There are nine Lebanese athletes competing in seven different sports at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics which kick off on Sunday.

Mariana Sahakyan (Female) – Table tennis

Ray Bassil (Female) – Shooting

Chirine Njeim (Female) – Athletics (Marathon Race)

Ahmad Hazer (Male) – Athletics

Elias Nacif (Male) – Judo

Anthony Barbar (Male) – Swimming

Gabriella Doueihy (Female) – Swimming

Mona Shaito (Female) – Fencing

Richard Mourjan (Male) – Canoe Slalom

Richard Mourjan – The First Lebanese Canoeist to take part in the Olympic Games

The youngest Lebanese athlete, Gabriella Doueihy, is 17 years old while the oldest is Mariana Sahakyan who’s 38. For those who wish to follow them, their schedule is as follows:

Saturday August 6 at 3 PM:

– Mariana Sahakyan – Table Tennis Women’s Singles

Sunday August 7:

– Ray Bassil: Shooting Women’s trap at 3 PM

– Gabriella Doueihy: Swimming Women’s 400m freestyle

– Richard Merjan: Canoe slalom Men’s canoe single

Tuesday August 9:

– Elias Nacif: Judo Men -81 kg Elimination Round of 32

Wednesday August 10 at 3:10 PM

– Mona Shaito: Fencing Women’s individual foil

Thursday August 11 at 7:02 PM

– Anthony Barbar: Swimming Men’s 50m freestyle

Sunday August 14

– Chirine Njeim: Athletics Women’s marathon

Tuesday August 16:

– Ahmad Hazer: Athletics · Men’s 110m hurdles



Chirine Njeim is the first lady to represent Lebanon in the Marathon distance

On another note, Julie Dib was officially selected for Rio 2016 Olympic games referee’s committee and will be the first Arab female official referee in Taekwondo at the Olympics.

I used the (really lousy) Rio2016 website as well as Google to figure out the schedules. I will keep you posted with results as soon as they are out. Lebanon has only missed 1 Summer Olympic Games back in 1956 (it was a boycott) but has yet to earn a medal since the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow.

Best of luck to all our athletes!