The name Yazan Al Bawwab resounds powerfully in the world of swimming. This young Palestinian swimmer, with his unyielding determination and exceptional skill, is preparing to leave an indelible mark at the Paris 2024 Olympics. His story is not just one of a talented athlete but also a symbol of hope and perseverance for an entire people.
Al-Bawwab was one of five Palestinians who represented Palestine in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He competed in the men’s 100 metre freestyle, coming in 66th out of 71 swimmers.
As of 2021 he held the Palestinian record in both the 50 and 100 metre freestyle events.He is also the Arab champion in the 50 and 100 metre backstroke after winning both events at the 2023 Arab Games.
He was selected to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 100 metre backstroke,where he finished 43rd out of 46 in the heats.
Personal Life
Al-Bawwab was born in Saudi Arabia to Palestinian parents with Italian citizenship, which they acquired after a long stay in the country: his father Rashad had moved to Genoa as a refugee and had graduated in engineering at the local university. Al-Bawwab thus holds dual Palestinian and Italian citizenship, and calls himself “half Italian”.
He grew up in Dubai, United Emirates, where his father had opened a furniture business. Al-Bawwab lived in Ottawa, Canada, where he graduated in aerospace and mechanical engineering from Carleton University, and currently lives in the Netherlands, while pursuing a master’s degree in international sports management at the University of London.
Other ventures
As of 2023, Al-Bawwab was an IOC Young Leader and a FISU ambassador for Canada; he is a member of the Palestine Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission and the founder of the Palestinian Olympians Association. In late 2023, he launched the SwimHope Palestine project, aimed at providing young children in Palestinian refugee communities with basic swimming and life-saving skills.
Paris 2024
Al-Bawwab doesn’t expect recognition for his performance in the pool. He uses swimming, he said, as a “tool for Palestine.”
“Unfortunately, nobody has ever asked me about my races. Nobody cares,” said al Bawwab, whose parents come from Jerusalem and Lod, a city that today is in central Israel. “I’m going to be plain and honest: France does not recognize Palestine as a country. But I’m over there, raising my flag. That’s my role.”
