Many athletes face challenges in order to reach the Olympic Games, but none more so than the first-ever Refugee Olympic Athletes (ROA).
The team will compete under the Olympic flag as independent participants, hailing nations including from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The squad of 10 ROA athletes faced the press for the first time this week, and 18-year-old Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini, told the scrum just how happy she, and her fellow refugees, are to be in Rio for the 2016 Games.
You may have already heard of Ms Mardini. She’s the exceptionally brave lass who saved herself and fellow refugees from a sinking boat while fleeing Turkey; she swam and pushed the occupied vessel for three hours until they reached land. Hardship doesn’t get much harder than that. And if her determination is anything to go by, other competitors best be wary.
The ever-smiling Ms Mardini told the ABC: “We are doing [this] because we want them to have hope, and all the refugees are supported by all the world because everyone can help. I think that I really worked so hard for [this], and I think because of the working on swimming I had 13 years or 12 years of training, so this is why we are here.
“I want to tell everyone that everyone can help the refugees and they can achieve a lot of things.”
Ms Mardini hopes the International Olympic Committee (IOC) embraces the initiative and continues to send a refugee team to future Games.
The challenges faced by Ms Mardini and her teammates have instilled a unique spirit and sense of camaraderie that she believes cannot be matched by any other team competing at this year’s Games.
Retired Australian world champion swimmer Sophie Edington has been helping the team prepare for Rio, and is also impressed by their enthusiasm, resolve and team spirit.
“We went and tried on uniforms the other day and it was a really exciting experience getting tailored and getting everything set for the opening ceremony,” said Ms Edington. “I have spoken to many of them about how every athlete has their own story to get here but there’s is also very special and it’s something that they will all have with them for the rest of their lives.”
The Olympic Games often produces stories that go beyond the sport. With any luck, the 2016 Games will be remembered for the brave refugee athletes who, against all odds, managed to reach the pinnacle of modern sport.
At the very least, these courageous competitors should change a few perceptions of the 60 million refugees who have no place to call their own.
Read more at www.abc.net.au
What do you think of the Refugee Olympic Athletes? Do you like this initiative?
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