Eid Aljazairli, a Syrian refugee and a second-year Accounting and Finance student at King’s Business School, is moving closer to realizing his dream of becoming an Olympic swimmer. Having nearly drowned while fleeing Syria across the Mediterranean in 2016, Eid couldn’t swim when he embarked on the perilous journey to the UK. His first years in the UK were challenging, as he arrived without English proficiency and faced a life of £5 a day in a hostel.
Despite these hardships, Eid showed resilience, committed to learning English, and understanding the new culture. His persistence paid off when he secured a place at King’s Business School. Eid has thrived academically, gaining experience at prestigious investment banks through competitive schemes, and also becoming a mentor for Foundation year students at the university.
Developing a passion for swimming in 2018 after watching a video of American swimmer Michael Phelps, Eid overcame his fear of water to teach himself to swim by watching videos and observing others. His rigorous training routine led to remarkable progress, mastering all four swimming strokes within six months, and being honored with the ‘London Adult Achievement Award’ by Swim England in 2019 and the Gold National Adult Achievement Award in 2020.
Currently a member of Camden Swimming Club and King’s Swimming Club, Eid also participates in the King’s Sports Performance Programme. With his passion and improving performance, he is hopeful about qualifying for the 2024 Refugee Team in the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Through his journey, Eid aims to inspire others, demonstrating that dreams know no limits when driven by passion.
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