JOC Welcomes Syrian Swimmer Yusra Mardini in Tokyo

The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) yesterday welcomed Yusra Mardini, who competed in swimming at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 with the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team, at the JOC Headquarters in Tokyo. With Yasuo Saito, the JOC Vice President, Yusra, the youngest Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), shared her memories about her home country Syria, her experience at Rio 2016 and her expectations of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Yusra remarked that the idea of the Olympic Games and being an athlete means that everyone is actually the same. "We are all one big Olympic Family. At the last Olympics, our team (Refugee Olympic Team) gave the message that we all have dreams. It doesn't matter where you are and the Olympics are there to compete. So I hope I get the chance to be at my second Olympics, which is Tokyo 2020."

Yusra also shared her fond impressions of the small but powerful Japanese swimmers at Rio 2016 and 17th FINA World Championships held in Budapest this year.

The JOC would like to keep on working closely with the International Olympic Committee, the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and other relevant parties to ensure that the best environment will be provided for all the athletes who aim for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

For more information, please contact:

Japanese Olympic Committee

Public Affairs & Strategic Planning Department

E-mail: pressoffice@joc.or.jp

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