- 17
- Jan.
- 2025
Until January 23, the 2025 Winter Universiade organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) is taking place in Italy, with the Lebanese delegation participating with an ambitious and diverse team.
The Lebanese athletes are mainly competing in skiing events.
The races will take place across six different venues: Turin, Pragelato, Bardonecchia, Sestriere, Torre Pellice, and Pinerolo.
Over 2,500 athletes from 54 nations are expected, and the Lebanese delegation is determined to make an impact with its six representatives:
Charbel Kairouz (NDU), Paolo Hobeich (AUB), Ryan Akiki (UL), Ziad Chehab (AUB), Christa Rahme (USJ), and Manon Chad (AUB).
Ziad Chehab, representing the American University of Beirut (AUB) at the 2025 Winter Universiade, gave an interview to Ici Beyrouth, where he shared his experiences and goals.
"I had to participate and win competitions in Lebanon in slalom (SL) and giant slalom (GS). The difficulty in Lebanon is balancing both sport and university studies. One has to sacrifice either one or the other to some extent to achieve their goals."
Regarding his race schedule, the young skier said: "We have training sessions throughout the week. The competition dates are January 19 for the giant slalom, January 22 for slalom, and January 20 for the parallel team event."
"I’m participating in slalom and giant slalom. I will probably also participate in the parallel team event, but that’s not confirmed yet."
Ziad added: "My goal is to beat nations that can realistically be beaten, meaning those with approximately the same amount of training hours as us. While most countries here have a very high level, most are European, where snow is abundant."
Finally, when speaking about the significance of representing Lebanon internationally, the skier said: "It’s an honor to represent Lebanon on the international stage. It seems that 2025 is a good year for Lebanon in all sectors. Hopefully, we will also make progress in skiing."
Christa Rahme, 19, is an economics student representing Saint Joseph University (USJ). "My passion for skiing started very early, at the age of three, thanks to my father who passed on his love for the sport."
"I’ve been part of the Lebanese Ski Federation since I was young, which allowed me to develop and stay engaged in this field."
Her passion and dedication have led her to proudly represent Lebanon in various international competitions, including the Junior and Senior World Championships, the University Championships, and the Asian Championships.
At the 2025 Winter Universiade, Christa is also competing in slalom and giant slalom. "I consider these Games to be an important step in my career, as they allow me to compete against top-level athletes from around the world."
Her ultimate goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games, and she is intensely preparing for the national competitions in Lebanon, which will serve as qualifiers.
Our young skiers are training with determination to proudly represent their respective universities at the 2025 Winter Games. Manon and Christa will be the first to compete, starting Saturday, January 18, while Charbel, Paolo, Ziad, and Ryan will begin their journey on Sunday, January 19.
We wish them the best of luck and are confident that they will proudly carry the colors of their universities and Lebanon.
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