2010 was a fruitfull year for the track and field in Lebanon. We saw great comebacks, like in sprint Gretta Taslakian, and the best high jumper ever Jean-Claude Rabbath. We have also seen new faces and youth athletes who fast became champions. Finally, we have seen a large number of records beating, at total of 31 records, while in 2009 the total of record beating was only 18 record.
New Athletes: We should mention Abdallah Chahine, a Hammer thrower who came from the United Sates especially to throw here in his country of origin, Lebanon. AB, as we call him, didn't just come here to throw, he also beat the Lebanese record of 50.19m set by Victor Hajj-Moussa in 14 July 2000. The record is now improved by 3 meters and is today 53.18m.
Youth Athletes: Other than AB, we saw little kids who have the international level of athletics like Sarah-Jo Cortbaoui who's only 12 years old and had won the first place in 1500m in the Lebanese Open Championship, facing Seniors and Juniors. She also did a great time on 1000m which is 3min17. Makram Chahine came lately in 2010 to break 2 Lebanese record for Midget category (14-15), 2 records in 2 days!! Both were held by Khodr Abdo for 11 years. This young man is turning Youth 1 in 2011 where he will certainly appear as a strong competitor in that category. There are also some youngsters who were so close to the Lebanese records, like Philippe Paoli who ran this year 9.61s on 80m and 17.86 on 150. The records for the 80m and the 150m are 9.37 and 17.67 respectively. Philippe is turning Youth 1 next year so we can see him at 100m run. Other than these mentioned athletes, a little big star in 2010 was Joelle Feghaly, who began to scare the Seniors by her two weapons: endurance and speed. We saw her this year from 80m to 10,000m. Her best performances are still in 800m 2:26.12, 1500m 5:03.90 and in 2000m: 7:17.33.
Ancient Athletes: This was a short list of those who amazingly appeared in 2010. Now it's time for those who were seen before, who beat records, who traveled, and who achieved and are still achieving now. Ramzi Naim, the first of the men's list, who after a long long list of records in 200m, 300m, 400m, 400m Hurdles, Triple Jump and Relays, is still establishing new performances in his first year as a Senior. Ramzi ran a sub 49s on 400m for the first time in the 1st West Asian Games in Aleppo -Syria, scoring a 48.98s for the 1 lap event. He also won an historical 3 gold medals in the Lebanese individual championship, by placing 1st in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. At the women's list, we find obviously Gretta Taslakian, who came back form a knee injuring to break in 2010 4 records: the 100m three times, 11.84s, and being the first Lebanese to break the 12 seconds barrier; the 400m: 55.31s; the 60m indoor twice: 7.60s and the unofficial 300m record. She has also run more than 5 consecutive sub 12 on 100m.
Mix Athletes: Other than who suddenly appeared as great champions in 2010 and those known before as real champions and had continued their ways, we have now a mix of ancient and new athletes, like Diala El-Khazen and Aziza Sbeity. Diala, was known as a sprinter, now she appeared as a jumper. She turned to long jump where she beat the Juniors Lebanese record of 5m24 held by Nathalie Saikaly and improved it by 4cm by scoring 5m28 and took the lead for the first time ahead of Krystel Saneh who jumped 5m22 this year. Aziza, who began with track and field in 2008, when she appeared in the 100 and 200m in the end of 2009 by running in the Franocphonie Games and the Arab Senior Championship. Aziza is doing a great job till now, she had set this year a new personal best of 12.29s on 100m and a 25.56s on 200m.
Records: In 2010, Lebanese Athletes had set 31 New National Records! A new record in annual records breaking? The one who can answer this question is the owner of the Lebanese records archive. Also, some records had been broken many times by the same person or different one, which make a total of 43 broken records in 2010.
Records broken by the same athlete: -100m: Women: Gretta Taslakian: 11.88, 11.85, 11.84 -Hammer Throw: Men: Abdallah Chahine: 52.98m, 53.18m -Long Jump: Youth Girls: Krystel Saneh: 5.18m, 5.19m, 5.22m, 5.22m -400m Hurdles: Youth Girls: Laura Saliba: 1:10.61, 1:10.20 -60m Indoor: Women: Gretta Taslakian: 7.65, 7.63, 7.60 Records broken by different athletes: -60m Hurdles Indoor: Men: Ali Hazer: 8.47, 8.45 -60m Hurdles Indoor: Men: Ahmad Hazer: 8.36
-Javelin throw: Youth Girls: Karine Nagy: 28.15m
-Javelin throw: Youth Girls: Maria-Pia Zina-Rahmé: 28.59m
| OUTDOOR | | | | | | Discipline | Category | Athlete | Club | Perf | | 1000m | Midget Boys | Makram Chahine | Antonins | 2:40.70 | | 2000m | Midget Boys | Makram Chahine | Antonins | 6:03.65 | | Triple Jump | Midget Boys | Alaa Itani | Inter-Lebanon | 12.68 | | 1000m | Youth Girls | Sara Awaly | Phoenicia | 3:05.44 | | Juniors Women | | | | | 100m Hurdles | Youth Girls | Laura Saliba | Antonins | 18.06 | | 400m Hurdles | Youth Girls | Laura Saliba | Antonins | 1:10.20 | | Long Jump | Youth Girls | Krystel Saneh | Champville | 5.22 | | Javelin throw | Youth Girls | Maria-Pia Rahmé | CSJ | 28.59 | | 4x100m Relay | Youth Girls | Krystel Saneh | National Team | 52.04 | | | Celine Keyrouz | | | | | Christelle Rahmé | | | | | Maha Mouallem | | | | 4x400m Relay | Youth Girls | Laura Saliba | National Team | 4:12.23 | | Juniors Women | Lory Tashjian | | | | | Elsa Khoury | | | | | Sara Awaly | | | | Medley Relay | Youth Girls | Krystel Saneh | National Team | 2:26:65 |
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| Laura Saliba |
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| Sara Awally |
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| Lory Tashjian |
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| | Long Jump | Juniors Women | Diala El-Khazen | Inter-Lebanon | 5.28 | | Pole Vault | Juniors Women | Jana Majed | Ansar | 2.10 | | 3000m SC | Juniors Men | Ahmad Ghalia | Ansar | 10:52.99 | | Half-Marathon | Open Men | Hussein Awada | Army | 1:05.28 | | Triple Jump | Open Men | Ousama Naddaf | Army | 14.64 | | Hammer Throw | Open Men | Abdallah Chahine | Inter-Lebanon | 53.18 | | 100m | Open Women | Gretta Taslakian | Inter-Lebanon | 11.84 | | 400m | Open Women | Gretta Taslakian | Inter-Lebanon | 55.31 | | 3000m SC | Open Women | Hoda Awad | Ansar | 12:36.59 | | Javelin Throw | Open Women | Janette Said | Inter-Lebanon | 38.00 | | | | | | | INDOOR | | | | | | 60m Hurdles | Open Men | Ahmad Hazer | Ansar | 8.36 | | 1000m | Open Men | Ali Hazer | Ansar | 2:52.32 | | Pole Vault | Open Men | Ali Hazer | Ansar | 3.40 | | Shot Put | Open Men | Ali Hazer | Ansar | 11.59 | | Heptathlon | Open Men | Ali Hazer | Ansar | 4813* | | 60m | Open Women | Gretta Taslakian | Inter-Lebanon | 7.60 | | 400m | Open Women | Mirvat Hamze | Inter-Lebanon | 1:06.78 | | High Jump | Open Women | Sara Tabbara | Ansar | 1.45 |
*(7.16, 6.43, 11.59, 1.83 / 8.45, 3.40, 2:52.36)
Congrats and Happy New year!
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