Yusra and her older sister fled from the Syrian war. Their journey towards Europe was not only difficult, but was full of danger and risk. In summer 2015, they travelled through Lebanon to Turkey before departing for greece in an overcrowded dinghy.
Fifteens minutes after departing, the boat’s engine broke down. Yusra knew swimming was one of her many strengths, so she wasn’t willing to let any of the passengers drown. She, her sister and two others jumped into the water and swam for three and a half hours in the open to stop their boat from capsizing. They saved 20 people’s lives.
Yusra’s courage, determination and strong swimming skills were recognized by the International Olympic Committee a year later. She became a member of the first ever Refugee Olympic Team. While competed at the Olympic Games in Rio 2016, she also represented 65 million lost refugees worldwide.
Ever since then, Yusra has addressed the United Nations General Assembly and met world leaders such as US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis. She has been given a number of inspirational and admiration awards and has been recognized for her work by Time and People magazines.
Yusra is concentrating on her professional swimming career and now lives in Berlin, Germany. Her goal is to compete at the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. Yusra is a Goodwill Ambassador or UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and works to change global perceptions of refugees. Yusra’s message of hope, determination and courage reminds us that those who flee their countries are capable of achieving great things.
Image attribution - yusra-mardini.com
