Iraqi sprinter Dana Hussein Abdul-Razzaq once had to dodge a sniper's bullet during training in her war-torn nation. Her chance of winning a medal was always slim, considering she runs a few seconds behind the world's best 100m sprinters.

But the Iraqi woman is the embodiment of Olympic movement. Her sentiments follow the One World, One Dream theme and her presence in Beijing is living proof that this dream can come true.

"Sports can unify the Iraqi people - no Sunnis, no Shiites, just sport for the country," she said.

Iraq's Dana Hussein Abdulrazak compete during the women's 100m heat 2 at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium as part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 16, 2008. [Agencies]

The 21-year-old began her sprinting career five years ago during a bloody period of war and sectarian strife and is one of four Iraqis who have qualified for the Games.

Her coach, Yousif Abdul-Rahman recalls a training session during the height of the sectarian bloodshed when he and Hussein had to drive across Sunni-Shiite battle lines to try to reach the track.

"I think we drove through eight firefights that day," he told NPR of the US. "I thought we were going to die."

On another occasion, the firefighting spilt over to a dusty suburban running track in the usually safe Jadriyah neighborhood.

Abdul-Rahman says both he and Hussein had to hit the dirt when a sniper opened fire from a nearby rooftop.

"When she was training, the sniper shot the first round, and it crossed near Dana and hit the tree. She dove for cover," Abdul-Rahman says. "Then another round hit the field."

As a small girl growing up in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, she never got a chance to run. Her parents were too scared to let her go anywhere near sports, a field controlled by the dictator's ruthless son Ouday - known for torturing athletes who underperformed.

After the US invaded in 2003, Dana laced up her sneakers and took to the track. Through the years, Hussein, a Shiite, has been under the coaching of Yousif Abdul-Rahman, who is a Sunni, through everything that Baghdad has been, pre- and post-surge, in a pair of old New Balance track shoes that were purchased in Jordan.

For her, competing at the Olympics was a dream, which, unfortunately, was almost shattered in May when International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided Iraq wasn't welcome in Beijing.

The IOC was concerned about the government's "serious interference" with the country's Olympic affairs.

In the following months while negotiations went on for Iraqi's reinstatement, Hussein had to wait and watch.

Coach Abdul-Rahman, consoling her after the ban by saying, "You can compete in 2012."

To which a sobbing Hussein responded: "Who can say if I'll even be alive in 2012?"

In an interview soon after Iraqi's resumed entry to the Olympics, Hussein expressed her relief. "I have realized my dream of competing at the Olympics, and I am extremely happy to have come to Beijing," she said.

Agencies