RIO DE JANEIRO — Save for the home team, the crowd at Maracana Stadium reserved its loudest cheers for a team meant to inspire all — the Refugee Olympic team.
Introduced before Brazil wrapped up the Parade of Nations, the refugee team drew the second loudest applause of the night — even outpacing the Americans.
The International Olympic Committee announced that it would field a team under its own flag earlier this year, and it announced a 10-person team in June.
The team of six men and four women fled their home countries — Syria, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
They are swimmers. They are runners. They are judokas.
And on Friday, as they were embraced by the raucous crowd here, they represented the hope in all of us.
The athletes on the Refugee Olympic Team:
• Rami Anis (male); Country of origin: Syria; host NOC: Belgium; sport: swimming
• Yiech Pur Biel (male); Country of origin: South Sudan; host NOC: Kenya; sport: athletics, (800m)
• James Nyang Chiengjiek (male); Country of origin: South Sudan; host NOC: Kenya; sport: athletics (400m)
• Yonas Kinde (male); Country of origin: Ethiopia; host NOC: Luxembourg; sport: athletics (marathon)
• Anjelina Nada Lohalith (female); Country of origin: South Sudan; host NOC: Kenya; sport: athletics (1500m)
• Rose Nathike Lokonyen (female); Country of origin: South Sudan; host NOC: Kenya; sport: athletics (800m)
• Paulo Amotun Lokoro (male); Country of origin: South Sudan; host NOC: Kenya; sport: athletics (1500m)
• Yolande Bukasa Mabika (female); Country of origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo; host NOC: Brazil; sport: judo, (70kg)
• Yusra Mardini (female); Country of origin: Syria; host NOC: Germany; sport: swimming
• Popol Misenga (male); Country of origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo; host NOC: Brazil; sport: judo (-90kg)
