Biography

 

BIOGRAPHY:

  • Christel Saneh, Lebanese Long Jumper
  • Born on June 11, 1994 in Lebanon.
  • Currently living in Monaco.

My story as Ann athlete:

When I was 7 years old, I jumped 1.90m in the standing Long Jump in school (Colleges des Freres Maristes Champville). My teacher was Arda Kalpakian, the first Lebanese woman to participate at the Olympic Games in Athletics in Munich 1972.

Arda was amazed by the performance and decided that I should join the basketball team. I played basketball for 10 years but I decided at a certain point to put all my focus in Athletics. She somehow knew that I would choose athletics as a sports career. She is the reason why I started and I am so grateful for her continuous support.

In 2006, I met Elie Saade at the Lebanese U14 Championship. Before my final attempt, he gave me some tips which allowed me to break my first record in the Long Jump. I officially started training with him during summer that year.

After 11 years of training with Elie, I decided to leave my school team and train with Gaby Issa-El-Khoury, who is the Indoor Long Jump record holder and who participated at the Olympic Games back in 1984 in Los Angeles. I first joined Let’s Run club before moving in 2019 to the Blue Stars club in which Gaby is the head coach.

Since then, our journey has been very exciting, improving the Long Jump national record three times so far and getting closer to our target.

My inspiration and idol in athletics is the World Heptathlon record holder, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who was also a Long Jump champion. I live by the motto of “Having Fun Performing” which I took from her amazing quote:

“The medals don’t mean anything and the glory doesn’t last. It’s all about your happiness. The rewards are going to come, but my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing.”

My goal is to become the first Lebanese Woman to jump over 6 meters.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 3rd in 4x100m Relay at the Arab Championship – Cairo 2019
  • 1st in Long Jump at the West Asian Championship – Amman 2018
  • 2nd in 100m Hurdles at the West Asian Championship – Amman 2018
  • 2nd in 4x100m Relay at the West Asian Championship – Amman 2018
  • 3rd in 100m Hurdles at the 2nd U23 Mediterranean Championship – Tunis 2016
  • 3rd in Pentathlon at the 21st Fajr international competition – Tehran 2013
  • 1st in 4x100m Relay at the 2nd West Asian Seniors Championship – Dubai 2012
  • 2nd in Long Jump at the 2nd West Asian Seniors Championship – Dubai 2012
  • 3rd in Triple Jump at the 2nd West Asian Seniors Championship – Dubai 2012
  • 3rd in Long Jump at the 15th Arab Juniors Championship – Amman 2012
  • 1st in Long Jump at the 1st Youth West Asian Championship – Beyrouth 2011
  • 1st in Heptathlon at the 1st Youth West Asian Championship – Beyrouth 2011
  • 1st in 4x100m Relay at the 1st Youth West Asian Championship – Beyrouth 2011
  • 13th (Q) in Long Jump at the 7th World Youth Championship – Lille Metropole 2011
  • 3rd in 4x100m Relay at the 18th Arab School Championship – Beyrouth 2010
  • 2nd in 4x100m Relay at the 1st West Asian Seniors Championship – Aleppo 2010
  • 2nd in Long Jump at the 1st West Asian Seniors Championship – Aleppo 2010
  • 3rd in Triple Jump at the 1st West Asian Seniors Championship – Aleppo 2010
  • 3rd in Long Jump at the Arab Club Championship – Amman 2009
  • 3rd in Triple Jump at the Arab Club Championship – Amman 2009

LEBANESE RECORDS

OUTDOOR

Seniors (20+):

  • 100m Hurdles: 15.27 (1.7m/s) – Abidjan, Ivory Costs, on 25 Jul. 2017
  • Long Jump: 5.87m (-0.5m/s) – Beirut, Lebanon, on 24 Apr. 2021

U20:

  • Long Jump: 5:66m (-0.5m/s) – Jamhour on 27 Aug. 2013
  • Triple Jump: 11:58m (+0.3m/s) – Jamhour on 29 Aug. 2013

U18:

  • Javelin Throw  (600g): 31.96 – Qatar on 16 Dec. 2011
  • Heptathlon (Hurdles 0.76): 4103 pts – Jamhour and Champville on 02-03 Jun. 2012
  • Heptathlon (Hurdles 0.84): 3708 pts – Qatar on 15-16 Dec. 2011
  • 4x100m Relay : 52.04 – Sports City on 02 Aug. 2010

U14:

  • Long Jump: 5.05m – Jamhour on 21 Apr. 2007

INDOOR

Seniors (20+):

  • 60m Hurdles: 9.37 –  Doha, Qatar on 19 Feb. 2016
  • High Jump: 1.51m –  Hangzhou, China on 16 Feb. 2014
  • Long Jump: 5.66m – Istanbul, Turkey on 14 Jan. 2018
  • Shot Put: 8.66 –  Oslo, Norway on 11 Feb. 2017
  • Pentathlon: 3129 pts  –  Hangzhou, China on 16 Feb. 2014

Juniors (18-19):

  • 800m: 2:37.90 –  China on 16 Feb. 2014
  • 60m Hurdles: 9.39 –  China on 16 Feb. 2014
  • Long Jump: 5.33m – Teheran on 15 Feb. 2013
  • Shot Put: 8.43 –  China on 16 Feb. 2014
  • Pentathlon: 3129 pts  –  China on 16 Feb. 2014

PERSONNAL BEST PERFORMANCES:

INDOOR

  • 60m: 8.04
  • 60m Hurdles: 9.37s during the pentathlon
  • 800m: 2:37:90 during the pentathlon
  • High Jump: 1.51m during the pentathlon
  • Long Jump: 5.66m
  • Shot Put: 8.66m during the pentathlon
  • Pentathlon: 3129 pts

OUTDOOR

  • 60m : 7.95s
  • 100m : 12.69s
  • 200m: 26.76 (26.69 W) during the heptathlon
  • 800m: 2:32.29 during the heptathlon
  • 100m Hurdles: 15.27
  • High Jump : 1.50m during the heptathlon
  • Long Jump : 5.87m
  • Triple Jump: 11.58m
  • Shot Put: 9.24m (4kg)
  • Javelin Throw : 31.96m (600g)
  • Discus Throw : 23.41m
  • Heptathlon: 4035 pts