Yassine Gharbi

Started: He took up Para athletics at a rehabilitation centre in Tunisia in 2009. He began practising wheelchair racing a year later. (albayan.ae, 26 Dec 2018; Athlete, 15 Jul 2017) Reason: He practised weightlifting prior to his accident and initially got into Para sports for social integration. "I felt hopeless and empty in many moments, but Para sport quickly filled this void. I left everything and devoted myself to training." (albayan.ae, 26 Dec 2018; Athlete, 15 Jul 2017) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (tap.info.tn, 11 Aug 2024) Awards: He was named Best Para Athlete of the Year at the 2015 Olympic Torch Awards in Tunisia. (letemps.com.tn, 25 Oct 2015) Additional Info: TURNING POINT He said not winning medals at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, helped inspire him to train even harder. "I tried to make a new start in my life after 2015, and the first challenge was qualify for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. I started training for long hours every day, and despite the difficult circumstances, I succeeded in achieving a bronze medal in the T54 400m. And then I told myself the bronze was not enough, so I set a new challenge for the 2017 World Championships in London. I managed to win four medals, including two gold medals [in the T54 200m and T54 400m]." (albayan.ae, 26 Dec 2018)