Running means much more than medals for refugee team at world championships
LONDON — When Rose Nathike Lokonyen crouches at the start line of the 800 metres on Thursday, her race will be a victory before the starting gun even sounds.
Her blue race singlet will read “Refugee Team” and she’ll represent a global community some 65 million strong, her very presence at London Stadium a message to the displaced about hope, and to the world, about peace.
“Now we are the voices of (refugees), we can be the ambassadors of the refugees, we represent them all over the world so that they have courage, not to be isolated,” said Lokonyen, who speaks so softly one must lean in closely to hear her. “(People) say that we are just refugees, we cannot do anything.
“(I say) ‘You have to have courage, also have hope. You can do something better in life.’”