At the Tokyo Olympics, the refugee delegation was a very high-profile group representing more than 80 million refugees worldwide.
Falling down and getting up Again The refugee track and field athletes are determined to run to the finish line
James Sheehan Jack, a refugee athlete from South Sudan, is competing for the Olympics for the second time this year. In the men's 800m preliminaries for athletics on July 31, James accidentally fell. As James prepared to cut the line to the inside lane, he collided with a player and fell to the ground. However, he immediately got up and continued to run towards the finish line. In the end, James was the last to reach the finish line with a time of 2:02.04. For such an accident, it can be seen that James is full of loss and helplessness.
Who says refugees don't have talent?
Although not making it to the next round, being able to come to the Tokyo Olympics was a victory for James in itself. From dodging artillery fire to standing on the Olympic field, James escaped suffering and ran out of hope through hard work.
James, 29, was born in a village in South Sudan. Before South Sudan's independence in 2011, North and South Sudan were perennially at war. When James was 7 years old, his father was killed in the war, and James's village was devastated by the war.
James Sheehan Jack (interview 2016): I remember during the day, soldiers came to the village to kill people, destroyed houses, people had to leave their homes, soldiers bombed houses, people hid in the jungle and came out at night.
In 2002, James left South Sudan alone and, with the help of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, came to kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. It was here that James discovered his love of running, and he studied in the refugee camp while training running. Kung Fu pays off, and in a 2015 selection, James stood out and was selected for training at the Ngong Hill Training Camp in Kenya.
In June 2016, James was successfully selected for the "Refugee Olympic Team", and he burst into tears the moment he heard that he had been selected.
James Sheen jack (2016 interview): They would watch the game and then talk about why James from South Sudan wasn't representing his country, and others would say because he was a refugee.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, James represented the refugee team in the men's 400m. At the Tokyo Olympics, James once again stood on the track for refugees. Before heading to Tokyo, James was interviewed.
James Sheehan Jack: There are also people among the refugees who are gifted, who know they can do better, and we really appreciate this opportunity, not just me, but all the refugees in the world.
Source: CCTV News Client