Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Gabby Douglas, STRIVE is a six-part docuseries that tells the stories of men and women forced to flee their countries as refugees all while training for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in Tokyo 2020. These refugee athletes strive to compete either under the Olympic Refugee Flag or under a new flag after finally settling in a host country. The first two episodes of STRIVE dropped on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, and are available to watch for free on The Players' Tribune YouTube Channel:

"Why Skateboarding Is Now a Political Protest": He fled Yemen just before it plunged into a fatal civil war and can't go back. But that's not stopping Ryan Sanabani in his quest for representation in the 2021 Olympics. Ryan's now in Virginia being coached by pro-skateboarder Kenny Reed and is determined to make this year's games the most memorable in history -- but only if he can complete his quest.

"A Refugee in Water": Saeid Fazloula fled Iran for his life. He hiked through mountains for days, took a boat that almost sank, and now lives in Germany where he's preparing to join the 2021 Refugee Olympic Team. It's a journey you can't miss.

Additional episodes were available on June 30 on YouTube Premium:

"Running To Stand Still": He hid in the bushes to avoid government troops. His family abandoned him at 10 years old. This refugee has grown up to be an Olympic contender and is now in the running -- literally -- to perform at the 2021 Olympics.

"Love at First Flight": Parisa and Kasra were medal-winning Taekwondo athletes in their homeland of Iran when they were forced to flee. They're now refugees in Germany dealing with the pressures of finding a new home while simultaneously preparing for the 2021 Olympics.

"From Refugee to Karate Star": He fled Syria because he refused to shoot innocent civilians and took a torturous journey of escape that almost led to his death. Wael Shueb is now a refugee in Germany and concentrating on the next step of his journey -- performing Karate in the 2021 Olympics.

"How Not to Get a Sword to the Face": Dagmara Wozniak is a refugee success story. A Polish refugee who fled communist Poland as a child, Wozniak is already an Olympic Bronze medalist at Fencing, all while maintaining her cultural identity and heritage. Now she's training for the 2021 Olympics and what will be her final chance to win a Gold.