The Summer Olympics in Rio this week will be Lebanon’s 17th participation in the games. Lebanon boycotted the 1956 games in Melbourne, Australia in protest to the invasion of Egypt by Israel, France and Great Britain.

Medals Won

Lebanon has won a total of four medals: two silver and two bronze.

• 1952 (Helsinki): Zakaria Chehab in men’s greco-roman wrestling, silver medal
• 1952 (Helsinki): Khalil Taha in men’s greco-roman wrestling, bronze medal
• 1972 (Munich): Mohamed Trabulsi in weightlifting, silver medal
• 1980 (Moscow): Hasan Bechara in greco-roman wrestling, bronze medal

It’s clear Lebanese athletes have done remarkably well in wrestling sports over the decades, but sadly Lebanon has been medal-less for 36 years now and a gold medal still eludes Lebanon’s Olympic record.

Perhaps Rio will be the first time we get a gold medal!

The Lebanese Olympic Team in Rio 2016

Eight Lebanese athletes have qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics!

• Chirine Njeim, runner

What’s remarkable about Chirine, is the Chicago-based athlete is among the few people who have competed both in the Winter and Summer Olympics (some 117 others have done so). She is an alpine skier and has participated in the Winter games three times already. She is the first athlete to participate both in alpine skiing, and marathon running. So, she’s already broken records before the games kick off!

• Mariana Sahkyan, table tennis player

Mariana is the Lebanon and West Asia table tennis champ will be the third Lebanese athlete to represent Lebanon at the Olympics for table tennis

• Ray Bassil, shooter

Ray participated in the 2012 London Olympics, and returns to the 2016 Rio games after an impressive rise from 36th to 1st in the ISSF world ranking earlier this year! Perhaps Ray will be Lebanon’s biggest shot at gold these games!

• Mona Shaito, fencer

US-based Lebanese athelete Mona Chaito will represent Lebanon again in Rio 2016 after her first Olympic Games in London 2012.

• Gabriella Doueihy, swimmer

At 17 years old, Gabriella is Lebanon’s youngest athlete these games and has been training professionally since she was a 10. She will be participating in the women’s 400m freestyle.

• Anthony Barbar, swimmer

Anthony is another Lebanese-American athlete representing Lebanon in the 2016 Rio Games

• Richard Mourjan, canoeist

Richard is the first ever Lebanese canoeist to participate on behalf of Lebanon in the games! A historic achievement in itself!

• Nacif Elias, judo

Elias is a Lebanese-Brazilian athlete representing Lebanon in the Summer games this week! Since representing Lebanon, Elias has won many medals including silver at the 2014 Asian Games, and won the PanAm Open in Lima earlier this year!

• Ahmad Hazer, runner (hurdles)

And lastly, Ahmad Hazer, the 9th Lebanese olympian at Rio!

Good Luck Lebanon!

The games kickoff tomorrow, and most of our athletes are competing this weekend in their different sports! Best of luck, make us proud!