“All the people on the boat were praying. It was quite hard to think that you are a swimmer and you might end up dying in the water.”

Yusra Mardini (18) had to leave Damascus because her house was destroyed in the Syrian Civil War. Mardini and her sister reached Lebanon, and then Turkey, where they arranged to be smuggled
into Greece by boat, along with other 18 passengers (migrants). Although the boat (actually its more of a tiny vessel) itself was meant for six or seven people tops.

“After 15 minutes the motor stopped” - said Mardini. All these people were at risk of capsizing. Out of 20 people only Mardini, her sister and one other woman knew how to swim. So they pushed the boat for 3 hours straight until they reached the shore. Not letting 18 people to die.

And now she is competing in the Olympics in Rio 2016 with having only 18 years old, and having such a heavy “background”.

“I want to show everyone that after the pain, after the storm, come calm days.”