Tom knows all too well that athletes who make it to an Olympic Games must face trials and tribulations along the way, but few have had to overcome what Yusra Mardini did to make their sporting dreams come true.
As the war in Yusra’s home country intensified, she left to seek safety for her and her family in Europe. In this episode, she speaks about the traumatic journey to Germany that followed, and what it was like to literally swim for her life when the small boat she was traveling in began to take on water. Not one to dwell on the negative, Yusra speaks passionately about the power of love and kindness in the face of adversity, and how finding hope and positivity in difficult situations is the key, not just to success, but also survival.
Yusra also shares what her life was like in Syria, including growing up with her father as her coach! Why a break from doing what she loved reignited her passion, and how representing her parents at the Olympics was the start of a beautiful journey to accepting her status as a refugee and embracing all that she is.
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Below are some of the charities and organisations Yusra mentions in this episode:
- The Swimmers
- Free Humanitarians
- #DropTheCharges Petition
- There is a documentary about Sara Mardini’s story – The Long Distance Swimmer: Sara Mardini – and you can find out more about Sara’s story here
- Yusra Mardini Foundation
- Give Your Best UK
- Choose Love
- Epimonia
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