A dozen years ago it seemed impossible that Lopez Lomong would be running as a member of the United States Olympic team.  In 2000, he was 15 years old and living in Kenya.  Most of his life had been spent in refugee camps.

Mr. Lomong grew up in rural Sudan, without running water or electricity.  When he was still a boy, rebel soldiers kidnapped him and other children, intending to turn them into soldiers.  The rebels drove the children to their camp in a truck–it was the first time Mr. Lomong had ridden in a vehicle.  He escaped from the camp with other boys and ultimately arrived in Kenya, where border guards sent them to a refugee camp.

Life in the camp was difficult–there was not enough food and nothing to do.  Mr. Lomong began running as a form of escape: “When I ran, I was in control of my life,” he writes. “I ran for me.”  He got into the habit of running the perimeter of the camp–18 miles–in bare feet.

In 2000, he walked five miles with some friends to watch the Olympics on a small black and white television.  Inspired by American runner Michael Johnson, his dream was born: To run in the Olympics for the United States of America.

In 2001, the U.S. brought 3,800 “lost boys” to the United States for resettlement.  Among them was Lopez Lomong.  In the U.S., he continued running–it was something familiar to him in his new country.

In 2007, Mr. Lomong became a United States citizen.  “Now I’m not just one of the ‘Lost Boys,'” he told reporters. “I’m an American.”  He went to Beijing with the U.S. Olympic team in 2008, but he did not qualify for the final round due to an injury.

Since he has been in the U.S., Mr. Lomong wrote a book about his experience, Running for My Life, and established a foundation to help people in his native South Sudan.

Now, he is again competing with Team USA.  (As a side note, more than 40 athletes on our national team are foreign-born.)

This time around, Mr. Lomong has a chance for gold.  He has qualified for the finals of the men’s 5,000 meter race, which is scheduled for tomorrow.  Hopefully, we’ll see him on the podium.  It would be another remarkable achievement in an extraordinary life.