In his second appearance at the Olympic Games, Greco-Roman wrestler Mohamed 'Kesho' Ibrahim (67 kg) aims to emulate the success of his idol, Karam Gaber, by securing another medal.
"I promise all Egyptians to give my best and bring home a medal in Paris," Ibrahim told reporters before departing for the Olympic Games.
Ibrahim is one of three athletes who won medals in Tokyo and will be competing in Paris.
His achievement in Tokyo has bestowed upon him the responsibility to replicate or surpass his previous performance, and the determined 26-year-old has vowed to give it his all.
Despite winning a medal in Tokyo, differences erupted between him and the Egyptian Wrestling Federation, leading him to abandon the sport for approximately 18 months.
However, he made a comeback prior to the World Championship in Serbia 2023, where he was eliminated in the round of 32 before earning a late qualification for Paris after winning the bronze medal in the qualifiers held in May 2024.
Since then, he has intensified his preparations, focusing on improving his technical skills and physical condition for the 2024 Paris Games. Reflecting on his training, Ibrahim remarked, "I have worked tirelessly during this period to enhance my abilities in anticipation of the Olympics."
A talented wrestler, Kesho aspires to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Karam Gaber, who won gold in 2004 and silver in 2012.
Ibrahim himself has already achieved significant milestones, having been named the best U-23 wrestler in the world twice in his category, in 2018 and 2019.
He also clinched the gold medal at the African Championship in Tunisia in 2023 and the gold at the All-Africa Games in 2024.