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As the world celebrates World Athletics Day, Lebanon’s athletics athletes strive to etch their names into Olympic history.

May 7 marks World Athletics Day, a global celebration aimed at inspiring and educating youth about the significance of athletics, including running, throwing, walking and jumping.

“Athletics is the base of all sports,” underscores Pierre Jalkh, President of the Lebanese Olympic Committee, emphasizing the fundamental role of athletics in sporting culture.

As anticipation builds for the Paris Olympics 2024, Lebanon prepares to showcase its talent on the global stage. Among the notable participants are trap shooter Ray Bassil and Taekwondo athlete Laetitia Aoun. In athletics, Lebanese international runner Mark Anthony Ibrahim and Aziza Sbaity, Lebanon’s fastest woman, are among the potential candidates to qualify for this year’s Olympics, set to take place from July 26 to August 11 in Paris.

For Ibrahim, track and field symbolize freedom. “I used to go every day after school to train. I was kind of running away from the house and enjoying my time while training. It played a major role in my life,” he recalled.

Ibrahim’s recent achievement at the “Grand Prix” in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he won gold in the 400-meter hurdles with a record-breaking time of 49.35 seconds, amplifies his prospects for Olympic qualification.

“Now I’m trying as much as I can to qualify for the Olympics, if not by standards which means I need to run for 48.70 seconds or less. I have the chance to qualify as per world ranking which is the average points of five races and championship performance,” Ibrahim said in an interview with This is Beirut.

Every race contributes to his ranking, necessitating participation in highly competitive events to earn maximum points. With a current world ranking of 41st, he is on the cusp of breaking into the coveted top 40.

Should Ibrahim meet the entry standards, Lebanon stands poised to potentially secure another Olympic berth through a “wild card,” as per Olympic regulations. This provision grants countries the opportunity to nominate athletes whose performances marginally fall short of qualification standards, thereby ensuring equitable representation on the global stage.

“The federation will choose the athlete that will get the wild card based on their performance,” Jalkh noted.

Across the world, athletes are diligently training and participating in competitions to secure a spot in the Olympics.

World Athletics Day extends beyond elite competitions, embodying a celebration of the future generation. Today also marks Kids’ Athletics Day, an annual celebration aimed at encouraging physical activity and engagement among children and young individuals, promoting athleticism and resilience for generations to come.