The journey from South Sudan to the lofty heights of the AFL has never been an easy path, but Gold Coast Suns recruit Mabior Chol is finding his feet.
At 200 centimetres tall with a platinum blonde streak in his hair: Mabior Chol stands out in a crowd.The South-Sudanese refugee is among the leading goal-scorers in the AFL this seasonChol's also standing out as a key forward for the Gold Coast Suns.
"Coming up to the Gold Coast and just having mum and dad and my whole family close by I think had a massive impact on my footy," Chol said.Chol was born in South Sudan, and was two when he fled to Egypt by boat with his mum, dad and siblings.Chol is acutely aware of his roots and how they defined him.
He entered the AFL through the 2016 draft, selected by powerhouse club Richmond, and played his first game aged 19. Yet in the first six years of his career, he struggled to find a consistent place at the Tigers, who were stacked with talent.At 24 — young by most standards — Chol was entering the mid-point of his career and approaching a crossroads.Closer to his family and at a club where he'd get more opportunities, the now 25-year-old seized his chance.
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