ATHLETES from Syria

Top 3

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Syrian Athletes of all time. This list of famous Syrian Athletes is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Ghada Shouaa (1972 - )

With an HPI of 40.68, Ghada Shouaa is the most famous Syrian Athlete.  Her biography has been translated into 26 different languages on wikipedia.

Ghada Shouaa (Arabic: غادة شعاع; born September 10, 1972) is a retired Syrian heptathlete. At the 1996 Summer Olympics, she won her country's first and only Olympic gold medal. She was also a World and Asian heptathlon champion. She is considered one of the best Asian and Arab female athletes of all time. She was a Syrian flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She has represented Syria in her two strongest multi-event disciplines, the individual high jump and long jump events. She holds the Syrian high jump records with 1.87 m outdoors (1996), in javelin with 54.82 m (1999) in 200 m with 23.78 (1996), in long jump with 6.77 (1996) and in shot put with 16.25 (1999). Shuaa's heptathlon results include finishing 25th at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, 24th at the 1991 World Championships, third at the 1999 World Athletics Championships and first at the 1994 Asian Games. She is also multiple gold medalist at the Arab Athletics Championships. With a performance of 6942 points at the Hypo-Meeting, which moved her into the world all-time Top 25 and she went down in history as the best Asian and Arab heptathlete. Shouaa's career coincided with those of older compatriot, three-time Olympic champion and four-time World champion legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Olympic champion Denise Lewis.

2. Majd Eddin Ghazal (1987 - )

With an HPI of 26.37, Majd Eddin Ghazal is the 2nd most famous Syrian Athlete.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Majd Eddin Ghazal (Arabic: مجد الدين غزال; born 21 April 1987) is a Syrian high jumper. He utilizes the Fosbury Flop style, jumping off his left leg. He was the national flag bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics and at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In the Men's high jump event, he ranked 28th and did not advance to the final in 2012. He qualified for the finals and finished 7th in 2016.

3. Man Asaad (1993 - )

With an HPI of 20.60, Man Asaad is the 3rd most famous Syrian Athlete.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Man Asaad (Arabic: معن أسعد / ALA-LC: Maʻn Asʻad, Arabic pronunciation: [maʕn ˈʔasʕad]; born 20 November 1993) is a Syrian heavyweight weightlifter who competes in the +109 kg category. He won the bronze medal in the men's +109 kg event at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan. He also won bronze medal in the men's +109 kg Clean&Jerk event at the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships held in Bogotá, Colombia.