Alexa Mina: Lebanon’s first female weightlifter at the Asian games

Alexa Mina, one of Lebanon’s leading weightlifting champions, is about to make history by stepping onto the platform at the Asian Games as the first Lebanese woman ever to compete in weightlifting at the continent’s biggest multi-sport event. In a sport where Lebanese women have long had limited visibility and opportunities on the international stage, her qualification marks a significant breakthrough and a powerful moment for female athletes across the country.

The achievement reflects not only Mina’s years of dedication, discipline, and perseverance, but also the gradual growth of women’s participation in weightlifting in Lebanon. As she prepares to compete among Asia’s best, Mina carries with her both personal ambitions and the hopes of a new generation of Lebanese girls looking to see themselves represented in the sport.

The Beiruter sat down with Alexa Mina for an exclusive conversation about this historic milestone, the journey behind it, and the message she hopes to share with future athletes.

A weightlifter’s journey

When Alexa Mina received the news that she would make history as the first Lebanese female weightlifter to compete at the Asian Games, her reaction was immediate and instinctive. "My first thought was excitement and gratitude," she says. "Being the first Lebanese female weightlifter to compete at the Asian Games is something I will not take lightly."

It is a milestone that caps a journey marked by physical setbacks, personal sacrifice, and a quiet, relentless determination to prove that Lebanese athletes belong on the world's biggest stages.

Just weeks before the Asian Games announcement, Mina delivered a stunning performance at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in India, finishing sixth on the continent and hitting an 87kg snatch personal record. What made the result even more remarkable was the context: it came after recovering from a major injury that had sidelined her at the 2024 Asian Championships.

She tells The Beiruter, "We may not always have the same resources as larger nations, but we have the talent, strength, work ethic, and determination in our blood to compete at the highest level."

For Mina, that sixth-place finish was her statement. "I think it shows that Lebanese athletes can compete with the best in the world when given the opportunity," she says. She came within a single kilogram of matching the best international total of her career, a detail that speaks to both her precision and her resilience.

Breaking barriers

Weightlifting remains a male-dominated sport in much of the world, and Lebanon is no exception. Mina has had to navigate not just the physical demands of elite sport, but deep-rooted societal stereotypes about what women should look like, what they should pursue, and what success in sport should mean for them.

"People often don't naturally look at women and think they can be strong," she acknowledges. But rather than letting outside opinions define her path, she has learned to tune them out, drawing strength from a supportive inner circle that includes family, friends, and the Lebanese federation. She also credits her teammate Mahassen Hala Fattouh, the original trailblazer for Lebanese women in the sport, as a guiding example.

"Records and milestones eventually get broken. But opening a door and setting an example for someone else can have a lasting impact." The weight of being a first is not lost on her. "I want young Lebanese girls to see that they do not need permission to pursue something simply because no woman has done it before," Mina says. "If my participation helps even one young girl believe that she belongs in sport, on a national team, or representing their flag on an international stage, that is something I will be incredibly grateful for forever."

Legacy and what comes next

As she prepares for the Asian Games, Mina is thinking beyond personal bests. The legacy she wants to leave is one of perseverance, the kind that acknowledges failure not as a dead end, but as part of the story. "Success isn't about having a perfect journey or never failing," she says. "It's more about continuing to show up despite, learn how to adapt, and believe in yourself even when things don't go according to plan."

She describes her own story as a non-linear one, full of injuries, doubt, and moments where quitting felt tempting. Yet here she is, on the cusp of history. "When I first started weightlifting, I just fell in love with the process of getting stronger," she reflects. "I wasn't thinking about making history." She laughs at the gap between that early version of herself and where she stands today, attributing the journey to faith, commitment, and the compounding effect of showing up day after day. And she is clear: this is not the end of her story. "I am nowhere near finished writing it."