Five runners who fled South Sudan have been given the chance to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as refugees.

On Thursday, they boarded a plane in Kenya, bound for the Brazilian city that's hosting the world's biggest sporting event that opens next week.

A total of 10 refugees from various countries will be competing in the ground-breaking team and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says they represent an international symbol of hope to millions worldwide.

Laura Jarriel has the story.