Remembering Iconic Athletes in Egypt’s Olympics History

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Remembering Iconic Athletes in Egypt’s Olympics Historical past

Egyptian Olympic Diver “Farid Simaika” performing an exhibition dive from the excessive platform with Frank Kurtz in the course of the Summer time Olympics of Los Angeles | Photograph by Bettmann | California, United States 1932.

As we glance again on our sporting historical past, we discover recollections of courageous and galvanizing athletes who’ve raised Egypt’s identify, cemented their legacies and left a framework for future athletes to observe.

General, since 1912, Egypt has collected 32 Olympic medals and 7 golds, rating it 53rd within the all-time medal desk.

For the reason that starting, Egypt was acknowledged for its matchless efficiency in weightlifting. Out of the whole medals gained by Egyptians, practically half of them (14) have come from weightlifting, and famend names similar to El Sayed Nosseir and Mahmoud Fayad.

Here’s a fast take a look at probably the most inspiring athletes and their legacies:

El Sayed Nosseir

If you happen to haven’t heard of El Sayed Nosseir, you then’ve missed a big a part of Egypt’s Olympics historical past. At simply 22 years previous, Nosseir lifted a powerful 355 kg to e-book a brand new world document, successful Egypt’s very first Olympic gold medal ever in 1928.

On high of that, he additionally set 12 world information within the light-heavyweight and limitless courses, with 4 every within the snatch, clear and jerk.

Ibrahim Moustafa

One other identify to acknowledge and bear in mind in Egypt’s Olympics historical past is Ibrahim Moustafa. In the identical 12 months as El Sayed Nosseir, wrestler Ibrahim Moustafa gave Egypt its second gold medal within the light-heavyweight class.

Following his victory, Moustafa toured Europe and competed in different numerous worldwide tournaments, earlier than he turned a wrestling coach in Egypt and nurtured his son, Adel Ibrahim Moustafa, for the 1948 and 1952 Olympics.

After his dying, the annual Ibrahim Moustafa Worldwide Event was carried out in his honor.

Khadr El Touny

The 1963 Olympics was a particular time for Egypt’s weightlifting information, successful in complete 5 medals that embody two gold, one silver, and two bronze. At simply 20 years previous, the gold was grabbed by Khadr El Touny after lifting 387.5 kg, and who’s acknowledged as the perfect weightlifter of all time. He ranked primary on the checklist of historical past’s 50 best weightlifters by the Worldwide Weightlifting Federation earlier than he was surpassed by Turkey’s Naim Süleymanoğlu in 1996.

His efficiency in the course of the 1936 Olympics can be thought to be one of many best upsets in Olympic historical past, as he was capable of defeat two different German champions who had been anticipated to win the game on their dwelling soil. Impressively, he broke three earlier Olympic and World information on his approach to the gold medal.

El Touny’s legacy is incomparable. Impressed by his efficiency, Germany named a road after him in Berlin, and in Egypt, Nasr Metropolis in Cairo and the Sporting neighborhood of Alexandria additionally gave streets his identify. To today, he’s thought of one of many best Egyptian athletes of all time, breaking a complete of 16 world information, receiving an Olympic gold medal, and incomes 3 world titles.

Ibrahim Shams

After successful bronze within the featherweight weightlifting event on the 1936 Video games, he continued to work onerous on himself for greater than ten years and wait till the 1948 Olympics (after the 2 earlier Olympics had been cancelled because of WW2) and moved up in weight class with nice success, incomes the gold medal and capturing the Olympic light-weight title.

His success on the time made him the second Egyptian to earn two medals after Farid Simaika, who was the primary Egyptian to earn two medals in diving on the 1928 Summer time Olympics.

Farid Simaika

We don’t normally hear of many Egyptian diving athletes, however Farid Simaika was the primary to earn two medals as an Egypt athelete, and gave Egypt its first medals in 1928 after El Sayed Nosseir and Ibrahim Moustafa.

Although he was born in Alexandria, Simaika moved to Los Angles and educated diving below coach Massive Jim Ryan on the Ambassador Lodge Swimming and Athletic Membership. Since he was unable to characterize the USA as a result of he was not a citizen, Simaika represented Egypt on the 1928 summer time Olympic Video games the place he gained a silver medal within the 10-meter platform occasion and the bronze off the 3-meter springboard.

His silver medal was thought to be probably the most controversial occasions in Olympics historical past. Although it was introduced that Simaika had gained the gold medal, it was introduced afterwards {that a} majority of the judges by a vote of 5 to 4 had determined that Desjardins of Miami was the winner. Simaika’s coach Massive Jim Ryan labeled the controversy as blatant racism towards Simaika.

Simaika can be the namesake of a road within the Cairo neighborhood of Heliopolis.

Mahmoud Fayad

Fayad was among the many stars of Egypt’s weightlifters throughout Egypt’s golden years within the sport, but he was capable of achieve his personal highlight consideration on the 1946 World Championships, the place he got here in second behind Sweden’s Arvid Andersson. His prime second got here on the 1948 London Olympics, the place he grabbed the gold medal and broke world information in snatch, clear and jerk, and complete.