Why the Paris 2024 Olympics could see the best-ever performance by MENA, Arab athletes

The 33rd edition of the Summer Olympic Games is almost underway, and as the world turns its attention to the Trocadero Gardens for a grand opening ceremony, there is quiet confidence in the Arab world that the 2024 Games of the Olympiad will be a source of celebration this summer.

Historically, the MENA region has significantly underperformed at the Summer Games. Over the 125-year history of the multi-sport competition, the 22 countries that comprise the Arab nations have collected just 129 of the 16,781 total medals awarded, representing only 0.7%.

Of those 129 medals, approximately three-quarters come from North African nations, with respectable records in middle-distance athletics, swimming, and select combat sports such as boxing, judo, and taekwondo.

One reason for the low medal count is that many Arab nations were not yet independent and could not send their athletes to the Games until the latter half of the 20th century. 

Additionally, many female athletes from Muslim Arab nations were discouraged from participating due to their countries' domestic policies or the rules imposed by international sports governing bodies.

At times, Arab countries have also boycotted the Games for political reasons. For example, in 1956, Egypt refused to send a delegation following the nationalization of the Suez Canal and the subsequent Tripartite Aggression by Great Britain, France, and Israel. In 1976, Syria and all of the North African countries boycotted the Montreal Games to denounce apartheid in South Africa.

However, as Arab countries continued to develop sporting infrastructure, naturalize exceptional athletes from other countries, and promote women’s sports domestically, their collective results have improved dramatically.

In fact, Arab athletes clinched the highest number of medals in their collective participation at the Tokyo Games of 2020, capturing five golds, five silvers, and eight bronze medals — and there’s a realistic chance that they will improve on that total in Paris.

All eyes on North Africa

The North Africans, in particular, will be sending a habitually strong delegation of contenders.

Morocco’s Soufiane El-Bakkali is amongst the world’s best in the 3,000-metre steeplechase and will expect to hold off stiff East African competition and defend his gold medal with aplomb on the track. World champion boxer Khadija Mardi could also finish on the podium in the -75 kg category in women’s boxing.

In Djamel Sedjati and Slimane Moula, Algeria possesses two stellar athletes who could both medal in the 800 metres. Sedjati arrives at the Games in particularly strong form, winning three consecutive Diamond League meets and setting national and personal records with an impressive time of 1:41.46.

Algeria will also rely on Imane Khelif, a pugilist from Tiaret, who is a heavy favourite to win a medal, having previously dominated her competition in regional and international tournaments.

Finally, Kaylia Nemour rounds off Algeria’s long list of hopefuls. The 17-year-old gymnast, previously seen as the crown jewel of the French national team, has switched allegiances and might follow up her gold medal performances at the world championships with one in the Olympic Games.

Tunisia’s medal hopes took a huge hit when their two highest-profile athletes, swimmer Ahmed Hafnaoui and tennis player Ons Jabeur, pulled out of the competition. Hafnaoui is dealing with injury and personal problems, while Jabeur wrote on social media that the change of surfaces would put her health at risk.

Nonetheless, taekwondo fighter Khalil Jendoubi could make up for their absences by adding to his bronze medal in Tokyo with a gold in Paris.

Egypt is prepared to send its regular medley of talented combat artists to Paris, including Greco-Roman wrestler Mohamed Ibrahim El-Sayed, taekwondo martial artist Seif Eissa, and fencer Ziad El-Sissy. Weightlifter Sara Samir Ahmed, however, will be the face of the Egyptian delegation, and in France, she’ll be looking to add to the country’s very respectable total of 38 medals.

Qatar's top medal contenders and Syria's rising star

Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim was one of the darlings of the Tokyo Games after he agreed to split his gold medal with his friend and arch-rival Gianmarco Tamberi, as the two failed to break their stalemate.

Barshim remains one of the world’s best, and although he is no longer in his sporting prime, he remains a favourite to nick a podium finish.

Fares El-Bakh is another Qatari athlete who won a gold medal in the previous Games and is expected to compound his hardware in Paris. The Egyptian-born weightlifter set an Olympic Record in Tokyo in the clean & jerk as well as the total weight lifted at -96 kg and will look to improve on that performance.

In weightlifting’s super heavyweight division, Syrian lifter Man Assad has recovered from a debilitating shoulder injury, which ruled him out of all of 2023, to qualify for the 2024 Olympics where he’ll try to improve on his third-place finish in the last go-around.

Finally, 60-year-old Kuwaiti marksman Abdullah Al-Rashidi will be a story to keep your eye on as he will be one of the oldest athletes at the Games.

His secret recipe? No social media, keeping phone screen time to a minimum, and sleeping early. The skeet shooter won a bronze medal in Tokyo and is looking to win a gold medal in what could be his final Olympic participation.

While the 2024 Paris Summer Games will undoubtedly be dominated by the United States of America, China, France, and other traditional sporting superpowers, there remains real optimism in the crew of Arab athletes that will be competing in Western Europe.

The 22 countries are sending athletes with confirmed track records, and thus the Arab world has a very good chance of improving on its best total of five collective gold medals in Tokyo three years ago.

Maher Mezahi is an Algerian football journalist based in Marseille. He has covered North African football extensively, with his work published in international publications such as the BBC, The Guardian, The Telegraph, ESPN Africa and Al Jazeera English

Follow him on Twitter: @MezahiMaher