Few weeks later, he would be frantically trying to escape the country he was representing in taekwondo, little did he know that when he strode out in front of empty stands and a worldwide broadcast audience of millions.
As he and tens of thousands of his countrymen attempted to board evacuation aircraft in order to flee the Taliban, the adolescent was unable to predict the horrific sights that unfolded at the airport in Kabul.
He had no idea that he would be grieving the suicide bombing loss of a teammate.
Furthermore, he never would have guessed that he would be living with five of his family members for several months.
“My Olympic kit was the only clothing I had when I left my home and my country,” he said to Sport.
“The Olympics was my one and only objective. I declared that I would do everything in my power to get to Paris.
And Mansouri has achieved despite having to practice on the fly in a camp for refugees, missing numerous competitions due to visa complications, and not being able to visit his parents for over two years.
He will compete in Paris under a different banner now that he is 22. This time, Mansouri will be under a banner with the Olympic rings when the competitors sail down the Seine River during the opening ceremony in July.
Encouraged by his new residence, he was selected for the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Refugee Team.
