Dylan Bettencourt
Coping with Olympic pressure is not an issue for Yusra Madrini.
The teenager fled the Syrian war by spending three hours swimming in the open sea, steering her sinking boat to safety and saving the lives of all the passengers. Then she made her way from Greece to Germany on foot.
The 23-year-old made her first appearance at the Rio 2016 Olympics and returned to this year’s games as one of 19 members of the Refugee Olympic Team. These athletes are chosen from refugees supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Madrini came last in her 100m butterfly heat but continues to dream: “It’s not my personal best but I think with all the circumstances it was OK. I think my next goal is to swim at the World Championships at the end of this year.”
Madrini said each individual in her team has their own unique story to tell and despite dealing with adversity throughout their lives they continue to work towards their dream.
“That is how special this team is because we carry a message of hope that you can go through something really tough and still go forward,” she said.
Image source: @Vogue
