Lebanese sprinter Marc-Anthony Ibrahim breaks national 400-meter hurdles record

L'Orient-Le Jour

4 days ago

Sprinter Marc-Anthony Ibrahim, 22, broke the national record for the 400-meter hurdles on Saturday at the IFAM Putpost Stadium in Oordegem, Brussels, Belgium, with a time of 48.95 seconds. This earned him the highest score ever recorded by a Lebanese athlete in the World Athletics (the international athletics federation) world rankings, with 1,183 points. "He is making history once again," said Lebanese athlete Aziza Sbaity on her Instagram account.
Living in Hadath, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Ibrahim began competing professionally in 2021. That year, he posted a score of 54.91 seconds on the same circuit. "This improvement of exactly six seconds in four years is significant," he stated. "Between the economic crisis, the pandemic, and the recent war [between Hezbollah and Israel], with bombings occurring just 500 meters from my home, I am proud to be able to be competitive on a global scale."
Toward the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
Ibrahim said that he participated in this race in Belgium "without a sponsor": "My club, Let's Run, funds races in Lebanon, and struggles to do so abroad, even though it has managed on occasion." His expenses, which he estimates at "between $200 and $300" for the plane ticket and five days of accommodation in Brussels, were completely paid for "by a friend."
"In Lebanon, we do not have the chance to participate in high-level tournaments because we lack the connections to do so, and athletics has no exposure in the country. This is a real problem for taking part in international tournaments," he said. In Lebanon, the young athlete trains at three stadiums in the capital: at Antonine University, whose track is 300 meters, not 400, at the American University of Beirut and at the City Sports Center.
The athlete's next goal: the World Athletics Championships, which will take place from Sept. 13 to 21 in Tokyo. To do this, he must be among the top 40 runners in the 400-meter hurdles in the World Athletics world rankings, which are evaluated based on a points system awarded according to athletes' performances and the level of the tournament that will be reviewed "in two weeks." His latest performance has not yet been factored into the world rankings, where he is currently in 67th place.
"I should be in the top 50 right now. Last year, I couldn't participate in the Olympic Games because I was 47th. I hope I can qualify this time!" he stated.