Athletes of the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) take pictures with a staffer in front of the statue of Christ the Redeemer as the statue appears in fog ahead of Rio 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 30, 2016.
RIO DE JANEIRO — A year ago, Yusra Mardini swam for her life and the lives of others. At the Olympics she swims to celebrate freedom and give hope to refugees around the world.
Mardini, a Christian refugee from Syria, is one of 10 athletes who will compete in the Rio Games for the first Refugee Olympic Team. She swims the 100-meter freestyle and 100 backstroke, but last August she swam for her life in the Aegean Sea, fleeing the civil war in her homeland.
Mardini and her sister, Sarah, set out for Europe via Lebanon and Turkey. They left Turkey in an overcrowded dinghy bound for Greece. En route the motor died and the boat took on water. Yusra, Sarah and another woman who could swim jumped into the water and took turns kicking and dragging the boat for more than three hours. Eventually they reached the island of Lesbos.
Now Mardini is an Olympian, along with another swimmer from Syria, two judo athletes from the Congo and six track and field athletes from Southern Sudan and Ethiopia.
“We don’t know the same language, but the Olympic flag united all of us together,” said Mardini, 18. “Now we are representing 60 million (refugees) around the world. We want to do our best to show the world we can do everything they can, being good athletes and good people, not only in sport.”
Mardini’s father is a swimming coach, and she competed for Syria in the 2012 short-course world championships. Her hero is Michael Phelps. But Syria has been tormented by civil war for the past five years.
“We decided to leave because there was the normal life, but we know there was no future for what you are doing,” said Mardini, who now lives in Berlin. “You go to school, go to training, but you know there is no point anymore. You are just doing it because you love it, or it is your passion, but you know you’re not going to arrive to the world level or the Olympic level. This is why we left.”
AFP PHOTO / TONY KARUMBA
International Olympics Committee (IOC) 2016 olympics refugees team members run along a dirt road at a high altitude training camp, at the foot of the Ngong' hills, approximately 35km southeast of Nairobi, on July 25, 2016, in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic games.
The five from South Sudan who form the 10-member Team Refugee Olympic Athletics (ROA) selected by the International Olympic Committee in June, are hoping their participation at the Olympics would send a strong message to their native nation, South Sudan, after fresh political tensions erupted between the two warring factions led by President Salva Kirr and his former deputy Riek Machar, which left thousands dead and others displaced.
AP Photo/Khalil Senosi
In this photo taken Thursday, June 30, 2016, Paulo Amotun Kokoro, left foreground, runs during a training session in Ngong, Kenya. Kokoro is one of five runners from South Sudan that grew up in a refugee camp and are part of the IOC's first refugee team that will be competing at the Rio Olympics.
AFP PHOTO/TONY KARUMBA
International Olympics Committee (IOC) 2016 olympics refugees team members run along a dirt road at a high altitude training camp, at the foot of the Ngong' hills, approximately 35km southeast of Nairobi, on July 25, 2016, in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic games.
The five from South Sudan who form the 10-member Team Refugee Olympic Athletics (ROA) selected by the International Olympic Committee in June, are hoping their participation at the Olympics would send a strong message to their native nation, South Sudan, after fresh political tensions erupted between the two warring factions led by President Salva Kirr and his former deputy Riek Machar, which left thousands dead and others displaced.
AFP PHOTO/TONY KARUMBA
International Olympics Committee (IOC) 2016 olympics refugees team member Rose Nathike Lokonyen runs along a dirt road at a high altitude training camp, at the foot of the Ngong' hills, approximately 35km southeast of Nairobi, on July 25, 2016, in preparation for the 2016 Olympic games .
The five from South Sudan who form the 10-member Team Refugee Olympic Athletics (ROA) selected by the International Olympic Committee in June, are hoping their participation at the Olympics would send a strong message to their native nation, South Sudan, after fresh political tensions erupted between the two warring factions led by President Salva Kirr and his former deputy Riek Machar, which left thousands dead and others displaced.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Refugee and judo athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo Popole Misenga, left, fights during a training session ahead of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 28, 2016. Misenga is part of the Refugees Olympic team and will compete under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Refugee and judo athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo Popole Misenga, right, fights during a training session ahead of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 28, 2016. Misenga is part of the Refugees Olympic team and will compete under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Refugee and judo athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo Yolande Mabika, left, fights during a training session ahead of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 28, 2016. Mabika is part of the Refugees Olympic team and will compete under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Refugee and judo athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo Yolande Mabika, top, fights during a training session ahead of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 28, 2016. Mabika is part of the Refugees Olympic team and will compete under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Refugee and judo athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo Popole Misenga takes a break during a judo training session ahead of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 28, 2016. Misenga is part of the Refugees Olympic team and will compete under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Refugee and judo athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo Popole Misenga takes a break during a judo training session ahead of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 28, 2016. Misenga is part of the Refugees Olympic team and will compete under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Leo Correa
James Nyamg Chiengjiek of the Olympic refugees team talks to the press after he arrived at Rio de Janeiro International Airport to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 29, 2016.
AP Photo/Peter Morgan
Anjelina Lohalith, a native of South Sudan and member of the Refugee Olympic Team, speaks during a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, July 31, 2016. A group of 10 athletes from South Sudan, Syria, Congo and Ethiopia will compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics under the Olympic flag. Lohalith will run in the 1,500 meter event.
Photo by Peter Morgan, Associated Press
Members of the Refugee Olympic Team, from left, delegation head Tegla Loroupe, and athletes Paulo Lokoro, Rose Lokonyen, Anjelina Lohalith, and James Chiengjiek give a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Members of the Refugee Olympic Team pose for a photo with the Sugar Loaf mountain in the background in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, July 30, 2016. A group of 10 athletes from South Sudan, Syria, Congo and Ethiopia will compete in Rio under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Members of the Refugee Olympic Team pose for photos in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, July 30, 2016. A group of 10 athletes from South Sudan, Syria, Congo and Ethiopia will compete in Rio under the Olympic flag.
AP Photo/Felipe Dana
Refugees from South Sudan Paulo Amotun Lokoro, left, and Yiech Pur Biel, top center, athletes of the Refugee Olympic Team pose for selfies with tourists in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, July 30, 2016. A group of 10 athletes from South Sudan, Syria, Congo and Ethiopia will compete in Rio under the Olympic flag.
Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 01: Olympic refugee team swimmer Yusra Mardini trains at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on July 28, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mardini is a refugee of war-torn Syria. She survived part of the dangerous journey, from the Turkish coast across the Aegean Sea to Greece, swimming to help ferry an overloaded inflatable dinghy across open waters as most other passengers could not swim. The International Olympic Committee will for the first time have a team made up of stateless refugees.
Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 01: Olympic refugee team swimmer Yusra Mardini trains at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on July 28, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mardini is a refugee of war-torn Syria. She survived part of the dangerous journey, from the Turkish coast across the Aegean Sea to Greece, swimming to help ferry an overloaded inflatable dinghy across open waters as most other passengers could not swim. The International Olympic Committee will for the first time have a team made up of stateless refugees.
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JULY 28: Olympic refugee team swimmer Rami Anis trains at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on July 28, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both Anis and fellow swimmer Yusra Mardini are refugees of war-torn Syria. Both survived part of the dangerous journey by making their way from the Turkish coast across the Aegean Sea to Greece in boats. The International Olympic Committee will for the first time have a team made up of stateless refugees.
AFP PHOTO / TONY KARUMBA
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International Olympics Committee (IOC) 2016 olympics refugees team members run along a dirt road at a high altitude training camp, at the foot of the Ngong' hills, approximately 35km southeast of Nairobi, on July 25, 2016, in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic games.
The five from South Sudan who form the 10-member Team Refugee Olympic Athletics (ROA) selected by the International Olympic Committee in June, are hoping their participation at the Olympics would send a strong message to their native nation, South Sudan, after fresh political tensions erupted between the two warring factions led by President Salva Kirr and his former deputy Riek Machar, which left thousands dead and others displaced.
Mardini didn’t lose any family members in the conflict, “but we lost two or three swimmers who were really good friends.”
The other Syrian on the refugee team, Rami Anis, says he wants those who tell his story to focus on the future, not the past. He’s here to swim.
“Itap a dream for any athlete — kids dream about being part of the Olympics, competing under their countries’ flags,” said Anis, 25. “We’re proud, too, even though we are participating as refugee athletes. I hope by Tokyo (Olympics) in 2020 there are no refugee athletes, and I can compete (for Syria). Nothing is as dear to my heart as my homeland.”
Mardini says she misses Damascus, vowing she will go back one day. Until then, she wants to inspire those she left behind.
“I want them to not give up,” Mardini said. “I want everyone to think of their dreams because a lot of people there forgot their dreams. A lot of things happened, and it was really bad. But you remember that life will not stop for you. At some point you have to move on. We motivate ourselves because there is a lot of people who (expect) a lot from us. A lot of people have hopes in us, and we can’t let them down.”
She also has a message for the rest of the world.
“Refugees are normal humans who had homelands and lost (them), not because they wanted to, not because they wanted to be refugees or wanted to have drama in their lives,” Mardini said. “No, they had to leave their countries.”
Anis competed at the world championships in 2009 and 2011. At the 2009 worlds he asked Phelps if he would pose with him for a selfie. Phelps declined.
“I hope this time,” Anis said, “he will be able and willing to take a picture with me.”
