Majed Abu Maraheel

Born in a refugee camp, in 1996 Majeed Abu Maraheel became the first Olympian to represent Palestine when he competed in the 10,000 metres event at the 1996 Atlanta Games and was eliminated in round one. As the lone competitor for his nation, however, he did carry the flag in the Opening Ceremony. Originally a footballer, he sought to represent Palestine in that sport before switching to athletics in the mid-1990s. His first international competition had been the 1995 Arab Championships, where he was 10th in the 10,000 metres, and he had also been entered into the 1996 Paris Marathon, but could not compete due to restrictions from the Israeli government.

After competing in the Turin marathon, he attended Leipzig University in Germany and received a degree in Arabic language. Although he competed sporadically during his time there, he retired from active competition shortly after graduating and began working as a coach with the Palestine Olympic Committee. In 2024 he suffered from kidney failure and, unable to leave Palestine due to the Israel–Hamas war, he was unable to receive proper medical treatment and died.

Personal Best: 10000 – 34:40.50 (1996).