On the water, three kayak refugees reached the quarterfinals: Fernando Dejan Jorge Enriquez in the men’s 1,000m kayak event, Saeed Fadlallah in the men’s 1,000m kayak event, and Saman Soltani in the women’s 500m kayak event.
But regardless of where they finished, each member of the Refugee Olympic Team – made up of 37 athletes – showed tremendous determination and confidence in 12 different sporting events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, raising their ‘ a flag that represents the 120 million people who were forcibly displaced around the country. world.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, 29 refugee athletes competed, including road cyclist Masoumeh Alizadeh, who led the Refugee Olympic Team in Paris as head of delegation and spokesperson. At the opening ceremony in Paris, the team’s flag was raised by boxer Ngamba and Yahya Al-Ghoutani, who competed in taekwondo.
The team was represented at the closing ceremony by flag bearers Farida Abroji and Kasra Mehdi Pournejad. Ngamba also took the stage with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, French swimmer Leon Marchand, and athletes representing the five continents who took part to extinguish the Olympic flame, which ‘ mark the end of the Games.
In addition to those competing under the banner of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, other male and female athletes have also highlighted the strength and resilience of highly motivated people, proving that they able to reach the highest levels when given the opportunity and support.
Among them, Kimia Alizadeh – a member of the Tokyo Refugee Olympic Team who is now competing for Bulgaria – claimed the country’s first ever medal in taekwondo, winning bronze in the women’s 57kg weight category.
Meanwhile, South Sudan’s men’s basketball team – made up of refugees including UNHCR supporter Winyan Gabriel – represented the African continent in Paris, where they beat Puerto Rico before losing to Serbia and the United States in a tough group.
From the opening ceremony and through every round, at every race and every personal record, and even on the podium itself, the Refugee Olympic Team demonstrated the power of sport as a source of inspiration, lifting the spirits of others who were moved to urgent and provide them. hope
“As the Olympic flame is passed from here in Paris, the legacy of the Refugee Olympic Team will continue to inspire us,” concluded Clements.
2024-08-13 10:26:56
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