Asia, Middle East, Qatar, Doha, Aspire.. there were the 12th Arab Games 2011! Why I note that? Because Qatar did an amazing job by hosting the Arab Games, the country showed the World that she can aspire and inspire the athletes, the other Countries and the world. She invested a huge amount to make the games unforgettable for the athletes and the spectators.
Lebanon in the Games:
Let's start by the Track and Field team, with Gretta Taslakian, our great sprinter that showed one more time in the games that she is someone to watch! She finished second in 100m with 11.96s, beaten by the Iraqi girl who won for the first time a race vs Gretta. We were expecting 2 gold, but in the end, Gretta ran a beautiful 200m in 24.10s and won the first and only Gold medal for Lebanon in Track and field.
The Lebanese Team was formed by 3 girls and 3 boys: Gretta Taslakian (Gold and Silver), Saria Traboulsi (5th heat in 400m: 1:00.94 and 6th in 800m: 2:21.91), Mohammad Siraj Tamim (Did not start), Ahmad Hazer (7th in 110m Hurdles: 14.70), Ali Hazer (4th in Decathlon 6515 pts: 11.17(+1.5), 6.63m(+0.1
), 11.91m, 1.79m, 50.35 / 15.86(-0.2), 35.24m, 3.50m, 45.62m, 4:49.22) and Krystel Saneh (4th in Long Jump: 5.23m and 5th in Heptathlon 3708 pts Youth Record: 17.97(+0.1)Youth Record, 1.39, 8.38m PB, 27.40(+0.3) PB / 5.02(-1.1), 31.96m Youth Record, 2:43.61 PB). In conclusion, at that time of the year, in the very end of the season, the performances were alright. But in 4 years, the 13th Arab Games will held in Lebanon, so we have time to prepare, to organize and especially prepare our young athletes to participate and collect medals in the next games. We have the potential so we should work on improving the training conditions and the athletes care, to help that athlete to follow the steps of Gretta Taslakian, Jean Claude Rabbath, Janette Ayoub, Pauline Mokdessi, Carine Bitchakjian, Arda Kalpaklian and much more.. I have one thing to say, athletes can work on themselves to become champions, after that they won't need our support, so we have to support them now to reach that stage and then it will be their turn to help us, to communicate their experience and improve our sport!  Let's continue, our pride for Lebanon was Katia Bachrouche in swimming. She's a 22 year old who lives and trains in the United States, and who's competing for Lebanon recently. Katia won 4 Gold medals and 2 Bronze! She won gold in 200m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley, 400m Freestyle, 800m Freestyle, and Bronze in 100m Butterfly that was 15min after the 200m freestyle! and 50m freestyle! What a great achievement for this young girl!
The Women Basket Ball Team did an amazing performance by taking 1st Place in front of Egypt and Jordan. Mazen Berjaoui won Bronze in 9-Balls Pool Singles in Cue Sports, Lebanon won Silver in Equestrian (Team Dressage), in Fencing Mona Shaito won Gold in Women's Individual Foil, and Zain Shaito Silver in the men's Individual Foil, Alexandra Tannous Bronze in Women's individual Sabre, Lebanese Team won bronze in 3 disciplines the Team Epee, Foil and Sabre. In Golf the Lebanese Team won Bronze. In Judo, the young Karen Shammas (18) won Silver in women's Open and Bronze in -63kg, and Lea Farhat (17) won a bronze medal in -52kg, Odette Malkoun won also Bronze in -78kg. Ray Bassil was expected to win Gold, but our champion finally won Silver in women's Trap, while Joe Salem won Bronze in men's Trap, and we are proud that our Lebanese team won Gold in men's Trap! Finally In Table Tennis, the women's Doubles, Kechechian and Kejebachian won Bronze, in women's and men's team Lebanon won 2 bronze.
Finally Lebanon collected 8 Gold, 5 silver and 16 Bronze for a total of 29 Medals.
Medal Standing:
| Rank
|
Country
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|---|
|
1
|
|
90
|
76
|
67
|
233
|
|
2
|
|
54
|
45
|
39
|
138
|
|
3
|
|
35
|
24
|
54
|
113
|
|
4
|
|
32
|
38
|
40
|
110
|
|
5
|
|
16
|
31
|
41
|
88
|
|
6
|
|
15
|
12
|
18
|
45
|
|
7
|
|
14
|
18
|
31
|
63
|
|
8
|
|
12
|
10
|
15
|
37
|
|
9
|
|
11
|
14
|
23
|
48
|
|
10
|
|
11
|
13
|
34
|
58
|
|
11
|
|
10
|
9
|
16
|
35
|
|
12
|
|
8
|
5
|
16
|
29
|
|
13
|
|
4
|
7
|
10
|
21
|
|
14
|
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
7
|
|
15
|
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
8
|
|
16
|
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
9
|
|
17
|
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
|
18
|
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
|
