CAIRO — Egypt will welcome some of the Arab world’s top athletics talents this summer as the country prepares to stage what organisers expect to be the biggest Arab Athletics Championships yet.
The tournament runs from June 20 to 24 at Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia. Both under-16 and under-23 athletes will take part.
Mohamed Abu Fandi — Championship director, Vice-President of the Arab Athletics Federation, and board member of the Egyptian Athletics Federation — has described the upcoming event as a “transformational step” for athletics across the region.
Unlike previous editions, this year’s meeting breaks with tradition by combining both age groups under a single organising committee. However, each group will retain its own technical set-up to ensure fairness and keep competition as sharp as ever.
But the vision stretches far beyond medals and podium moments.
Fourteen countries have confirmed their participation so far, with Egypt as the host nation. The other participating countries include Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Kuwait, Yemen, Bahrain, Oman, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq and Djibouti.
The under-16 competition is seen as the foundation of the championship. Organisers view it as a launchpad for identifying and developing the region’s future stars, giving young athletes a taste of international competition early in their careers.
For under-23 athletes, the event is seen as the final test before they step into the senior elite tier — the stage at which future Olympians and world-class athletes begin to emerge.
The Egyptian Athletics Federation aims to stage a championship that reflects the country’s growing reputation in regional athletics.
The young Pharaohs — the nation’s under-20 athletes — recently finished the 21st Arab Championships in Tunisia second in the medal table with 18 medals, including nine gold, six silver and three bronze.
Particularly eye-catching were the displays from Egypt’s junior women, who shattered African, Arab and national records in the javelin throw, while also setting new marks in the 3,000m steeplechase event.
A pack of rising stars led Egypt’s charge for gold medals. Malak Abdel Ghani stole the show with double gold in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase. Nour Mohamed took top spot in the discus throw.
Aseel Abdel Hamid added another gold in the javelin, while Reem Roshdy soared to victory in the pole vault.
Habiba Hany secured gold in the high jump, and Alaa Tamer topped the podium in the shot put. Mohamed Osama and Yehia Khaled completed Egypt’s golden run with victories in the javelin and shot put respectively.
Egypt also claimed a strong haul of silver medals. Ziad Sherif won silver in the 5,000m race walk, Yehia Khaled added silver in the discus, and Ziad Farouk impressed in the 800m.
Mohamed Wael finished second in the 110m hurdles and Rimas Haitham took silver in the javelin, and Nour Ibrahim added silver in the shot put.
With confidence building and expectations rising, Egyptian athletics looks ready to enter a new era.
