TeamRefugees: Rami Anis

Rami Anis started formal swimming training as a 14-year-old growing up in Aleppo. He credits his Uncle Majad, who swam competitively in Syria, with instilling a passion for competing in the water. "Swimming is my life," Rami says. "The swimming pool is my home."

As bombings and kidnappings in Aleppo grew more frequent, his family put him on a flight to Istanbul to live with an older brother who was studying Turkish. "The bag I took had two jackets, two t-shirts, two trousers – it was a small bag," Rami recalls. "I thought I would be in Turkey for a couple of months and then return to my country."

As months turned to years, he used the time to hone his swimming technique at the prestigious Galatasaray Sports Club. Yet without Turkish nationality, he was unable to swim in competitions. "It's like someone who is studying, studying, studying and he can't take the exam."

Determined to prove himself, Rami rode an inflatable dinghy to the Greek island of Samos. Eventually he reached the Belgian town of Ghent, where he's been training nine times a week with former Olympic swimmer Carine Verbauwen.

"With the energy I have, I am sure I can achieve the best results," he says. "It will be a great feeling to be part of the Olympics."