To most, a hurdle is an obstacle. To Fouad Idbafdil, it is an opportunity. As a steeplechase runner for the Athlete Refugee Team, Fouad has spent his life turning barriers into stepping stones. His approach to sport mirrors his approach to life—transforming challenges into chances for growth and representation. Fouad’s upbringing as a stateless refugee meant encountering constant hurdles: lack of access to resources, bureaucratic limitations, and social exclusion. Yet, these experiences shaped his perspective. Where others saw limitations, he saw ways to adapt, improve, and push forward. In steeplechase, success depends on timing, focus, and resilience—qualities Fouad has honed through years of living on the margins. Each leap over a barrier is symbolic, reflecting the countless invisible challenges refugees face in their daily lives. Competing internationally, Fouad’s races resonate beyond the stadium. Audiences see his determination and begin to question the systems that keep so many people invisible. His story reframes the refugee narrative, replacing pity with admiration and replacing stereotypes with respect. Off the track, Fouad continues to create “opportunities to rise” for others. Through speaking engagements, mentorship, and advocacy work, he helps displaced youth see sport not only as competition, but as a pathway to empowerment and dignity. In Fouad’s eyes, a hurdle is not an ending—it’s an invitation to rise higher. And through every race, he invites the world to rise alongside him, seeing not just the challenge, but the possibility it holds.