ISSA Alia

Refugee Paralympic Team

Date of Birth: 4 Jan 2001

Age: 20

Gender: Female

Sport Class: F32

Birth Country:

Greece

Place of residence : ATHENS

Residence Country:

Greece

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Athletics	Women's Club Throw - F32	8

Schedule

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Olympic Stadium - Seated Discus/Club	Women's Club Throw - F32 Final	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Rank	Event	Year	Location	Result
European Championships
4	Club Throw - F32	2021	Bydgoszcz, POL	15.12

Occupation:

Tyrtaios Sports Club for the Disabled [Greece]

Dionysios Koumparis; Michalis Nikopoulos

She took up Para sports in 2018 in Greece and began training in athletics a year later. "At first I started training in boccia." (sports3.gr, 12 Jul 2021; paralympic.org, 26 May 2021; STEADY-Project Facebook page, 05 Jan 2021)

Her talent was spotted by her physical education teacher Michalis Nikopoulos, who later became her coach. "At my primary school, I was the only one with a disability. I was bullied by some of the kids. But it didn't stop me from wanting to go to school. I liked school a lot. Being introduced to sports was very important to me. I felt stronger and more confident with my body and mobility. I didn't feel different anymore." (paralympic.org, 26 May 2021)

To win a medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and to pursue higher education. (sports3.gr, 12 Jul 2021; paralympic.org, 26 May 2021)

Her father Mohament. "My father taught me to dream big and actually his dream was for me to become a doctor." (paralympic.org, 26 May 2021)

Philosophy:

"Do not stay inside your homes. Get active. It will give you your independence and a way to be included in society." (paralympic.org, 26 May 2021)

General Interest

Classification
F32 (IPC, 30 Jul 2021)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (Paralympic Games YouTube channel, 26 May 2021)

Impairment Details
She has physical and intellectual impairments as a result of the effects of smallpox. She contracted the illness at age four. (nbcolympics.com, 30 Jun 2021; Paralympic Games YouTube channel, 26 May 2021)

General
FAMILY BACKGROUND
In 1996 her father Mohament left Syria for Greece. He worked as a tailor to save up enough money to allow his wife and four children, not yet including Issa, to join him in Greece four years later. Issa was born in Greece in 2001. When she was age 16, her father died of cancer, and after this the family applied for and received refugee status to remain in Greece while war was ongoing in Syria. "It took me a year to come to grips with the fact that he [her father] wasn't there. It was a very difficult time. He would be very proud and very happy [to see her compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo]. I think about that a lot." (UNHCR Deutschland Facebook page, 06 Jul 2021; paralympic.org, 26 May 2021)

Legend

:: Gold Medal Event
:: Silver Medal Event
:: Bronze Medal Event

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