GAZETTE DU BON TON

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FROM SWIMMING FOR HER LIFE TO SWIMMING IN RIO OLYMPICS

Meet Yusra Mardini, 18-year-old Syrian refugee who only year ago, swam for her life in Mediterranean sea while fleeing her home in Syria and landing in Germany, where she trained to compete as part of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team. Yusra compete on the first morning of swimming at the Rio Olympics. She didn’t make it through to the next stage but her story will not be forgotten.

She marched at the Opening Ceremony in Rio behind the banner of the Refugee Team on Saturday morning. Soon after she was back in the water, this time to swim the first heat of the 100m butterfly.

She was 10 seconds too slow to make the semi-finals.
But when you've been through what Mardini has, what’s 10 seconds here or there?
“The only thing I ever wanted was to compete at the Olympics,” she said.

“It was amazing.”

Your are amazing Yusra!

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