Syrian refugee swimmer wins 100m butterfly heat in Rio
In a country as busy, vibrant, controversial and colourful as Brazil, the Rio Olympic Games were never going to get off to a quiet start – and they didn’t disappoint on that count on Saturday.
Day one threw up heart-warming moments, heart-stopping moments and heart-wrenching moments, too, from a home point of view as Chris Froome and Co failed to kick off Team GB’s medal count as they came up short in the men’s road race.
Perhaps the happiest tale of the day was that of swimmer Yusra Mardini who is representing the Refugee team under the Olympic flag and won her 100m butterfly heat to huge cheers in the pool at the Aquatics Stadium in Rio.
Her time wasn’t enough to win her a place in the semi-finals but it won the hearts of the spectators and is the latest chapter in an incredible story. Mardini, 18, and her sister fled war-torn Syria a year ago and travelled through Lebanon and Turkey before trying to reach Greece by a boat fit for six but carrying 20 people.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.
- Libya’s HCS invites applicants for key state roles - December 31, 2023
- UK calls on Iran to prevent escalation in Israel-Hamas conflict - November 05, 2023
- Libyan Interior Minister: Immigrant shelter costs a fortune - November 05, 2023