Olympian Yusra Mardini: A Refugee Athlete And Symbol Of Hope

Photo credit: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

By, Laura Hennawi, The Fem Word Contributor

Yusra Mardini is a Syrian swimmer for the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) established in 2016. The International Olympic Committee works with The United Nations Refugee Agency to select refugee athletes that get the opportunity to train and qualify for the Olympics. This year, 29 athletes were selected to represent the ROT.

Before the war, Yusra was a professional swimmer in Syria who represented the country in multiple international competitions. However, Yusra was forced to flee Syria in 2015 due to the ongoing civil war. When traveling from Turkey to Greece via an inflatable and overcrowded boat, the engine stopped and she and her sister found themselves suddenly in the water pushing the boat to shore in dangerous conditions. Stranded at sea with the wind blowing, they took turns treading water for 3 hours to prevent it from sinking, until eventually the engine came back on and they were able to reach land. Less than a year later in 2016, she had made it to Germany and was a swimmer for the first-ever ROT. She credits swimming and sport for helping her find a home in instability and helping her reestablish herself in a new country.

At age 23, Yusra has qualified for the 2021 Refugee Olympic Team and is now a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, hosting swimming camps for refugee children and working to make a difference for other refugees through her passion for swimming.