US-born swimmer proud to represent Sudan, his parent's country, at Olympics

Twenty-one-year-old swimmer, Ziyad Saleem, is one of four athletes representing Sudan in three disciplines at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Born in the United States, he says he’s proud to be racing in the 200m backstroke on behalf of his parents country.

"I'm super grateful, I'm excited to go back to Sudan, I was able to win gold medals at the African championships and also Arab, but I was never able to go back and kind of enjoy that with them,” he said.

Saleem add that the hopes to go back to Sudan “whenever Sudan's back to normal”

The country was plunged into a civil war in 2023 which has seen hundreds of thousands of people displaced around the country and beyond its borders.

The young swimmer said he knows people back home are going through a lot and this has motivated him to be a positive factor, albeit for a short period.

"My own family has been displaced from Sudan to like Egypt and Ethiopia and different countries nearby, so I just know that they're going through a lot,” he said.

“I'm just grateful that I have the opportunity to represent them and hopefully give them something to look forward to by my swimming.”

Also representing Sudan are 15-year-old 100m freestyle swimmer, Rana Hani, marathon runner, Yas Ezzeddine, and rower, Abdullah Al Araby.