South Sudanese Man Runs for Refugee Olympic Team

South Sudanese runner Paulo Amotun Lokoro is among a group 29 athletes named to the International Olympic Committee's Refugee¹ Olympic Team. He will compete in the Summer Games in Tokyo from July 23 to August 8.

Lokoro fled conflict in South Sudan and joined others at the large Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya in 2006. He did not know at the time that he would soon take part in international sports.

Lokoro became interested in the Olympics when he was urged to compete in a 2015 marathon at Kakuma. The event was organized by the United Nations' refugee agency² and Kenya's Tegla Loroupe. Loroupe was the first African woman to win a major marathon, beginning with the New York City marathon in 1994.

Lokoro said of the Kakuma marathon, "I didn't know I would go far. I was just running. We went to the field and jogged. I didn't have the psychology³ of being in front or behind. My aim was to just follow the people going in front of me. I found some guys were tired, and then I led them."

Lokoro competed in the Rio Olympics in August 2016 as a runner in the 1500 meter-event. Returning Olympians on the refugee team include South Sudanese runners Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, James Nyang Chiengjiek and Rose Nathike Likonyen. Others include swimmer Yusra Mardini from Syria and judo⁴ athlete Popole Misenga from the Democratic⁵ Republic of Congo.

Another South Sudanese runner, Matthew Lam Joar, will return to the Refugee Olympic Team as an assistant to the coaching staff. He wants to share his experiences with other refugees⁶.

"I will be cheering for my team – a team that I was part of and still [am] part of," he said. "We believe they are the best guys because they have the courage to start running. They are world class, running with the best in the world."

In June, IOC President Thomas Bach said it was important to have refugees join with other Olympic athletes to "send a powerful message of solidarity⁷, resilience and hope to the world."

Lokoro said he hopes to one day compete for South Sudan in international competitions such as the Olympics.

"One day, one time, if my country settles down, maybe I will go back and represent my country," he said.

The 29 refugees competing in the Tokyo Games are from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo and Eritrea. Others are from Iraq, Syria, Venezuela, South Sudan and Sudan.

Words in This Story

marathon - n. a running race that is 42 kilometers long

jog – v. to run slowly especially for exercise

psychology - n. the way a person or group thinks

coach – v. to give (someone) instructions on what to do or say in a particular situation

courage – n. to give (someone) instructions on what to do or say in a particular situation

solidarity – n. a feeling of unity⁸ between people who have the same interests, goals

resilience – n. the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens

1 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。

2 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

3 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

4 judo   

n.柔道

参考例句：

• The judo is a kind of fighting sport.柔道是一种对抗性体育活动。
• Which is more important in judo, strength or techniques?柔道运动中，力量和技术哪个更重要？

5 democratic   

adj.民主的；民主主义的，有民主精神的

参考例句：

• Their country has democratic government.他们国家实行民主政体。
• He has a democratic work-style.他作风民主。

6 refugees   

n.避难者，难民( refugee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The UN has begun making airdrops of food to refugees. 联合国已开始向难民空投食物。
• They claimed they were political refugees and not economic migrants. 他们宣称自己是政治难民，不是经济移民。

7 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

8 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。