The 2020 Paralympics started today, the 24th of August 2021, and will run until the 5th of September 2021 in Tokyo. In case you didn’t know, the name comes from the Greek language “Para” meaning beside or alongside, and the world Olympic, signifying that they run parallel to the Olympics.
The Paralympics are held every two years, usually shortly after the Olympics. They are split into winter games and summer games. A lot of the Olympic games are included in the Paralympics, with some modifications in the equipment to accommodate the players. Alongside the modified games, there are sports specifically created for the Paralympics.
49 athletes will be representing Egypt this year, in 8 different competitions. Egypt will be competing in Weightlifting, Sitting Volleyball, Taekwondo, Women’s Goal Ball, Athletics, Swimming, Badminton, and Table Tennis.
Egypt has been competing steadily in the Paralympics since 1976, winning at least one gold medal every year with the most successes in the categories of powerlifting and athletics. This year the Egyptian Paralympic team will be led by key figures such as Sherif Osman, who won the gold medal in the 56kg category in powerlifting in both Paralympic competitions he’s participated in. He also broke a world record with a lift of 202.5 kgs in the Beijing Paralympics.
Photo Via: Alchetron
Aya Ayman in Swimming made her mark for being the youngest player to participate in the 2016 Paralympics and won both the bronze and silver medals.
Photo Via: ayaaymanabass.com
Randa Tageldin in Weightlifting, who won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics; and Hany Mohsen who’s well known for winning the gold at the London Paralympics and breaking a world record at the same time.
Photo Via : Honna al Watan News
Another outstanding athlete is Fatma Omar, who’s been steadily winning gold medals over the last few years. She dominates the powerlifting competition. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics will be her last stop before retiring.
Photo Via: Daily News Egypt
Additionally, Ibrahim Hamadto stunned many on social media because he plays table tennis with his mouth, due to losing both his arms to a train accident at the age of 10. He won the silver medal in table tennis in 2011 and 2013.
Photo Via: Korea.net
Here is a list of all our Egyptian heroes for this year! We can’t wait to see you shine!
Weightlifting:
- Sherif Othman
- Taha Abdelmajid
- Mahmoud Sabri
- Mohamed el Alfat
Photo Via: Insidethegames
- Hany Abdelhady
Photo Via: Paralympics.org
- Mohamed el Said
- Amr Farouk
- Raeda Tageldin
- Rehab Radwan
- Gihane Gharib
- Fatma Korany
Photo Via: State Information Service
- Fatema Amr abu-Aisha
- Amal Hanafi
- Gihane Galal
- Amani el Desouki
Swimming
- AyatuallahAyman
- Malak Hussein
- Youssef el Sayed
- Zeyad Kohel
Table Tennis
- Mohamed Sameh Saleh.
Photo Via: Paralympics.org
- Ayman Zanati
- Ibrahim Hamato
- Sayed Youssef
- Faiza Mahmoud
Photo Via: International Table Tennis Federation
Athletics
- Mohamed Ramadan
- Hamada Sayed Ali
- Dina Mohamed Ali
In Taekwondo
- Mohamed el Zayat
- Salma Ali
In Badminton
- Ahmed el Dakrouri
In Sitting Volleyball
- Hisham el Sheyoukh
Photo Via: Paralympics.org
- Abdelnabi Abdellatif
- Hossam Massoud
- Ahmed Abdel-Galil
- Ahmed Aboulyazid
- Mohamed Abdul-mo’aty
- Ahmed Khamis
Photo Via: Paralympics.org
- Ashraf Za’aloul
- Salah Atta
- Motawae Abdelbaki
- Ahmed Abdelfattah
- El- Sayed Moussa
Goal Ball (Women)
- Esraa Gad Al-Karim
- Esraa Ezzeldine
- Gihad Ezzeldine
- Hasnaa Al-Gabri
- Aya Abdullah
- Hanan Mostafa Ibrahim
