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Three years on they are about to compete in this year's Olympic Games.
They are two of the 10 athletes who are refugees that have been selected for the Team of Refugee Olympic Athletes (ROA) by the International Olympic Committee in recognition of the  worldwide refugee crisis.
In the first of a series of portraits, we bring you their story.
Popole Misenga and Yolande Mabika, two judoka from the Democratic Republic of Congo, sought asylum in Brazil during the 2013 World Judo Championships in Rio.