Jean-Claude Rabbath

Jean-Claude Rabbath first gained international attention for his high jumping skills at the 1996 Arab Junior Championships, where he won a silver medal in the event behind Algeria’s Abderrahmane Hammad. He made his senior début the following year and, although he did not record a mark at the World Indoor Championships, he did earn a bronze medal at the Pan Arab Games behind Fakhredin Fouad Al-Dien Gor of Jordan and Hammad. After finishing sixth at both the 1998 Asian Games and the 1999 Universiade, he won gold at the 1999 Arab Championships and was also 23rd at the World Championships that year. The following year he made his Olympic début for Lebanon, where he came in 33rd in the qualifying round and did not advance.

Rabbath defended his title at the 2001 and 2003 Arab Championships, and also took gold at the West Asian Games in 2002. He attended the Olympics a second time in 2004 and improved to joint-25th, alongside Poland’s Robert Wolski and Pyotr Brayko of Russia. After a slower year in 2005, where he came in 10th at the Mediterranean Games and 23rd at the World Championships, he captured gold at both the 2006 Asian Games and the 2007 Arab Championships, as well as silver at the 2007 Asian Championships, behind Malaysia’s Lee Hup Wei. He continued to compete internationally until 2010, when he took bronze at the Asian Indoor Championships behind Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and non-Olympian Keivan Ghanbarzadeh of Iran.

Rabbath was also a proficient basketball player who earned numerous titles, including at the Asian Championships. His first degree, from Middle East University, was earned in 2001 in business management, but he later acquired a bachelor’s in physical education from the University of Antonins, which he followed up with a teaching diploma and several certificates in coaching education from USA Track & Field. He has worked as a coach in both basketball and track and field, as well as a sports program manager in Lebanon, California, and the United Arab Emirates. As of 2018, he was working towards a master’s degree in sports science from the United States Sports Academy.

Personal Best: HJ – 2.27 (2004).