PARIS: The presence of Palestinian athletes at the Paris Olympic Games is already a major victory for the team amid the conflict in the Middle East, they said on Saturday, less than a week before the start of the Olympics.
The Palestinian team for the Games starting on Friday consists of six athletes who will be competing in boxing, judo, taekwondo, shooting and swimming, with slim hopes of a medal.”Whether a medal or not, we already win,” swimmer Yazan Al Bawwab told Reuters.
“The fact that we’re here. The fact that people don’t want us to be here, they don’t want us to play sports. They don’t want us to exist.”
“People don’t want Palestinians to exist. They look at the flag and they don’t want it. So to be here is a win,” said Al Bawwab, who will be the team’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony.
About 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were seized and taken as hostages to Gaza in an attack on southern Israel led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas last Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies.
The Israeli military offensive launched in response in Hamas-governed Gaza has killed almost 39,000 Palestinians, health officials in the Palestinian enclave say. Israel says 326 of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza.
In the run-up to the Paris Olympics, Palestinian athletes had been given support by Arab states, including Kuwait, Qatar, Libya and Egypt, to allow training in those countries.
Palestinian sports officials have said that since the start of the conflict in October 2023 more than 300 athletes, referees and sports officials have been killed and all sports facilities in Gaza demolished.
“I said it before but I’m one of the luckiest people in the world,” swimmer Valerie Tarazi said. “I have the opportunity to compete for my country, to raise the flag for my country.”
“My heart is with them. Every time I swim, every time I jump in the pool, I’m thinking about the people of Palestine, their struggles. And I just want to represent them in the best way possible.”
![]()
Palestinians are winners by just being at Paris Games, say athletes
Short Url
https://arab.news/puswx
Palestinians are winners by just being at Paris Games, say athletes
’Believing’ Alcaraz outlasts Zverev in epic to reach maiden Melbourne final
- World number one outlasts German third seed over a titanic match over five hours in hot conditions
- Should he snap the drought he would be the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors
MELBOURNE: An ailing Carlos Alcaraz said “believing” helped him pull through one of the most demanding matches of his career to down Alexander Zverev in five epic sets and reach his first Australian Open final Friday.
The world number one outlasted the German third seed 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5 over a titanic 5hrs 27 mins in hot conditions and will play either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s title match in Melbourne.
The Spaniard only narrowly avoided crashing out after a huge fright at 4-4 in the third set when he pulled up in pain with what appeared to be cramp.
He was allowed to have treatment at the changeover, leaving Zverev furious and angrily remonstrating with officials.
Medical timeouts are not permitted solely for muscle cramping.
Alcaraz continued but his movement was hampered and he lost his first set of the tournament, before the pickle juice kicked in and he fought on.
Despite not being at 100 percent the 22-year-old somehow found a way to claw back from a break down in the fifth set as the crowd roared him on.
Germany’s Zverev was left shattered in his latest failed bid to win a major.
“Believing all the time,” Alcaraz, into his eighth major final and fourth in a row, said of how he pulled through.
“I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what, no matter what struggles you’ve been through, you’ve gotta still believe in yourself all the time.
“I was struggling in the middle of the third set,” he added. “Basically it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my short career.
“But I’ve been in these kinds of situations, these kinds of matches before.
“I had to put my heart into the match. I fought until the last ball.”
Alcaraz has won two French Opens, two US Opens and twice at Wimbledon, but success on the blue Melbourne Park hard courts has eluded him in four previous campaigns.
Should he snap the drought he would be the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors, surpassing compatriot and legend Rafael Nadal, who was 24 when he did so.
His efforts on Friday made him the youngest to reach the men’s singles final at all four Slams.
“I’m really happy to play my first final in Melbourne. It’s something I was pursuing a lot,” said Alcaraz, who collapsed to the court at the end.
“It’s been a great two weeks so far. My level is improving a lot.”
Ailing Alcaraz
The first set went with serve with few meaningful rallies, until Alcaraz unleashed a backhand winner at 3-3 to earn the first break point of the match.
Zverev held on but the Spaniard worked another break point on his next serve, with the German double-faulting as the pressure mounted.
Alcaraz served out for the set but the towering Zverev kept his cool and raised his level to earn his first break points of the match at 3-2 in the second set.
The top seed saved two but whipped a forehand long to slide 4-2 behind.
Alcaraz sensationally broke back as Zverev served at 5-3 and it went to a tiebreak, where the world number one prevailed with a scorching forehand.
Disaster struck in the third set when Alcaraz began limping badly.
He managed to hold for 5-4 but took a medical timeout, leaving Zverev fuming, before continuing to another tiebreak where the German made his move.
Despite the problems Alcaraz continued winning points and holding serve in set four as his movement improved, and another tiebreak beckoned with the third seed again coming out on top.
Zverev broke early in the fifth to move 2-0 ahead, but he folded when serving for the match and Alcaraz broke back for 5-5, and then again to seal the most dramatic of wins.
The world number one outlasted the German third seed 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5 over a titanic 5hrs 27 mins in hot conditions and will play either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s title match in Melbourne.
The Spaniard only narrowly avoided crashing out after a huge fright at 4-4 in the third set when he pulled up in pain with what appeared to be cramp.
He was allowed to have treatment at the changeover, leaving Zverev furious and angrily remonstrating with officials.
Medical timeouts are not permitted solely for muscle cramping.
Alcaraz continued but his movement was hampered and he lost his first set of the tournament, before the pickle juice kicked in and he fought on.
Despite not being at 100 percent the 22-year-old somehow found a way to claw back from a break down in the fifth set as the crowd roared him on.
Germany’s Zverev was left shattered in his latest failed bid to win a major.
“Believing all the time,” Alcaraz, into his eighth major final and fourth in a row, said of how he pulled through.
“I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what, no matter what struggles you’ve been through, you’ve gotta still believe in yourself all the time.
“I was struggling in the middle of the third set,” he added. “Basically it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my short career.
“But I’ve been in these kinds of situations, these kinds of matches before.
“I had to put my heart into the match. I fought until the last ball.”
Alcaraz has won two French Opens, two US Opens and twice at Wimbledon, but success on the blue Melbourne Park hard courts has eluded him in four previous campaigns.
Should he snap the drought he would be the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors, surpassing compatriot and legend Rafael Nadal, who was 24 when he did so.
His efforts on Friday made him the youngest to reach the men’s singles final at all four Slams.
“I’m really happy to play my first final in Melbourne. It’s something I was pursuing a lot,” said Alcaraz, who collapsed to the court at the end.
“It’s been a great two weeks so far. My level is improving a lot.”
Ailing Alcaraz
The first set went with serve with few meaningful rallies, until Alcaraz unleashed a backhand winner at 3-3 to earn the first break point of the match.
Zverev held on but the Spaniard worked another break point on his next serve, with the German double-faulting as the pressure mounted.
Alcaraz served out for the set but the towering Zverev kept his cool and raised his level to earn his first break points of the match at 3-2 in the second set.
The top seed saved two but whipped a forehand long to slide 4-2 behind.
Alcaraz sensationally broke back as Zverev served at 5-3 and it went to a tiebreak, where the world number one prevailed with a scorching forehand.
Disaster struck in the third set when Alcaraz began limping badly.
He managed to hold for 5-4 but took a medical timeout, leaving Zverev fuming, before continuing to another tiebreak where the German made his move.
Despite the problems Alcaraz continued winning points and holding serve in set four as his movement improved, and another tiebreak beckoned with the third seed again coming out on top.
Zverev broke early in the fifth to move 2-0 ahead, but he folded when serving for the match and Alcaraz broke back for 5-5, and then again to seal the most dramatic of wins.
Latest updates
© 2026 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.