Paris 2024’s Middle Eastern & North African Medalists: Meet The Athletes Who Made History
Making the Arab nation proud, so far, 16 medals were nabbed in the coveted 2024 Paris Olympics. To celebrate, let us take a look at each winner:
Bronze
Mohamed el Sayed
Egyptian épée fencer Mohamed el Sayed kicked off the Olympics by being the first Arab to nab a medal. During the men’s épée fencing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, he won the bronze medal by defeating Hungarian Tibor Andraszewski.
Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi
At just 22 years of age, Jendoubi is the Tunisian taekwondo champion with 2 Olympic medals under his belt. This year, with skill and finesse, he won himself the bronze medal in the men’s taekwondo -58kg category.
Gor Minasyan
Bahrain has been having one of its best runs at the Olympics. Thus far, the nation has nabbed four medals. Among the winners is Bahraini athlete Gor Minasyan, who nabbed the third Olympic medal for his country, a bronze in the 102+kg weightlifting category.
Djamel Sedjati
Algerian middle-distance runner Djamel Sedjati slays the 800m runner and nabs the bronze medal during the final.
Morocco’s Football Team
Making history, Morocco secured their first-ever Olympic medal in men’s football with an impressive 6-0 win over Egypt.
Mutaz Essa Barshim
Barshim isn’t just known as the athlete who displayed true camaraderie after sharing the Olympic gold with Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi at the Tokyo 2020 Games. This year, he continues to make noise by winning a bronze medal in the men’s high jump competition.
Silver
Salwa Eid Naser
In her Olympic debut, Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser came out strong, nabbing a silver medal in the women’s 400m after finishing the race in 48.53 seconds.
Fares Ferjani
Making Tunisia proud, Ferjani secured silver in the men’s individual saber after an intense final match with South Korea’s Oh Sanguk, a match where Ferjani was extremely close to nabbing the gold.
Zaid Mustafa
Jordan’s first and only medal thus far at the Paris Olympics is credited to Mustafa, the taekwondo athlete who won a silver medal in the under-68 kg weight category.
Sara Ahmed
Boasting an already impressive collection of medals, a bronze medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics and a gold medal from the 2022 World Championships. Making her nation proud once again, Sarah Ahmed also secured a silver medal in the 81kg Women’s Final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Gold
Ahmed El Gendy
Egypt is on a high after El Gendy won first place in the Modern Pentathlon, Egypt’s first-ever gold medal for that sport. He didn’t stop there; he also set an Olympic world record with a remarkable 1,555 points in the final.
Imane Khelif
After enduring intense scrutiny at the Games, one where the world questioned Khelif’s gender, she came out on top by winning the gold medal in the women’s 66kg welterweight boxing championship.
Firas Kattoussi
After defeating his competition, Iran’s Mehran Barkhordari, in two rounds, scoring 4-2 5-1, Tunisia’s Kattoussi won gold in the men’s taekwondo welterweight (-80kg) division in Paris.
Kaylia Nemour
Bringing the crowd to a rousing cheer, Algerian gymnast Nemour swung her way into history at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 by nabbing gold on the uneven bars. She is the first African to win gold in Olympic gymnastics.
Soufiane el Bakkali
Slaying the Olympics, Moroccan Bakkali became one of three athletes to be dubbed a back-to-back gold medal winner after nabbing the gold during the 3000m steeplechase at Paris following his gold medal win back in 2022.
Winfred Yavi
Another 3000m steeplechase winner Is Yavi, the Bahraini athlete who not only won gold but also set a new Olympic record of 8 minutes 52.76 seconds.
It was an impressive year for the Arab world, as they secured a total of 16 medals. Here’s hoping there are yet more to be won.
