#9 Yusra Mardini
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No war or combat could stop this 18-year-old swimmer from competing in her first Olympic Games. From training in pools where the roofs had been blown open by bombings to saving lives by pushing their overcrowded motor boat which was on the verge of sinking, through the Mediterranean Sea, she has seen it all. Mardini was a member of the Refugee Olympics Athlete team and she won her 100m butterfly heats at Rio.
The Syrian war blew away her house and she now lives in Germany. She describes the situation in her words as, “Sometimes we couldn’t train because of the war, and sometimes you would be swimming in pools where the roofs were [blown open] in three or four places.”
Yusra hopes that one-day peace could be brought in Syria and she could be in her country’s team and make Syria proud of her. She is a live example of an ultimate fighter who would face any circumstances with strength and confidence.
#10 Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino
How often do we see such an example of sportsmanship where an athlete stops in between a race to help and lift up a fallen competitor? It was an emotional moment between the two when Hamblin fell accidently and collided with Abbey who stumbled as well. Abbey soon got up but instead of running ahead, she preferred to turn around and help Nikki get up.
Although they could not have a podium finish after they were given place in the 5000m final, but because of the Olympic spirit that they both showed, they have been awarded with a Fair Play Trophy. The world won’t forget this emotional and heart warming moment that these two had experienced.
