Joseph Atiyeh facts for kids
Lou Banach (left) and Atiyeh wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Native name | جوزيف عطية | |||||||||||||
| Nationality |  Syria |
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| Born | October 8, 1957 Amar al-Husn, Homs Governorate, Syria |
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| Height | 175 cm | |||||||||||||
| Weight | 86 kg (1984) | |||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||
| Country | Syria |
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| Sport | Wrestling | |||||||||||||
| Weight class | 100 kg | |||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Freestyle | |||||||||||||
| Club | LSU Tigers | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Joseph Atiyeh (Arabic: جوزيف عطية, born October 8, 1957) is a retired Syrian wrestler. He made history by winning Syria's very first Olympic medal!
Contents
Early Life and Wrestling Beginnings
Joseph Atiyeh was born in Amar al-Husn, a town in the Homs Governorate, Syria. His family was Christian. When he was just two years old, his parents moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania in the United States.
Joseph started wrestling at Louis E. Dieruff High School in Allentown. This is where he began to show his talent for the sport.
Olympic Journey and Achievements
Joseph Atiyeh represented Syria at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He competed in the freestyle heavyweight wrestling competition, in the 100 kg category.
Even though Joseph lived most of his life in the United States, he was a dual citizen. This meant he could wrestle for Syria, which he chose to do. He even attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he was a part of their wrestling team.
At the 1984 Olympics, Joseph Atiyeh made it all the way to the finals! He faced Lou Banach from the United States. Joseph lost this final match, but he still won the silver medal. This was a huge moment for Syria, as it was their first-ever Olympic medal.
Interestingly, Joseph and Lou Banach had wrestled before. Two years earlier, in 1978, Joseph (while wrestling for LSU) had actually beaten Banach in a match in Chicago.
Before reaching the Olympic finals, Joseph had some impressive wins. He defeated Vasile Pușcașu from Romania. Pușcașu later went on to win a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics! Joseph also beat Kartar Singh from India very quickly in his Olympic matches.
Family in Sports
Joseph Atiyeh's family also has a strong connection to sports. His younger brother, Dennis Atiyeh, also represented Syria in wrestling. Dennis competed in the super-heavyweight category at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Joseph's nephew, Abe, is also an athlete. He plays basketball for Boston College.
See also
In Spanish: Joseph Atiyeh para niños
