Rio 2016: Mary Al-Atrash, Women’s 50m freestyle swimmer

Lacking an adequate swimming pool to train in, 22 year old Atrash was forced to work tirelessly under adverse conditions, conducting her practice sessions in a 25 metre pool, (half the size of the Olympic standard pools).  Atrash was invited to represent her nation as part of a programme that enables athletes who lack adequate training facilities (usually due to economic and political instability) to compete on the world stage.