Quick Info
| Profession | Swimmer |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Syrian |
| Date of Birth | 05/03/1998 |
| Age | 28 years |
| Birthplace | Darayya, Damascus, Syria |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
Latest News about Yusra Mardini
15/01/2026
A Greek court acquitted Sara Mardini, Yusra's sister, along with 22 other rescue volunteers who had faced charges over their sea rescues of migrants in 2018. Sara had been one of the most prominent volunteers arrested in that case. Yusra's sister's acquittal ended a long legal process in Greece.
13/03/2025
Yusra Mardini returned to Syria for the first time in about a decade, touring the Damascus pool where she trained and the Darayya neighbourhood where she grew up. She described the visit as emotional, and it followed the fall of the Assad government in December 2024. The trip was widely reported as her first return since fleeing the civil war in 2015.
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Bio/Wiki
| Swimming Team | Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) |
|---|---|
| International Debut | 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships |
| Strokes | Butterfly, Freestyle |
| Club | Wasserfreunde Spandau 04 |
| Career Turning Point | Competing at the 2012 World Swimming Championships |
| UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador | 2017 |
| Parents |
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| Years Active | 2012–2022 |
| Post-Swimming Studies | Moved to Los Angeles in 2022 to study cinema |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 5' 6" |
|---|---|
| Weight | 53 kg |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
Personal Life
| Hobbies | Drawing, Travelling |
|---|
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
|---|---|
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Family
| Father | Ezzat Mardini |
|---|---|
| Mother | Mervat Mardini |
| Siblings | Sarah (Sarah Mardini, sister, also a competitive swimmer) |
Career
| Competed in 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly at 2016 Rio Olympics as part of Refugee Olympic Team. | |
| Carried the flag for the Refugee Olympic Team at Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony and competed in 100m butterfly. | |
| Retired from competitive swimming in 2023. | |
| Founded Yusra Mardini Foundation in 2023 to advance access to sports and education for refugee communities. | |
| Published memoir 'Butterfly' in 2018. | |
| Became a German citizen in 2022. | |
| Returned to Syria in early 2025, her first visit in about ten years, and toured the Damascus pool where she trained. |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Yusra's hometown is Damascus, Syria. | |
| 2. The Syrian Olympic Committee assisted in her swimming training. | |
| 3. She left Syria during the civil war and found refuge in Berlin after a dangerous journey. | |
| 4. Yusra participated in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics as a member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. | |
| 5. In 2015, Yusra and sister Sarah swam for three hours pushing a sinking dinghy across the Aegean Sea, saving 20 people. | |
| 6. Became the youngest UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in 2017. | |
| 7. The Netflix film The Swimmers chronicles her journey away from Syria. |
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