Mohammed Hamada
{{Short description|Palestinian weightlifter (born 2002)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Mohammed Hamada
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = Palestinian
| birth_name = Mohammed Khamis Haidar Hamada
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2002|03|14}}
| birth_place = Gaza, Palestine
| height =
| weight = {{convert|101.35|kg|abbr=on}}
| country = Palestine
| sport = Weightlifting
| coach =
| event = 96 kg, 102 kg
| club =
| pb =
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's weightlifting}}
{{Medal|Country|{{PLE}}}}
{{MedalCount|total=yes
|Junior World Championships|1|0|1
}}
{{MedalCompetition|Junior World Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2022 Heraklion|–102 kg}}
{{MedalBronze|2022 Heraklion|–102 kg}}
}}
Mohammed Khamis Haidar Hamada ({{langx|ar|محمد خميس حيدر حمادة}}; born 14 March 2002) is a Palestinian weightlifter from Gaza. He was the first Palestinian to compete in the sport at the Olympics.{{Cite web|url=https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/five-athletes-represent-palestine-tokyo-olympics|title = Palestine: Olympic team plan to fly Palestinian flag high at Tokyo Games| date=22 July 2021 }}{{Cite web|title=Weightlifting HAMADA Mohammed K H - Tokyo 2020 Olympics|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/weightlifting/athlete-profile-n1483453-hamada-mohammed-k-h.htm|access-date=2021-07-26|website=olympics.com|language=en-us|archive-date=2021-07-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726020325/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/weightlifting/athlete-profile-n1483453-hamada-mohammed-k-h.htm|url-status=dead}}
Career
Hamada participated in the men's 96-kilogram event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, making him the first-ever weightlifter from Palestine to compete at the Olympics. He finished 13th.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-03 |title=Qatar welcomes Palestinian star Mohammed Hamada until the Paris Games |url=https://iwf.sport/2024/06/03/qatar-welcomes-palestinian-star-mohammed-hamada-until-the-paris-games/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=International Weightlifting Federation |language=en-US}}
Hamada left Gaza several weeks before the Olympics to avoid traveling issues, having secured his place after participating in six international qualifying contests since 2019. His brother Hussam is the Palestinian national weightlifting team coach.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-19 |title=First Palestinian weightlifter at Olympics braced to make history |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/first-palestinian-weightlifter-olympics-braced-make-history-2021-07-19/ |access-date=2021-07-26 |website=Reuters}}{{Cite news |title=Meet the first Palestinian weightlifter to compete in the Olympics |url=https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/meet-the-first-palestinian-weightlifter-to-compete-in-the-olympics-1.10016488 |access-date=2021-07-26 |newspaper=Haaretz |language=en}}
He was the flag bearer of Palestine's Olympic National Team during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
In 2022, Hamada won gold and bronze in the IWF Weightlifting Junior World Championships held in Heraklion, Greece.{{Cite web |last=Al Gherbawi |first=Hadeel |date=2022-05-21 |title=Palestinian wins world weightlifting championship in Greece - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/05/palestinian-wins-world-weightlifting-championship-greece |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.al-monitor.com |language=en}}
In 2024, Hamada injured his knee and lost around {{convert|20|kg|lb|abbr=on}} carrying water during the ongoing Gaza war and Gaza genocide. He thus failed to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.{{Cite web |last1=Stepansky |first1=Joseph |last2=Uras |first2=Umut |title=Israel war on Gaza updates: Israel forces Palestinians into 20% of Gaza: UN |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/7/23/israel-war-on-gaza-live-scores-killed-in-new-israeli-blitz-on-khan-younis |date=2024-07-23 |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Ibrahim |first1=Niza |title=Heavy toll on Palestinian athletes in Gaza: Six are set to feature at the games in Paris |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=vTuBdfc49NU |publisher=Al Jazeera |via=YouTube |date=July 23, 2024 |access-date=July 27, 2024}} A documentary film chronicles his journey during the Gaza genocide,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFJd5f1-fGw |title=How I escaped Gaza’s war to fight for my Olympic dream: The Gaza Man |date=2024-08-11 |last=Al Jazeera English |access-date=2024-08-11 |via=YouTube}} which included having to eat animal feed to survive.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamada, Mohammed}}
Category:Palestinian male weightlifters
Category:Olympic weightlifters for Palestine
Category:Weightlifters at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:21st-century Palestinian sportsmen
Category:Sportspeople from Gaza City
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