitter – https://twitter.com/KingSoulGB

On Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kingsoulgb/

On Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/souleymanb1

Souleyman BBC interview  – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctZhWiJ63_I

Souleyman’s gold medal performance at the 2015 Paralympic School Games – http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/partially-blind-london-teen-wins-gold-at-paralympic-school-games-a3131211.html

BBC 3 show “Things not to say…” – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL64ScZt2I7wGxZlXAu0r0UPqpvzF23mgc

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaardner – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10959.Sophie_s_World?ac=1&from_search=true

Simon Sinek on millennials – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU

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