Lebanon won its first bronze medal at the Francophonie Games currently taking place in Kinshasa, in table tennis, following the defeat of the team consisting of Mariam and Saad El-Habch against Romania with a score of 0-2 in the semifinals of the singles competition. The Lebanese duo was unable to keep up with their Romanian counterparts, who include players that have previously won titles at the World Championships. It is possible for the El-Habch duo to win a second medal in doubles.
In other results, Nour El-Din Hadid qualified for the semifinals of the 100m event after finishing second in his group during the heats. Meanwhile, Aziza Sebti, who is recovering from a minor injury, will only compete in the 200m race as per medical advice. The rest of the athletes continue their training under the supervision of the head of the delegation, Vice President of the Union Nadia Naim.
The cycling team finished among the top ten in their competition, which was won by world champions. Abdul Aziz Al-Mani placed tenth, while his compatriot Kamal Al-Deen Nafez came in fourteenth among sixty competitors.
On another note, the women’s basketball team continues its preparations for the match against Congo Brazzaville tomorrow, Tuesday, in the quarterfinals. Coach Nelly Nassar emphasized seriousness and discipline in training and matches, indicating the possibility of overcoming the Congolese team and qualifying for the semifinals, which could secure Lebanon a medal.
The youth football team is also training in preparation for their match against Niger next Wednesday. Coach Bilal Fleifel stated that after the good result achieved against Cameroon, the players feel a sense of responsibility and are preparing seriously to advance past this stage. Judokas and athletes with disabilities are also preparing for their competitions within the games with strong support from the head of the delegation, General Director of Sports Facilities and Scouting, Mohammed Oweidat, and his deputy, Head of the Office, Fadia Halal.
Culturally, delegation head Kevork Kichichian expressed optimism about singer Serge Nader and musician Arin Dounarian qualifying for the final round after their wonderful performance in the first round before the jury, which showed clear admiration. Nader and Dounarian performed two songs in French, the first titled "Beirut, My Love" (Beyrouth mon amour) and "We Are Lebanese" (Nous sommes Libanais). They are also working on composing two more songs in preparation for the final round.
In turn, painter Wassim Kamouh has begun working on his painting, which he is expected to complete by Saturday and present to the jury, after having previously showcased an initial piece that he brought with him from Lebanon.
