Six years ago, Aram Mahmoud fled war-torn Syria for the Netherlands, leaving behind his sister, parents and dreams of becoming a world-class badminton player.
Little did he know that one day, he'd be squaring off against the world's seventh-best men's singles player at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
"I represent me, I represent my family, I represent my sister," Mahmoud, one of 29 athletes competing under the banner of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, said after his match.Originally from Damascus, Mahmoud is the only badminton player on the IOC refugee team and ranks 172nd in the men's singles league table.
"She texted me before the match," said Mahmoud. "I couldn't answer because I had to warm up a bit, but she's very happy."His father, who had coached him when he played at school, still goes over his videos to evaluate his style and suggest ways he can improve his game.
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