Words by Robert Birnbaum

After losing his parents at just nine years old, Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu left his home of South Sudan away from political unrest in search of a better life for him and his four sisters. After settling in Kenya, the home of some of the world’s greatest record holders, Dominic began running at 15, sure that competing in the sport was his best chance to forge a new life.

A naturally dedicated and talented runner, Dominic managed to qualify for the Athlete Refugee Team. As part of the team he was given the opportunity to train and represent refugees at races around the world. One race ultimately led him to Geneva, Switzerland, where he decided to seek asylum.

The short film “Right to Race” follows Dominic on his inspiring journey from arriving in Switzerland to meeting his coach and friend Markus Hagmann. Together, they worked tirelessly to get Dominic to the Olympic Games. This included much more than constant training, though, as his refugee status left Dominic without a country to run for. In celebration of the launch on June 20, 2023, OFF Stories sat down with them both to uncover further details about their fascinating journey.

Dominic, when you moved to Switzerland and got to meet Markus for the first time, what was your first impression of him? 

Dominic: At first, I found it difficult to fully trust him. But I knew that he might be my only chance to continue running. I told him that it will take me some time to fully trust him. 

What about you, Markus? Do you remember that first meeting?

Markus: I can still see that image in my head. He was standing there, wearing his On tracksuit that he got from the Athlete Refugee Team. That was the only outfit he had. My first impression was: This person is scarred – physically and mentally. Empty and tired. And yet, when he started running, he came alive.

So you went from complete strangers to close friends. But as Dominic alluded to, it didn’t happen overnight. How did you build trust in each other? 

Markus: After the previous, unfortunately mostly negative experiences in life, Dominic was very reserved towards others and me. He didn’t talk much. The first year was all about proving to him that he has someone on his side that he can trust – maybe for the first time in his life. I wanted to show him that he is allowed to just run. 

When Dominic arrived in Switzerland, he didn’t speak much English, and no German. How did you manage to communicate?

Markus: In the beginning, he would sometimes run one lap too many, or stopped too early. He lived about two hours away, so it was difficult to talk on the phone and understand each other. But when we started running, we didn’t need many words. You talk with your hands and somehow you manage just fine.

Dominic, how did you experience running with a coach who doesn’t speak your language? 

Dominic: It wasn’t easy. Living far away and only training with him twice a week. In the beginning, he would sometimes tell me that I look tired and that we should lower the pace. I always told him: “If you plan a workout, we must finish it. This is the only way.” I think running was our common language.

Sounds like it was not only about language, but gaining an understanding of one another?

Markus: Absolutely, it took a long time to build this trust. In learning about the South Sudanese tribe that he hails from, I started to understand he was maybe keeping a lot of his worries to himself. That showed during our tougher training sessions. I asked him how hard a certain workout was from one to ten. And he kept telling me he can do it, he can try. I just wanted him to give me a number. So I had to make him understand that he can voice his feedback, that I need his feedback. That took a long time.

When did you feel things started to click?

Markus: It took at least six months. But then he realized that I’m helping him, without trying to take something from him. That whenever he needs help, I’m there for him.

Dominic: For me it was after my first race. When I realized Markus was not trying to take advantage of me, that’s when I really started to trust him. Seeing the prize money go straight to me and not through Markus. In the past, this was never the case. There was always someone that the money had to pass through.

Markus, you’re a father, a husband, you work full-time as a teacher. How did you balance these responsibilities?

Markus: As a coach you imagine coaching an athlete five times a week, but as Dominic said, he used to live a two-hour train ride away from me. So those five times a week were twice initially. When he moved closer to me, my family and I agreed that they would be part of the whole story. When Dominic joined us for lunch, my kids would teach him German. He became a part of the family. It wouldn’t have worked in any other way. And him moving made a lot of things possible. Training on the weekends, then maybe breakfast after at my place.

In the movie you say that Dominic’s running style fascinated you immediately. What is it about his movements that makes him such a natural runner?

Markus: It starts with his build. Dominic has a very, very slender build, but remains powerful. He runs with an elegant stride, lands super smoothly and pushes off effortlessly. Once he reaches a certain speed, he practically glides along the road. His head always stays in the same place, there’s no bouncing whatsoever. Dominic’s feet meet the ground almost perfectly underneath his body which greatly benefits forward momentum. It’s not easy to put it into words, you just have to see it.

Did he run like this the first time you saw him run? 

Markus: Everybody thinks he was ready to be a Diamond League champion back then, but he was far from it. His natural talent was undeniable, though. After his long and tiring journey to Switzerland, his body simply wasn’t ready. He had to build it up first – with strength workouts, physiotherapy treatments and athlete-appropriate nutrition.

Dominic, how did your running style change since you started training with Markus?

Dominic: My legs weren’t really straight when landing, and my arms were all over the place. Working with Markus and a physio helped me improve that part of running. But also strategic things during races. Like not passing on the curves. Markus told me that I’m wasting my energy doing that and how I should wait for the straights and pass there. With my previous coaches, I never experienced as much progress as with Markus now.

With the progress and the racing success, when did it sink in that you are among the best runners in the world?

Dominic: It still hasn’t. I would never call myself “one of the best runners in the world”. Only once I win a medal at the Olympic Games or the World Championship.

Not even after winning the Diamond League race in Stockholm? That must have been a huge moment for you.

Dominic: Stockholm was a nice race. But it wasn’t enough for me to say I’m among the world’s best. 

Markus, do you agree with that? Was there a moment in particular when you knew just how good Dominic can be? That he can win Diamond League races?

Markus: On that evening in Stockholm (laughs). Like I said in the film, an eighth place finish would have been good, sixth place would have been great. Someone asked me: “What if he wins the race?”. I jokingly said: “Then you’ll need to place a bronze statue of me right here at the track.”. Back then, I already knew he can run really fast. But the victory came much earlier than expected. I thought we were a year away from wins like that. 

Dominic: I wasn’t sure at all what was going to happen. In running, you never know. I definitely expected that I would be pushed to do more races, but Markus left this decision to me, which surprised me. I would choose which race I wanted to compete in, and with every victory I grew more and more confident. Before international races I always think back to my first road races in Switzerland. The courses were so difficult. Much more difficult than other races. So I tell myself, if I can win in Switzerland, I can win anywhere.

One last question, Dominic. What do you hope to achieve with the movie? 

Dominic: I want to show the world, specifically people in my situation, that everything is possible. But at the same time, I want them to understand that their destiny rests in their hands. Nobody will come and help you if you don’t look for help. Nobody will change your life for you if you’re not ready to make a change yourself. And I want the world to understand that there are millions of people with the same problems that I had. Worse problems than I had. People in countries like Switzerland should see refugees as human beings. They should realize how privileged they are to live a healthy and happy life. Setbacks always happen. But they are not the end. Keep holding on to your dreams. Keep fighting to achieve your goals. That’s what I want the world to know.

Athletes - Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu