Egyptian hero Ahmed El-Gendy recalls ‘crazy’ reaction to Olympic gold as he targets greater heights in 2025

Egyptian hero Ahmed El-Gendy recalls ‘crazy’ reaction to Olympic gold as he targets greater heights in 2025
Ahmed Elgendy of Egypt celebrates winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics — Modern Pentathlon — Men’s Final Laser Run — at Chateau de Versailles, Versailles, on Aug. 10, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 15 January 2025
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Egyptian hero Ahmed El-Gendy recalls ‘crazy’ reaction to Olympic gold as he targets greater heights in 2025

Egyptian hero Ahmed El-Gendy recalls ‘crazy’ reaction to Olympic gold as he targets greater heights in 2025
  • Winner of modern pentathlon at the 2024 Games spoke to Arab News about success in Paris, Mohamed Salah and challenges this year

LONDON: As Egyptian pentathlete Ahmed El-Gendy rounded the last corner in Paris last summer, he pounded his chest and looked to the heavens.

This was it. He had been told as a child that he could be a future Olympic champion and here he was, 15 years later, fulfilling his first coach’s prediction by winning gold in the modern pentathlon at the 2024 Games.

El-Gendy’s gold was just reward for a lifetime of toil, competing against the odds in a sport that — since its Olympic debut in 1912 — had been largely dominated by Europeans.

On the final day of the 2024 Olympics, the 24-year-old became the first Egyptian, Arab and African athlete to be crowned modern pentathlon champion.

“It feels fresh in my mind, like it was yesterday,” El-Gendy told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “Just a couple of days ago, the Olympics posted a video on their Instagram and it showed those last 50 meters again when I crossed the line. It gave me goosebumps.

“When I think back it just felt unreal. For three years, since I got silver in Tokyo, I was dreaming of this gold. These were tough years, with injuries and a lot of struggles, but finally I made it to a gold medal in the Olympics.”

Modern pentathlon is a complex, multi-disciplinary event that requires its competitors to demonstrate an impressive range of sporting skills. It has traditionally involved swimming, fencing, showjumping, running and shooting.

The latter two has been paired in recent years in what has been termed a “laser run,” designed to create an entertaining finale to the event.

It was in the laser run at the 2021 Tokyo Games that El-Gendy first emerged as an elite contender, producing a stirring performance to claim silver. Seemingly an also-ran in 13th place heading into the final race, the then-21-year-old left the field in his wake to finish as Olympic runner-up.

Despite suffering injuries in the intervening years, El-Gendy found himself among the favorites for gold when the Olympics came to Paris last summer. And he duly delivered, setting a new Olympic and world record in in the process.

“These records are a big thing because they put you on another level,” El-Gendy said. “Very few world records were broken in the Paris Olympics so I was very proud of it. It was a great moment for me.

“This time, I was a little more stressed because in Tokyo I wasn’t expected to get the silver medal and I was still young but in Paris, all eyes were on me.

“I tried to deal with it by treating it like it was my first Olympics, trying to feel no pressure. People were talking about me as a potential champion but it was only when I had built up a big enough gap that I felt confident that it was my medal.”

El-Gendy’s gold was only the ninth won by an Egyptian athlete in the history of the Olympics and the first by an Egyptian man since Karam Gaber was crowned Greco-Roman wrestling champion in Athens in 2004.

Unsurprisingly, the reception El-Gendy received when he returned to Cairo from Paris was rapturous.

“It was crazy,” he said of the welcome in the Egyptian capital. “There were friends and family of course, but then just so many other people and media.

“The Egyptian people are very emotional so when they see someone is in a position to win something, they support that person with all their power and all the energy.

“I felt this in Paris. I saw on social media that people were putting their hopes on me, that they were really watching and that they really wanted me to win.

“It made me very happy and I was very proud to get this medal for Egypt.”

Among those offering congratulations was Egypt’s most famous athlete. Not only did Mohamed Salah get in touch with El-Gendy, the Liverpool star led his fellow Pharaohs in a guard of honor for the pentathlete and Egypt’s other Olympians.

“We had conversations, messages,” El-Gendy said, smiling. “He commented on my post on Instagram; he just wrote the number one.

“Then when we returned back to Egypt, there was a training camp for the football team so we went to the stadium and it was amazing because as the captain of the national team, Mo Salah was the first one in this line. He seemed to be very happy and very proud of us.”

El-Gendy is already plotting the defense of his Olympic crown at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles but the Egyptian will face, quite literally, a new set of obstacles.

With the future of modern pentathlon as an Olympic event under threat, its governing body, the UIPM or Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne, has taken drastic steps to ensure inclusion for 2028.

One of its long-standing disciplines, showjumping, has been replaced by obstacle racing — think Ninja Warrior — in a bid to make pentathlon more accessible and audience-friendly.

El-Gendy admits opinion among athletes has been divided but that he understands the change is necessary for pentathlon’s preservation.

“Whenever any decisions are taken in sport, people will disagree,” El-Gendy said. “A few years ago people were upset when the laser run became one event, but now we can see it is more interesting for the spectators and the athletes too.

“Some people do not want to accept it and others are supporting it, but it had to be done. We had this threat that modern pentathlon wouldn’t make it to the Los Angeles Games without this change so we had to do it.

“I feel sad in a way because I have been doing this sport for 15 years but it will make pentathlon more accessible to so many countries.

“Now that we don’t need horses, we can see many other countries competing and winning at the Olympics and World Championships, not just those who can afford to have the conditions for showjumping.”

While El-Gendy is welcoming the opportunity to hone a new sporting skill, he recognizes that an existing shoulder injury might make obstacle racing particularly challenging for him.

However, the pentathlete — like many of those who competed at the 2024 Olympics — is dedicating the first half of this year to training for obstacle racing before entering his first event of 2025 in the summer.

For Egypt’s gold medal hero, there is one driving force that will keep him going for the next three-and-a-half years.

“My goal is to train hard and really get into the obstacles, to be very very good at it so that by 2027, 2028, I can be at the top and in Los Angeles to defend my Olympic title,” El-Gendy said.

“When I do something I have to be the best at it, there’s no other option for me. I don’t want to be a silver medalist at Los Angeles 2028, I want to win gold. I will work so hard for it and give it my all to win another gold in LA.”


Finishing touches being put on Pakistan stadiums ahead of ICC Champions Trophy

Finishing touches being put on Pakistan stadiums ahead of ICC Champions Trophy
Updated 21 January 2025
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Finishing touches being put on Pakistan stadiums ahead of ICC Champions Trophy

Finishing touches being put on Pakistan stadiums ahead of ICC Champions Trophy
  • Eight-team 50-overs tournament will be first global competition held in Pakistan in 28 years
  • India will play all their matches in Dubai due to political tensions with the northern neighbor

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) this week allayed fears about the preparedness of the venues for this year’s Champions Trophy as they welcomed media for a tour of Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Arshad Khan, manager of National Bank Stadium, addresses media persons regarding the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)

The eight-team 50-overs tournament will be the first global competition to be held in Pakistan in 28 years.
India, however, will play all their matches in Dubai due to political tensions with their Northern neighbors.

Laborers work during a media tour, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)

Stadiums in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are being upgraded for the tournament whose success could invite more global tournaments to a country, which was deemed unsafe to tour after a 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lankan cricketers.

Journalists attend a media tour organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)

“We are in the finishing phase. Our work is almost complete, the finishing touches remain. We will complete it by the end of this month,” PCB director of infrastructure, Qazi Jawad, told Reuters in Lahore.
The stadium’s capacity has been increased to accommodate 35,000 fans while new hospitality areas have also been constructed.

Laborers work during a media tour, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)

Lahore and Karachi will host a tri-nation series involving New Zealand and South Africa next month to prove their readiness for the Champions Trophy beginning on February 19.

Laborers work during a media tour, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)

 


Dubai BC coach says late defeat by Cedevita Olimpija is ‘unacceptable’

Dubai BC coach says late defeat by Cedevita Olimpija is ‘unacceptable’
Updated 21 January 2025
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Dubai BC coach says late defeat by Cedevita Olimpija is ‘unacceptable’

Dubai BC coach says late defeat by Cedevita Olimpija is ‘unacceptable’
  • The Slovenian team won 85-84 at Coca-Cola Arena with just seconds to go, thanks to a free throw

DUBAI: The coach of Dubai Basketball said his team’s defeat by Slovenian powerhouse Cedevita Olimpija on Sunday was “unacceptable” after his team suffered 19 turnovers at Coca-Cola Arena.

The teams were locked at 84-84 with just seconds remaining when the visitors capitalized on a crucial free throw to claim victory by a single point, running out at 85-84.

Dubai’s latest addition Jerry Boutsiele, playing at home for the first time since joining the team, delivered an outstanding performance with 18 points and eight rebounds. Davis Bertans matched his tally with 18 points and six rebounds and their efforts kept Dubai in the game until the very end.

However, it would be the team’s uncharacteristic turnovers that allowed the game to slip away.

Head coach Jurica Golemac highlighted the challenges his team faced, particularly in the third quarter where they conceded 32 points.

“This is unacceptable for a team like us,” Golemac said. “The 19 turnovers in the end cost us the win. We fought hard in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. It’s a [team] sport, and we need to keep working.”

Bertans added: “There’s a lot to learn from every game. It’s a new team, and as long as we keep improving, the season is only going to get better.”

Cedevita Olimpija’s head coach, Zvezdan Mitrovic, praised his team’s composure and focus, despite their grueling schedule.

“This is our fourth game in one week, traveling from Bulgaria to Lithuania, and now Dubai. I want to congratulate my players for their effort and for enjoying the beautiful Coca-Cola Arena atmosphere,” he said.

The game was not just about competition but also celebration.

Lebanese basketball star Fadi El Khatib, recently inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame Class of 2025, was honored on court with a signed jersey. The team also welcomed an honored guest, the president of Basketball Club Bosna Sarajevo Dubravko Barbaric, renowned as a true ambassador of the sport and a strong supporter of Dubai Basketball. Antonello Riva, Italy’s all-time leading scorer, was also present.

Dubai Basketball will travel to face Mega MIS on Jan. 27 before returning home to take on Borac Mozzart at Coca-Cola Arena on Feb. 2.


Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph

Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph
Updated 21 January 2025
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Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph

Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph
  • Capitals’ Gulbadin Naib led the charge with 78, while Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan claimed 3 wickets each

DUBAI: The Desert Vipers’ undefeated streak finally ended on Monday as the Dubai Capitals delivered a stunning six-wicket victory at the Dubai International Stadium.

A dominant bowling performance, spearheaded by Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan’s three-wicket hauls, restricted the Vipers to 139. Gulbadin Naib then led the chase with a fiery 78-run innings off 51 balls, ensuring the Capitals broke a three-match losing streak.

The Desert Vipers still lead the DP World ILT20 table after five matches of the competition’s third season.

Despite the low first innings total, skipper Lockie Ferguson kept the Vipers in the game with a sizzling opening spell. Ferguson picked up Ben Dunk and Khalid Shah in the second over to leave the Capitals in trouble at 17/2.

Though the run rate was on track, opener Shai Hope was run out for eight runs, following a mix-up with Naib in the sixth over.

Naib, who was also dropped for two runs earlier in the innings, redeemed himself in the very next over as he took down Nathan Sowter for three sixes, bringing the required run rate to less than six runs an over.

With Sikandar Raza at one end, Naib blitzed his way to a 31-ball half-century, including two fours and three sixes. The pair brought up a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket in 36 balls.

As a result, at the 14-over mark, the Capitals were in the driver’s seat needing 32 runs in 36 balls.

Raza, who had taken few chances, was caught off Mohammad Amir’s shorter one for 24 runs in 26 balls in the 15th over. Najibullah Zadran joined Naib as the latter continued to dominate the Vipers’ bowling attack. Naib launched two more sixes as the Capitals scaled the target in 17.4 overs.

Batting first, the Vipers made a brisk start, reaching 48/1 at the end of the powerplay. Fakhar Zaman set the tone early, smashing a six and a four before being bowled by Chameera in the second over.

Dan Lawrence, batting at three, matched Zaman’s intent, while Alex Hales anchored the innings from the other end.

However, the Capitals took control in the middle phase despite a 58-run stand between Hales and Lawrence. The Vipers suffered a triple blow in quick succession, losing Hales, Lawrence, and Sam Curran across three overs.

Haider Ali dismissed Hales for 34 in the 10th over, followed by Lawrence’s 24-run effort being curtailed by Naib. Curran was then stumped off Sikandar Raza for three runs, leaving the Vipers struggling at 80/4 in 11.3 overs.

The collapse continued as the Vipers were bowled out for 139 in 20 overs. Brief contributions from Azam Khan (10) and Wanindu Hasaranga (13) ended with both falling to Zahir Khan.

Sherfane Rutherford provided a glimmer of hope, striking three sixes in his 27 runs off 24 balls, but Chameera struck for the third time in the penultimate over to halt his charge.

Player of the Match Naib said: “We were at the bottom of the table, so we were looking for momentum. There’s still a long way to go. It’s not easy facing bowlers of this quality.

“Luckily, I gave myself some time. After the drinks break, the staff told me I was looking good, so I said to Sikandar, ‘I will play to my strengths.’”

The Desert Vipers’ captain, Ferguson, said: “It was a tough one. We were probably a few runs short and had some chances. They bowled well, and the pitch spun. There’s a quick turnaround again, but the boys have been batting beautifully.”

Brief Scores

Dubai Capitals beat Desert Vipers by 6 wickets.

Desert Vipers 139/10 in 19.5 overs (Alex Hales 34, Sherfane Rutherford 27, Dan Lawrence 24, Dushmantha Chameera 3 for 26, Zahir Khan 3 for 34, Haider Ali 1 for 17).

Dubai Capitals 140/4 in 17.4 overs (Gulbadin Naib 78 not out, Sikandar 24, Ben Dunk 13, Lockie Ferguson 2 for 29, Mohammad Amir 1 for 31).

Player of the Match: Gulbadin Naib


Swiatek steps into unknown against Navarro in Melbourne quarters

Swiatek steps into unknown against Navarro in Melbourne quarters
Updated 20 January 2025
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Swiatek steps into unknown against Navarro in Melbourne quarters

Swiatek steps into unknown against Navarro in Melbourne quarters
  • All the Pole’s wins in Melbourne have come in straight sets and she has dropped only 11 games

MELBOURNE: Iga Swiatek said Monday she was stepping into the unknown against Emma Navarro after the pair had wildly contrasting runs to their Australian Open quarterfinal clash. 

Swiatek showed no mercy to end “lucky loser” Eva Lys’s historic run, marching into the last eight 6-0, 6-1 in an hour. 

All the Pole’s wins in Melbourne have come in straight sets and she has dropped only 11 games. 

By contrast, Navarro spent 2hr 40min on court, blowing three second-set match points before beating Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 as she was taken the distance for a fourth match in a row. 

“I don’t know what I’m expecting,” said five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek of the American Navarro. 

“We played in 2018, but I’m not going to count this. 

“I have to treat Emma as someone that I never played. We both made huge progress since that time. It’s a bit different when you don’t know the opponent that well.” 

The world No. 2 has spent less than five hours on court at the first Grand Slam of the year, while eighth seed Navarro has been extended to more than double that playing time. 

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic got the mea culpas he wanted from a local broadcaster and its employee who insulted him on the air and so, according to tournament organizers, the 24-time Grand Slam champion is ready to concentrate on his quarterfinal showdown with Carlos Alcaraz.

“Novak acknowledges the apology has been given in public as requested," read a statement issued Monday by Tennis Australia, "and is now moving on and focusing on his next match.” 

Also on Monday, Jannik Sinner battled dizzy spells to reach an Australian Open quarterfinal against Alex de Minaur, admitting a long interruption when he accidentally broke the net was “big, big luck.” 

The world No. 1 and defending champion dropped a set before coming home 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 against Danish 13th seed Holger Rune on Rod Laver Arena. 

Sinner struggled in the hot Melbourne conditions, his hand visibly shaking and his heart rate taken in the third set before he left court for a medical timeout. 

There was then a bizarre 20-minute delay when Sinner demolished the metal brace that secures the net to the floor with a thunderous serve early in set four. 

“I was not feeling really well. You know, I think we saw that today I was struggling physically,” said Sinner, 23, who is bidding to become the first Italian man to win three Grand Slam crowns. 

He refused to say exactly what was wrong with him, only that he was “not there health-wise” and had been “a bit dizzy at times.” 

“I don’t want to go into details. I think it was, you know, then also with the pressure and everything, it was not easy.” 

He admitted that the time off court in air-conditioning while officials repaired the net helped him refresh. 

“I was lucky today that ... 20 minutes off court, you know, trying to get back physically, putting some cold water in my head, it was very helpful. It was big, big luck to me today.” 

Sinner is bidding to defend a Grand Slam title for the first time after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final last year. 

His win put him into a clash against home hope De Minaur, who brushed past American Alex Michelsen 6-0, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to make his maiden Australian Open quarterfinal. 

De Minaur wiped the floor with Michelsen in the opening set, but his serve then faltered and he was forced to a close tiebreak after the American staged a fightback. 

But De Minaur broke with a forehand winner in the sixth game of the third set and pulled away for the win. 

“It means the world,” said De Minaur. “There’s nothing I want to do more than play well here in Australia. So glad I finally made the quarterfinals ... But let’s go for bigger and better things.” 

As temperatures rose above 30 Celsius, Sinner assumed control against Rune by breaking to love.


McCullum sees India series as ideal prep for Champions Trophy in Pakistan

McCullum sees India series as ideal prep for Champions Trophy in Pakistan
Updated 20 January 2025
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McCullum sees India series as ideal prep for Champions Trophy in Pakistan

McCullum sees India series as ideal prep for Champions Trophy in Pakistan
  • The tourists, led by Jos Buttler, will face India in the first of five T20 internationals in Kolkata on Wednesday
  • India series marks England’s first limited-overs tour under coach McCullum, previously in charge only of Test side

KOLKATA: England coach Brendon McCullum said Monday he hopes his side emerge from a host of limited overs matches against India in “good shape” for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
The tourists, led by Jos Buttler, will face India in the first of five T20 internationals at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
The India series marks England’s first limited-overs tour under McCullum, previously in charge only of the Test side.
“I’m desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket,” McCullum told reporters. “With the talent we have, there’s no reason we can’t.”
The teams will play three one-day matches, before they move into the eight-team ODI Champions Trophy starting February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.
“We’ll use the next few weeks to try and hit the ground running, I’m sure there will be some times where we don’t quite get it right,” he added.
“But, hopefully, we will chisel away at that over the next few weeks, and we’ll be in good shape come that Champions Trophy.”
The 43-year-old McCullum said Buttler, who will only play as a batsman and not keep wicket on the tour, will leave a lasting legacy as England’s white-ball leader.
“He’s in a really good space, he’s excited about the team we’ve got, and excited about the opportunity that sits in front of us,” the former New Zealand skipper said.
“I’m sure we’ll see Jos over the next couple of years really enjoy himself, and hopefully finish with a real strong enjoyment for the game at the back end of his career.”
But India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, remain the favorites on home turf — and have been boosted by the return of fast bowler Mohammed Shami after he recovered from a foot injury.
Shami, 34, last played for India in the ODI World Cup final in November 2023 and recently participated in a few domestic matches to mark his return to competitive cricket.
“It’s a really good sign for us,” India’s T20 vice-captain Axar Patel said. “We hope he continues what he did in the World Cup.”