Three young athletes will represent Lebanon at the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, running from October 31 to November 13. icibeyrouth.com reported that the delegation features Teressa Chayeb in judo, Thea Obeid in swimming, and Ramzi Hilal in boxing, marking Lebanon’s fourth appearance at the summer edition of the youth games.
Delegation Unveiled at Baabda
Presented on October 23, at Baabda, the three-person team brings varied international experience to a shared milestone. The campaign spans three distinct disciplines: a tatami for judo, a swimming pool for races, and a ring for boxing. For Lebanon, the trip to Senegal represents an opportunity to test developing talent against a global generation of competitors.
The event itself carries historical weight. For the first time, an Olympic-branded sports event will take place on the African continent. Organizers expect approximately 2,700 athletes to gather in Senegal, with events distributed across Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly. The program features 25 competitive sports and 153 medal events.
Thea Obeid Targets Breaststroke Benchmarks
Thea Obeid enters the swimming competition with established times in breaststroke events. World Aquatics records show her personal best in the 50-meter distance at 32.10 seconds, set in May in Austria. In the 100-meter event, she clocked 1:12.78 at the 2025 World Junior Championships in Romania. Both marks were achieved in long-course pools, offering a clear baseline for her development.
Obeid also earned a gold medal in the 15–16 age group 50-meter breaststroke at the 2025 Arab Championships in Morocco, finishing in 32.52 seconds. In Senegal, she will work alongside her coach, Mohammad Sakr. Her performance will hinge on executing efficient turns, starts, and underwater phases while managing pressure against elite junior competitors.
Teressa Chayeb Advances to the Global Tatami
Teressa Chayeb appears on the entry lists published by the International Judo Federation for the under-63 kg category. Training out of Bouddha Sports City, she competed in July at the Asian Cadet Championships, where she faced India’s Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada. The upcoming bouts in Senegal extend that international seasoning.
On the mat, the Lebanese judoka must establish her grips, create off-balance opportunities, and initiate attacks without exposing herself to counter-throws. Moving from continental competition to a global field provides a direct measure of her progress, match by match, requiring tactical composure during closely contested exchanges.
Ramzi Hilal Enters the Boxing Ring With Regional Experience
Ramzi Hilal brings prior international tournament experience to his bouts in the under-54 kg division. His record includes an appearance in the under-54 kg bracket at the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. In March, he also competed at the World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok in the under-55 kg category, matching up against Azerbaijan’s Nihat Gasimov.
Wissam Hilal joins him in the technical corner for the Senegal fixtures. The young boxer faces the core demands of his weight class: maintaining distance, stringing together effective combinations, and defending without ceding the initiative. Ring management and punch accuracy will dictate the outcomes in his bouts.
Historical Context From Past Youth Games
Lebanon’s history at the Summer Youth Olympic Games includes one previous podium finish. At the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore, Michel Samaha captured a bronze medal in taekwondo in the under-73 kg category. After defeating Tosh van Dijk in the quarterfinals, Samaha reached the semifinals before losing to Aliaskhab Sirazhov.
Following Singapore, Lebanon sent delegations to the 2014 Games in Nanjing and the 2018 Games in Buenos Aires. Dakar now hosts the fourth chapter of this journey, providing a competitive international arena that remains distinct from senior Olympic competition.
Competition Schedule in Senegal
The Youth Olympic Games run from October 31 through November 13, across venues in Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly. The delegation will begin competition following the opening ceremonies as the 153 medal events get underway.
