Two months ago, 25-year-old Dominic Lobalu thought his Olympic dreams were over. The South Sudanese-born runner had been ruled ineligible to compete for the Refugee Olympic Team at the Tokyo 2020 Games after claiming asylum in Switzerland. But now, Lobalu has an incredible opportunity to make history in Paris.
After being granted permission by World Athletics to represent his adopted country in May, Lobalu went on to win a gold medal in the 10,000m and a bronze in the 5,000m at the European Championships in June. These standout performances convinced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to invite Lobalu to join the Refugee Olympic Team for the 2024 Paris Games.
“This is what I was dreaming for,” Lobalu said. “When I started my training, the goal was to go to the Olympics one day. And now I have it, I’m so happy.”
Lobalu’s path to the Olympics has been long and arduous. He was born in 1998 amid the civil war in South Sudan, and at the age of 9, he fled across the border to Kenya, where he ended up in the sprawling Kakuma Refugee Camp. It was there that his Olympic dream first took root after watching Mo Farah’s gold medal-winning performance at the 2012 London Games.
After impressing at a race organized by Kenyan running legend Tegla Loroupe, Lobalu began training with her foundation. He went on to compete at the 2017 World Championships in London, just missing out on the Tokyo Olympics due to his uncertain legal status.
But now, Lobalu has the chance to become the first refugee athlete to win a medal at a major international event when he competes in the 5,000m in Paris. And the South Sudanese runner already has his sights set on the top of the podium.