“It’s the Least I Can Do” — The Tragic Reason That Inspired Joseph Fahnbulleh to Represent Liberia Instead of the USA…

“It’s the Least I Can Do” — The Tragic Reason That Inspired Joseph Fahnbulleh to Represent Liberia Instead of the USA

 

When Joseph Fahnbulleh steps onto the track wearing Liberia’s red, white, and blue, it’s not just national pride that drives him forward — it’s a personal promise born from tragedy and love.

Born in Minnesota in 2001, Fahnbulleh could easily have represented the United States — the country where he was raised, educated, and began his athletic career. But when it came time to decide which flag to run under on the international stage, he made a surprising and emotional choice: Liberia, his mother’s war-torn homeland.

“I just wanted to do this for my mum,” Fahnbulleh said in an emotional interview. “She left Liberia as a child, fleeing the civil war. This is the least I can do to honor everything she sacrificed.”

Fahnbulleh’s mother escaped Liberia during its brutal civil wars, which spanned more than a decade and claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. She was just 12 years old when she fled the conflict, seeking refuge in the United States. There, she built a new life — one that gave Joseph the chance to flourish.

From a young age, Fahnbulleh showed promise as a sprinter. He won national titles in the 100m and 200m while competing for the University of Florida and eventually earned his place among the world’s best. Despite offers and encouragement to run for Team USA, he stayed true to a personal mission: using his talent to shine a light on Liberia — a country often overlooked in global athletics.

He made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, where he reached the final in the 200m and placed fifth — setting a new Liberian national record in the process. At the 2022 World Athletics Championships, Fahnbulleh narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth. After the race, he was seen in tears, embraced by his mother in the stands.

“She told me it didn’t matter where I placed,” he recalled. “She was just proud to see me running for Liberia.”

In 2024, Fahnbulleh anchored Liberia’s 4x100m relay team to Olympic qualification — the first Liberian relay team to reach the Games in over two decades. The feat not only showcased his continued dominance but also his dedication to uplifting a nation through sport.

Though he did not medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his impact has been profound. Liberians around the world have embraced him as a symbol of hope, resilience, and pride. For Fahnbulleh, the journey is personal and purposeful.

“I run with Liberia on my chest, but my mother in my heart,” he said. “If my success can inspire just one kid in Liberia to dream bigger — then I’ve done my job.”

In every race, Joseph Fahnbulleh is not just chasing gold. He is honoring the past, rewriting his family’s story, and helping rebuild the legacy of a nation once torn by war.