For Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini, the gift of swimming meant much more than winning competitions. In fact, at just 18 years old, her Olympic ability saved the lives of 18 other people from drowning in the Aegean Sea during their flight from Syria.
In addition to her harrowing journey and Olympic appearances, the young swimmer has also earned numerous awards for her athleticism, writing, and philanthropic works. She was appointed a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in 2017, earned the honor of Time magazine’s “30 Most Influential Teens” in 2016, and was the 2017 winner of “Voices of Courage Award” for the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York. In 2018, she published her memoir, Butterfly.
Now, Mardini’s incredible story has caught the attention of filmmaker Sally El Hosaini. The Welsh-Egyptian director rose to fame for her British crime documentary, My Brother the Devil. Her next project, titled The Swimmers, will tell Mardini’s inspiring tale throughout the world.
Welsh-Egyptian director Sally El Hosaini to head Syrian Olympic biopic “The Swimmers”
Yusra Mardini’s flight from Syria becomes a lifesaving mission
The Syrian Civil war broke out in 2015, forcing millions to flee their homes and find refuge elsewhere. When their home was destroyed in the fighting, Yusra Mardini and her sister escaped to Lebanon. Then they made their way to Turkey, where they boarded a small dinghy headed to Greece with 18 other people.
Holding much more weight than it could carry, the boat motor broke down and began to sink in the middle of the Aegean Sea. As the only ones capable of swimming, Mardini, her sister, and two others jumped into the water to keep the boat afloat and push it towards shore.
After treading water for 3 hours, the engine finally restarted. All members of the group safely landed on the small Greek island of Lesbos. The arrival allowed Mardini and her sister to travel throughout Europe and eventually settle in Berlin.
Find more information about her story and her upcoming film The Swimmers here.
Olympic athlete, refugee, and more
“I swim before I can walk,” Mardini opens in her memoir Butterfly. Growing up in a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Mardini’s father, a swimming coach, taught her early. “He makes a paddling motion with his hands. I thrash my legs until I work out how to kick…We don’t remember starting. We just swim, we always have,” she reflects in her book.
This early exposure to the sport paved the way for success. In 2012, she represented Syria at the FINA World Swimming Championships for the 200 meter individual medley, 200 metre freestyle, and 400 metre freestyle events.
After she fled Syria, Mardini began competing in a new capacity. Once she arrived in Germany, she continued training with her coach Sven Spannenkrebs. She had the Olympics in her sights. In the summer of 2016, Mardini earned one of only 10 spots on the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) where she competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Yusra Mardini becomes a role model and inspiration
Her performance at the Rio Olympics in 2016 dazzled viewers. She won the 100m butterfly heat against four other competitors, with a time of 1:09:21.
A year later, Mardini caught the attention of Under Armor. Her name was added to list of international athletes who would represent the brand. Moreover, as an ambassador for refugees, she has met and talked with leaders from around the globe, including Barack Obama and the Pope.
“The most important thing in my life is swimming,” she says. “Then speaking and doing things to help refugees,”
Read Mardini’s autobiography Butterfly: From Refugee to Oylmpian-My Story of Rescue, Hope, and Triumph here. Learn more about the forthcoming biopic here.
