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) | |||||||||||||
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| 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 is famous for winning Syria's very first Olympic medal.
Contents
Early Life and Wrestling Beginnings
Atiyeh was born in Amar al-Husn, a town in the Homs Governorate of Syria. His family moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania in the United States when he was just two years old. Joseph started wrestling at Louis E. Dieruff High School in Allentown.
Olympic Wrestling Career
Atiyeh represented Syria at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He competed in freestyle wrestling in the 100 kg (heavyweight) category. He won a silver medal at these Olympic Games.
How Joseph Atiyeh Qualified
Even though Atiyeh lived most of his life in the United States, he was a citizen of both Syria and the U.S. This allowed him to wrestle for Syria. He also attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he was part of the school's wrestling team.
Road to the Olympic Final
In the 1984 Olympic finals, Atiyeh faced Lou Banach from the United States. He lost the match by a "fall" in just 61 seconds. A "fall" happens when a wrestler pins their opponent's shoulders to the mat. Interestingly, two years earlier, in 1978, Atiyeh had beaten Banach in a different wrestling competition. At that time, Atiyeh was wrestling for LSU.
Other Important Wins
Before reaching the 1984 Olympic finals, Atiyeh had some impressive wins. He defeated Vasile Pușcașu from Romania by a fall in the first round. Pușcașu later went on to win a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Atiyeh also beat Kartar Singh of India by a fall in only 33 seconds.
Personal Life
Joseph Atiyeh has a younger brother named Dennis Atiyeh. Dennis also represented Syria in wrestling at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Joseph's nephew, Abe, plays basketball for Boston College.
See also
In Spanish: Joseph Atiyeh para niños
