Yahya Al Ghotani, a 19-year-old taekwondo athlete from Syria, has been selected as the flag-bearer of the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) at the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 on 26 July.
Al Ghotani fled Syria with his family and is now training in Jordan. Despite all the challenges, he has become one of the youngest members of the ROT and one of the youngest flag bearers in Olympic history.
In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, Al Ghotani shared his joy and pride at being chosen as the flag bearer. “It is a great feeling, I had no idea that I would be the flag bearer,” he said.
He also said that it was an amazing experience for him to “be the flag bearer for all the refugees around the world”, and that he is motivated to do even better “because when I compete, people will say ‘he was a flag bearer’.”
Al Ghotani received a Black Belt 2nd Dan level in Taekwondo just five years after starting the sport, a feat that normally takes seven years to achieve. As one of the youngest members of the Paris 2024 Refugee Olympic Team and one of the youngest flag bearers at the opening ceremony, Al Ghotani is aware of her unique position.
When asked about it, he said it was “a little unusual” but he was happy. He said, “I really think about all the memories I’ve been through and what really brought me here.”
View this post on Instagram
Yahya Al Ghotani’s focus has been solely on the competition, as he feels more disciplined and focused on his career than ever before. This moment is a dream come true, one he has had since childhood. He is thrilled to compete in the men’s -68kg event on August 8, just a day before his 20th birthday.
Al Ghotani understands the importance of his presence in Paris, not only as a refugee but also as a young player. “I am looking forward to learning a lot from this experience and given my age, I still have many years ahead of me,” he said.
His goal is to become an improved version of himself, the “new Yahya”, who fulfills all the passions, dreams, and aspirations “that young Yahya always dreamed of.”
