Muna de Hooke started learning judo when she was six years old. Her father was a coach and he

owned his own dojo. Most of the time I was like crying. I was so like I do want to go to training. I just I want to spend my time in the street with my friend. I want to play.

But the thing is, my father, he was thinking if you want to get your dream in the future and to be like as a professional athlete, you have to training hard.

Like many of her fellow Olympians, Muna De Hooke stuck with her sport and grew to love it.

But given what's happened in her native country,

she's also had a harder time pursuing it than others.

I'm from Syria. I'm 28 years old and I will represent the refugees

for this year. Dahook is part of the Refugee Olympic team. The team debuted in Rio with a slate of 10 swimmers,

sprinters, and Judocas originally from countries like Syria and South Sudan. The team had nearly tripled in size by the Tokyo Olympics.

This year it again has the most athletes it's ever had and middleweight boxer

Cindy Nagamba has already clenched its first ever medal.

If she returned to her native Cameroon, she could be imprisoned for her sexuality.

Consider this, there are some prison for her sexuality.

Consider this.

There are some 43 million refugees in the world,

according to the UN's refugee agency.

The 37 of them competing in Paris as the Refugee Olympic team are fighting for something more than just athletic excellence.

From NPR, I'm Wanna Summers.

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