Lebanon competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's 17th appearance at the Summer Olympics. Lebanon did not attend the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, as a response to the Suez Crisis.
The Lebanese Olympic Committee sent a total of nine athletes, four men and five women, to compete in seven sports at the Games. The Lebanese team featured two returning Olympians from London 2012: American-born foil fencer Mona Shaito and world's top-ranked shooter Ray Bassil in the women's trap. Almost half of the roster, including Bassil and slalom canoeist Richard Merjan, were granted invitations by the Tripartite Commission to the Games, due to their recent achievements. Meanwhile, half-middleweight judoka and Brazil-raised athlete Nacif Elias, who was later disqualified for an allegedly illegal joint lock on Argentina's Emmanuel Lucenti in his opening bout, led the Lebanese squad as the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony.
Lebanon, however, failed to win its first Olympic medal, since the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, where Greco-Roman wrestler Hassan Bchara took the bronze in the super heavyweight category.
Athletics
Lebanese athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):
Track & road events AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankAhmad HazerMen's 110 m hurdles15.507Did not advanceChirine NjeimWomen's marathoncolspan="4" 2:51:08109
Canoeing
Slalom Lebanon received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send Richard Merjan in the men's C-1 race, signifying the nation's Olympic debut in the sport.
AthleteEventPreliminarySemifinalFinalRun 1RankRun 2RankBestRankTimeRankTimeRankRichard MerjanMen's C-1120.2018121.6716120.2019Did not advance
Fencing
Lebanon entered one fencer into the Olympic competition. London 2012 Olympian Mona Shaito secured a spot in the women's foil as one of the two highest-ranked fencers from Asia outside the world's top 14 in the FIE Adjusted Official Rankings. She lost in her first bout.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankMona ShaitoWomen's foilL 3–15Did not advance
Judo
Lebanon qualified one judoka for the men's half-middleweight category (81 kg) at the Games. Nacif Elias was ranked among the top 22 eligible judokas for men in the IJF World Ranking List of 30 May 2016. He lost in his first match.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankNacif EliasMen's −81 kgL 000–100Did not advance
Shooting
Lebanon received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send London 2012 Olympian Ray Bassil in the women's trap, as long as the minimum qualifying score (MQS) was met by March 31, 2016. She failed to advance past the preliminary round.
AthleteEventQualificationSemifinalFinalPointsRankPointsRankPointsRankRay BassilWomen's trap6514Did not advance Qualification Legend: Q = Qualify for the next round; q = Qualify for the bronze medal (shotgun)
Swimming
Lebanon received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics. Both swimmers failed to advance past the preliminary round.
AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankAnthony BarbarMen's 50 m freestyle23.7750Did not advanceGabrielle DoueihyWomen's 400 m freestyle4:31.2131colspan=2 Did not advance
Table tennis
Lebanon entered one athlete into the table tennis competition at the Games. Mariana Sahakian secured the Olympic spot in the women's singles as the highest-ranked table tennis player coming from the West Asia zone at the Asian Qualification Tournament in Hong Kong. She lost and was eliminated in her first match.
AthleteEventPreliminaryRound 1Round 2Round 3Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankMariana SahakianWomen's singles L 3–4Did not advance
References
External links