17 Jan. 2016 – Chirine NJEIM did it!! She is the first Lebanese to qualify for the Summer Olympic Games that will be held in Rio De Janeiro in August 2016 and the first ever to qualify for both winter and Summer Olympic Games!
Chirine NJEIM, 31, just set a new Marathon record after finishing the Houston Marathon in 2:44:14. She just entered history being one of the very few athletes in the world to take part in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Ganes.
Chirine ran 3 Marathons all under 2 hours 50 minutes within 3 months! She still has time to improve her performance on the marathon, but this is just enough to qualify for the Olympics! The Qualification period for the Marathon is from 1 January 2015 to 11 July 2016. The Olympic Standards for the marathon are 2:45:00.
The standards were 2:42:00; the IAAF’s aim is to have more athletes achieving the standard and therefore, to get closer to the target number of participants. The entry standards of 17 events in athletics were changed due to the Russian doping scandal.
Chirine splits on this marathon were as follows:
- 5K: 19:35
- 10K: 38:45 (Difference 19:20)
- 15K: 58:10 (Difference 19:25)
- Half Marathon: 1:21:59 (Difference 23:49)
- 25K: 1:37:33 (Difference 15:34)
- 30K: 1:56:54 (Difference 19:21)
- 35K: 2:16:20 (Difference 19:26)
- 40K: 2:35:53 (Difference
- Marathon time: 2:44:14
Chirine finished 5th in her age group category (30-34) and 87th overall.
| Finish Net | 02:44:14 |
| Finish Gun | 02:44:19 |
Chirine NJEIM took part in three consecutive Winter Olympic Games as an alpine skier back in 2002, 2006 and 2010. She started running marathons three years ago. We should note that her sister Nesrine was also a long distance runner and also used to run the marathon!
This accomplishment is just one of the greatest in the history Lebanese athletics! Chirine is the first Lebanese woman ever to qualify for the Olympic Games! When all the athletes hope for a wild card, some have the ability to qualify! It takes much more than just training to be able to qualify.
Chirine has a very strong will, she is a very dedicated woman and has all that it takes to represent Lebanon at the Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro. Athletics starts on the 12th of August and ends on the 21st.
Congrats Chirine!
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