Get ready for an episode as dynamic and power-packed as our guest with Aziza Sbaity, officially the Fastest Woman in Lebanese History. We caught up with Aziza back in October 2023, fresh off her first track and field training session of the season, as she set her sights on qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At the time of recording, Aziza has had a phenomenal year in 2023:
- Gold in the 200m sprint at the West Asian Athletics Championships (April).
- Gold in the 200m sprint and silver in the 100m at the Arab Athletics Championship (June).
- Breaking her own 100m national record for the SIXTH time in May, clocking an impressive 11.54 seconds!
But beyond the medals and records, Aziza shares a deep introspection about her performance at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships, which led to a newfound respect for her body and maturity as an athlete.
In this compelling episode, published on October 16th, 2023, Aziza discusses her move from Liberia to Lebanon at age 10 and how her mixed heritage shaped her childhood and views on identity and representation in sports. We delve into what it takes to be an Olympic hopeful in a highly competitive arena, the challenges of limited resources in Lebanon, and the persistent will to grow access to sports for everyone, a mission Aziza passionately supports through her community initiatives.
This chat also offers a fascinating guide to mastering the mind, drawing on Japanese concepts of self-reflection and how elite athletes navigate immense expectations.
🎧 Listen to the episode now
📸 Follow Aziza‘s journey
Listen to our Beirut International Marathon coverage:
- Francoise Nehme: Director of Operations for the Beirut International Marathon.
- “Can anyone run a marathon?”
- “My First Marathon Debrief”
