Arab Countries Make their Mark and Bring Home 14 Medals from the Rio Olympics
BY: Adriana Murray/Contributing Writer
The Rio Olympics was an exciting time for the Arab countries. At the Rio games, many Arab athletes won medals for the first time for their countries, taking home 14 in total. Here are the athletes who brought medals back to their home countries after this year’s Olympic games.
Ruth Jebet: Bahrain
Jebet is a long- distance runner and steeplechase specialist. During the Rio Olympics, Jebet won gold in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, and had the second fastest time within the event in Olympic history.
Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa: Bahrain
Kirwa’s is a long distance runner that specializes in marathon running. She won the silver medal in women’s marathon running.
Ahmad Abughaush: Jordan
Abughaush competed in the Taekwondo event during the Rio Olympics. Abughaush won the gold medal for men’s 68 kg, giving Jordan its first ever gold medal win.
Taoufik Makhloufi: Algeria
Makhloufi is a track and field athlete, specializing in middle-distance running. Makhloufi won silver medals for both the men’s 800m event and the men’s 1500m.
Mutaz Essa Barshim: Qatar
Barshim is a track and field athlete that specializes in the high jump. In this year’s Olympic games, Barshim took home the silver medal for the men’s high jump event.
Oussama Oueslati: Tunisia
Oueslati is a Tunisian Taekwondo athlete. He won a bronze medal in the men’s 80 kg event.
Ines Boubakri: Tunisia
Boubakri is a two time olympic foil fencer. She won a bronze medal in the Rio olympics, becoming the first Tunisian fencer ever to win an Olympic medal. She dedicated her Olympic win to Arab women everywhere.
Marwa Amri: Tunisia
Amri is a Tunisian free style wrestler. She won the gold medal for the women’s freestyle 58 kg event.
Sara Ahmed: Egypt
Image from insidethegames.biz
Ahmed is an 18-year-old Egyptian weightlifter. She won the bronze medal in the women’s 69 kg event. Ahmed’s win lead her to become the first Arab woman to win an Olympic weightlifting medal and the first Egyptian woman to win an Olympic medal.
Mohamed Ihab: Egypt
Ihab is an Egyptian weightlifter. He brought home the the bronze medal in the men’s 77 kg event.
Hedaya Wahba: Egypt
Image from albawaba.com
Wahba is an Egyptian taekwondo athlete that has participated in both the 2012 and 2016 olympics. She won the bronze medal for the women’s taekwondo 57 kg event.
Mohammed Rabii: Morocco
Rabii won the only medal for Morocco, earning the bronze medal in men’s boxing.
Sergiu Toma: United Arab Emirates
Image from sports360.com
Toma is a Moldovan-born Emirati judoka. He competed in the men’s 81 kg event, where he defeated Matteo Marconcini and won the bronze medal.
Fehaid Al-Deehani: Independent (Kuwait)
Image from sportstarlive.com
Deehani competed as an independent Olympic athlete at the summer Olympics because Kuwait was banned. He defeated his competitor and won gold in the men’s double trap event. Deehani’s big win made him the first independent athlete to win a gold medal.
Abdullah Al-Rashidi: Independent (Kuwait)
Image from thesportsdoze.com
Al-Rashidi was an independent athlete in the shooter event. He won the bronze medal for the event.