World in focus: In the running
Refugee athlete living in Kenya defies odds, looks to shine at Paris Olympics
Braving the cold, early morning weather, a group of athletes meandered across the Nandi hills, located about 350 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, Kenya, as part of their daily routine to build the stamina required for middle and long-distance races.
Perina Lokure Nakang, a refugee from South Sudan, is part of the group in its final preparations for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in late July.
Nakang, 21, was selected as part of the Olympic refugee team to compete in the 800-meter race.
The team, which first competed in Rio 2016, brings together refugee athletes from different countries and regions into a single team.
Nakang arrived in Kenya in 2010 after fleeing South Sudan with her aunt in search of a safe place from the civil strife in her homeland.
She said on June 22 that her life in Kenya began at the Kakuma Refugee Camp, located about 750 kilometers northwest of Nairobi.
