Two Lebanese athletes in the Winter Olympics

Lebanon is heading into the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with a story of resilience written straight into the ice. Two athletes. Two disciplines. One flag.

At the heart of it all stands Samer Tawk, the cross-country skier from Bsharri, whose Olympic journey reads less like a sports résumé and more like a survival story. Tawk will once again wear Lebanon’s colors at the Winter Games, seven years after first making history.

Tawk was just 20 years old when he qualified for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, becoming the first Lebanese athlete ever to compete in cross-country skiing since the Winter Games began in 1924. It was a breakthrough moment, both personal and national. But two years later, his career and mobility were thrown into doubt.

During a training session in 2019, Tawk suffered a 14-meter fall, leaving him with severe injuries that required nine surgeries and months of painful recovery. More than three and a half years away from competition. Long rehabilitation. Psychological work. Training without infrastructure, funding, or guarantees. Tawk rebuilt himself slowly, deliberately, and against the odds.

In 2026, that effort paid off. At 27, Tawk secured his Olympic qualification once again. He will line up for the 10km individual cross-country race on Friday, Feb. 13, at 12:45 p.m. local time, on the Lago di Tesero track in northern Italy. For Lebanon, simply being on that start line is already a victory.

A new generation joins the slopes

Alongside Tawk, Lebanon will also be represented by Andrea al-Hayek, who officially achieved the Olympic qualifying points in alpine skiing slalom, a milestone that adds fresh momentum to Lebanon’s winter ambitions.

At just 17 years old, Hayek will compete in the men’s slalom on Monday, Feb. 16, racing down the slopes of Stelvio station in the Dolomites. The first run begins at 11:00 a.m., followed by the second at 2:30 p.m.

The opening ceremony of the Milan–Cortina Games took place on Friday, Feb. 6, at 9 p.m. Beirut time, inside Milan’s iconic San Siro stadium. Tawk and Hayek carried the Lebanese flag before returning to their mountain base camps to fine-tune preparations ahead of competition.

Two athletes. One flag. And a reminder that, for Lebanon, perseverance remains its strongest winter sport.