ABOUELKASSEM AlaaEldin

Personal Information

Residence Cairo, EGY

Occupation Athlete

Languages Arabic, English, French

Higher education Engineering - Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport: Egypt

License number 25111990000

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Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? At age eight he stopped playing other sports to pursue fencing at the Al-Selah Al-Sakandry club in Alexandria, Egypt.

Why this sport? He did not like the combat aspect of karate and felt swimming was too difficult. He loved fencing. "It's a sport that depends on intelligence and technique, not only on force."

Name of coach Tamer Tahoun [national], EGY

Handedness Left

General Interest

Memorable sporting achievement Winning silver in individual foil at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (FIE Fencing YouTube channel, 14 Oct 2020)

Injuries He was affected by several injuries in 2023. (tatweeg.news, 14 Dec 2023)

He injured his left shoulder in the first period of the individual foil final at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, which meant he required a medical break of 10 minutes. He ended up winning the silver medal. (ahram.org.eg, 01 Aug 2012; egypttoday.com, 01 Aug 2012)

Awards and honours He and taekwondoka Hedaya Malak were flag bearers for Egypt at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (olympics.com, 23 Jul 2021; alwafd.news, 23 Jul 2021)

In January 2013 he was given the Emerging Athlete award at the Creative Sports Awards. (sport360.com, 07 Jan 2013)

He has been presented with the First Class Sports Medal in Egypt. (alaaeldinabouelkassem.com, 15 Sep 2019)

Milestones He became the first fencer representing an African nation to win a medal at the Olympic Games when he claimed silver in individual foil at the 2012 Games in London. (SportsDeskOnline, 13 Jun 2019; aubervilliers.fr, 05 Jan 2015)

Ambitions To win a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (almsryeen.com, 28 Feb 2024)

Other information BRIEF RETIREMENT
He announced his retirement from competitive fencing in January 2024 before reversing his decision one month later with a view to competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. "After participating in the 2023 World Championships in Milan, I felt a lot of pressure and was in dire need of a rest period, whether on a psychological or physical level, due to my recurring injury. After I completely moved away from the sport and after taking an appropriate period of physical and psychological rest, I reconsidered, so I decided to return to training gradually and evaluate my level. I hope to end my career with an Olympic medal." (almsryeen.com, 28 Feb 2024; el-ahly.com, 05 Jan 2024; elbalad.news, 05 Jan 2024; Facebook page, 05 Jan 2024)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He has served as a member of the International Fencing Federation [FIE] athletes' commission. In 2022 he began serving as sporting director of the Egyptian Fencing Federation. (almasryalyoum.com, 13 Apr 2023; Egyptian Fencing Federation Facebook page, 17 Jan 2022; fie.org, 07 Oct 2017)

HERITAGE
Born in Setif, Algeria, to an Egyptian father and an Algerian mother, he moved to Egypt at age four. (youm7.com, 17 Jan 2022; Facebook page, 07 Jun 2019)