The most unforgettably heartwarming stories to emerge out of Rio 2016

The team with no national flag

Refugee Olympic Team athletes dance at their welcome ceremony at the athletes village. [Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images]

Two judokas, two swimmers, a long-distance runner and five mid-distance runners competed as a nation unto themselves at this year’s Olympics, bringing to sharp contrast their individual spirits and the world order that brought them here.

The Refugee team of ten are not just athletes who were distinguished enough to participate under the Olympic flag, but they are also athletes who did not give up. With every photograph they took, every smile they smiled for every camera and every jig they broke into for every celebration, the paid tribute to the courage of the homeless in this world. This is the first time a refugee team has participated in an Olympics. While this in itself reaffirms the power of individual resilience, let it hopefully be the last.