The Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport event organised by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (CIJM). It is held every four years among athletes from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea in Africa, Asia and Europe. The first Mediterranean Games were held in 1951 in Alexandria, Egypt, while the most recent games were held in 2022 in Oran, Algeria.
The 1977 Arab Athletics Championships was the inaugural edition of the international athletics competition between Arab countries. It took place in Damascus, Syria, coming one year after the city had hosted the 1976 Pan Arab Games. The absence of Egypt, Algeria and Morocco—the three foremost Arab nations in the sport—meant the level of competition was lower than that seen at the games. Iraq was the dominant nation, winning half the gold medals, and Tunisia was a clear second place with five golds. The hosts, Syria, placed third with a medal haul of twelve. Eight of the twelve participating nations reached the medal table.
The 1986 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the second edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Cairo, Egypt. A total of 38 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 16 for women. Algeria, a regional power in the sport, did not send a team.
The 1988 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the third edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Damascus, Syria – the first time the event was staged in West Asia. A total of 41 athletics events were contested, 23 for men and 18 for women. Morocco, a regional power in the sport, did not send a team. Syria entered for the first time.
The 1992 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the fifth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Latakia, Syria – the third consecutive time that the event was staged in the country. Morocco and Egypt, two of the region's most prominent nations in the sport, did not send a team to the competition, which reduced the standard of the performances. A total of 40 athletics events were contested, 23 for men and 17 for women.
The 1994 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the sixth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Tunis, Tunisia. Qatar, after a good performance in 1992, did not send a team to the competition. A total of 42 athletics events were contested, 23 for men and 19 for women.
The 1996 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the seventh edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Latakia, Syria. A total of 41 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 19 for women. Morocco, a regional power in the sport, did not send a team to the meeting.
The 1998 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the eighth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Damascus, Syria – the second time the city hosted the tournament, and a fifth hosting for Syria. Damascus also hosted the senior Arab women's championships that year. A total of 41 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 19 for women. Morocco, a regional power in the sport, did not send a team to the meeting.
The 2000 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the ninth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Damascus, Syria – the second consecutive time the city hosted the tournament, and a sixth hosting for Syria. A total of 42 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 20 for women. Neither Morocco, Algeria nor Qatar—all regional powers in the sport—sent a team to the meeting, which impacted the overall quality of performances.
The 2002 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the tenth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Cairo, Egypt – the city hosted the tournament once before in 1986. A total of 43 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 21 for women. After an absence in 2000, regional powers Morocco, Algeria and Qatar all returned to the tournament.
The 2004 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the eleventh edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Damascus, Syria – the fourth time that the city hosted the tournament. A total of 43 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 21 for women. The 2002 medal table leader, Morocco, was absent from the tournament.
The 2004 Arab Youth Athletics Championships was the inaugural edition of the international athletics competition for under-18 athletes from Arab countries. Organised by the Arab Athletic Federation, it took place in Rabat, Morocco from 31 July to 2 August. A total of thirty-nine events were contested, of which 20 by male and 19 by female athletes, identically matching the programme of the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics. The girls' programme did not have a steeplechase event.
The 2007 Arab Youth Athletics Championships was the second edition of the international athletics competition for under-18 athletes from Arab countries. Organised by the Arab Athletic Federation, it took place in the Syrian capital of Damascus from 27–29 June. A total of thirty-nine events were contested, of which 20 by male and 19 by female athletes, matching the programme of the 2007 World Youth Championships in Athletics bar the exclusion of a girls' steeplechase event.
The 2009 Arab Youth Athletics Championships was the third edition of the international athletics competition for under-18 athletes from Arab countries. Organised by the Arab Athletic Federation, it took place in the Syrian city of Aleppo from 22 to 24 July. A total of thirty-eight events were contested, of which 20 by male and 18 by female athletes. The difference was accounted for by the lack of steeplechase and pole vault events for girls.
The 2013 Arab Youth Athletics Championships was the fourth edition of the international athletics competition for under-18 athletes from Arab countries. Organised by the Arab Athletic Federation, it took place in the Egyptian capital Cairo from 21–23 June. A total of forty events were contested, of which 20 by male and 20 by female athletes. The girls' steeplechase was contested for the first time, making the programme match that of the 2013 World Youth Championships in Athletics. The racewalking events were held on roads, rather than the usual track surface.
The 2008 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the thirteenth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place between 20–23 June in Radès, Tunisia – the second time that the country hosted the tournament. A total of 44 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 22 for women.
The 2014 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the sixteenth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place between 23–26 April in Cairo, Egypt. It was the fifth time that the Egyptian capital hosted the event. A total of 44 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 22 for women.
The 2012 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the fifteenth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place between 16–19 May at Amman International Stadium in Amman, Jordan. It was the first time that Jordan hosted the event. A total of 42 athletics events were contested, 21 for men and 21 for women. The men's 10,000 metres and women's 5000 metres were dropped from the programme for this edition.
The 2010 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the fourteenth edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place between 5–8 May at Cairo Military Academy Stadium in Cairo, Egypt. It was the fourth time that the event was held in the Egyptian capital. A total of 44 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 22 for women.
Sara Samir Elsayed Mohamed Ahmed is an Egyptian weightlifter who won a bronze medal in the women's 69 kg event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won the gold medal in the women's 76 kg event at the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships held in Bogotá, Colombia. Originally from the Ismailia Governorate, Ahmed was encouraged to take part in weightlifting by her family and was competing internationally by 2012. At the senior level, she has earned gold medals at the Mediterranean and African Games, as well as the Arab Championships. In Rio de Janeiro, she became the first Arab woman to receive an Olympic weightlifting medal and the first Egyptian woman to receive an Olympic medal on the podium in any discipline.
Nawal Zayoud (SYR)
Sabrine Ibrahim (EGY)
Palestine (PLE)
