Under Armour added 19-year old Syrian freestyle and butterfly swimmer Yusra Mardini to its team of international athletes.
Mardini fled her home country of Syria in August of 2015 and survived because of her determination and swimming ability, saving her life and the lives of many others in the process. In 2016, she was one of ten refugees included on the Refugee Team that competed in Rio de Janeiro.
Mardini was included in Time magazine’s list of 30 most influential Teens and People magazine’s 25 Women Changing the World list. Since April 2017, Mardini has been the youngest Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Mardini has said that she not only swims for herself, but also for the millions of people globally that have been driven from their homes by war and persecution.
As someone who embodies Under Armour’s guiding values of dedication and WILL, she is the perfect addition to Under Armour’s roster.
“We are inspired by her drive and accomplishments, both as a person and as an athlete. The way in which she is dealing with life’s challenges, both past and present, shows a tremendous amount of character”, said Chris Bate, Managing Director, Europe, Under Armour.
Below is a video telling her story.
Photo and video courtesy Under Armour
