There are many things to watch for Arab athletes ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Arab men won a total of 14 medals in Tokyo 2020 and have the potential to win even more this time around.
Here are 5 Arab men to watch in Paris 2024
Jamel Sedjati (Algeria) – Athletics
Algeria's Djamel Sedjati heads into Paris in hot form, chasing not only gold but also breaking David Rudisha's 12-year-old 800m world record.
Over the past three weeks, the 25-year-old Sedjati has run the third-fastest 800m and fourth-fastest time of all time, clocking 1 minute 41.56 seconds in the Diamond League in Paris, and lowering his personal best to 1:41.46 five days later in Monaco.
Rudisha set a world record of 1:40.91 at the 2012 London Olympics and Sedjati is determined to emulate the Kenyan runner at this Olympics.
“I would like to thank everyone, especially my family and my coaches. This is the fourth time I set a world record and the second time I broke the Algerian record. I worked very hard for this,” Sedjati said in Monaco recently.
“I’m thinking about the world record now. I hope to compete in the Olympics. I have two more weeks to prepare. I will focus on that and put in the necessary work to achieve my goal.”
“I will prepare as usual. I think the hard work I have done will be worth it.”
Sedjati's performance in Monaco saw him set new national records, lead the world, break Diamond League records, break race records and break personal records.
Could he do better in Paris?
The men's 800m will begin on August 7, with the semifinals and final on August 9 and 10.
Ahmad Abu Al-Saud (Jordan) – Gymnastics
In 2022 in Liverpool, Jordan's Ahmad Abu Al Saud won silver in the show jumping and became the first Arab to reach the podium at the World Championships.
Although a lower back injury slowed his movement, the following year he won another World Championship medal, this time a bronze.
He then went on to win the 2024 World Cup (three out of four golds) and book his place in Paris, becoming the first Jordanian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics.
Abu al-Saud, 29, whose skills are named after him in the FIG Code of Points, heads to Paris as the world's No. 1 champion showjumper and a favourite to win gold at the Olympics.
The men's artistic gymnastics preliminaries will begin on July 27 at the Bercy Arena, while the vault finals will take place on August 3.
Ramzi Boukhiam (Morocco) – Surfing
Ramzi Boukiaem, the first Moroccan or Arab surfer to qualify for the World Surf League's Championship Tour, is making his second Olympic appearance, having competed in Tokyo in 2020, the year surfing first took off.
The 2024 Olympic surfing competition will take place in Tahiti, with 24 male and female competitors competing on the equally majestic and terrifying Teahupo'o wave.
Tasks out stand up!
Ramzi Boukhiam keeps Morocco on their toes and keeps them going with a special Teahupo'o foam ball technique, defeating Kelly Slater and advancing to the semi-finals!@SHISEIDO_United States #tahitianpro @outerknown_live Image.twitter.com/aEOlRy8SEx
— World Surf League (@wsl) May 30, 2024
Boukhiam finished ninth in his first Olympics in Tokyo, but Teahupo'o is more suited to his style of surfing, and the 30-year-old can take credit for that after finishing third in the same spot at the Championship Tour's Tahiti Pro two months ago.
“Now I have a second chance, to go to Tahiti on a huge wave like Teahupoo. It’s the most dangerous but perfect wave in the world,” Boukiaem, who will be Morocco’s flag bearer at Tokyo 2020, said on a recent Abtal podcast.
“For a surfer, there’s nothing better. You can be scared but also excited at the same time. And I think if we get a good wave, it can be an exciting activity.”
Boukhiam secured her spot in the 2024 Olympics by taking home a silver medal at the ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico in March.
The Olympic surfing competition will start in Tahiti on July 27 and will run through July 31.
Mutaz Barshim (Qatar) – Athletics
Qatar's Mutaz Barshim won bronze in London (which was later upgraded to silver nine years later), silver in Rio and gold in Tokyo.
Barshim has raised the bar with every Olympic Games, and now the star high jumper is ready to push his limits one last time.
“I feel like I've been here for a long time. I've done everything, I've seen everything, and I feel like it would be selfish of me to be further away from my family and the people I love,” Barshim, 33, told FloTrack this week after he announced Paris would be his last Olympics.
“I want to be there for my family too. Everyone has been there for me throughout my career. I started jumping professionally in 2011, so it’s been a long time, and I’m so happy and proud of everything we’ve achieved together. But I feel like it’s time to give back to the community. It’s time to give back to my family.”
Barchim created one of the most memorable moments of the Tokyo Olympics when he and fellow Italian competitor Gianmarco Tamberi decided to split the gold medal instead of competing in a final jump.
Both had overcome career-threatening injuries ahead of Tokyo and felt they were deserving of a podium finish.
Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi share top spot on podium in men's high jump at Tokyo 2020
Vote for your favorite Olympic Magic Moment to win a trip to #Paris2024Territorial restrictions on voting could come into effect https://t.co/aGWb0MJuy2#CocaCola Image.twitter.com/fJIlpODmkq
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 2, 2024
Barchim and Tamberi say they will not share if they find themselves in the same situation in Paris
The men's high jump competition at the Paris Olympics will take place on August 7 at the Stade de France, with the final scheduled for August 10.
Yahiah Omar (Egypt) – Handball
He will stay with Paris for three years but before making his debut for new club Paris Saint-Germain, Yahia Omar is hoping to help Egypt win their first Olympic handball medal.
Team Egypt almost reached the podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing fourth after losing to Spain in the bronze medal match. It was the first time an African team had reached that level in handball at the Olympics.
The 26-year-old right-back was a key part of the Olympic team that earned him the honour of being named in the Tokyo 2020 All-Star team and becoming the first non-European player since 1992 to achieve the feat.
Egypt face a tough road in Paris as they are drawn in a group with hosts and defending champions France, current world champions Denmark, Norway, Hungary and Argentina.
“This is the Olympics, nothing is easy. I think we have a tougher group, but I think it gives us a better chance of reaching the semi-finals,” Omar said when the draw was announced.
The Pharaoh began his campaign against Hungary on July 27.
