49-year-old Fehaid Al-Deehani has won Kuwait its first-ever gold Olympic medal.
But, not so fast.
First of all, it turns out that he isn't technically a Kuwaiti gold medalist at the Rio Olympics, but he is the first independent gold medalist.
Deehani's double-trap shooting gold medal at the 2016 Olympics will not be added to the Kuwaiti records and will be credited instead to the Independent Olympic Athletes committee. All this is thanks to an ongoing ban on Kuwait's Olympic Committee, put in place for a second time in 2015 after a new law was passed allowing government to dissolve sporting federation.
Deehani's medal ceremony saw the Olympic flag raised and the Olympic Anthem played instead of those of his own country.
“I can’t describe my feeling on the podium,” Deehani told Indian Express . “I am winning the gold medal, the biggest achievement of the Games, without raising my country’s flag."
"It really hurts me, I can hardly stop my crying.”
Deehani's victory is the culmination of 28 years of dedication. Let's take a closer look at the first Arab to win a gold medal at Rio 2016.
1. Rio 2016 marked his sixth Olympic participation
Deehani has competed in every Olympic Games since Barcelona 1992, minus the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
2. He is Kuwait's only Olympic medalist
He previously won the double-trap bronze in Sydney 2000 and the trap bronze at London 2012.
3. He has become the first independent Olympic athlete to win gold
And the first independent medalist since 1992.
4. He turned down IOC's request to carry the Olympic flag
Deehani was asked to be the flag-bearer of the Independent Olympic Athletes delegation, which consists of nine Kuwaitis. "I am a military man and I will only carry the Kuwait flag. I cannot carry the IOC flag," he said .
5. He is an officer in the Kuwaiti military
Real-life action might have paved the way to Olympic glory.
6. He took the last qualifying spot to the Rio 2016 semifinal
The champion had ranked sixth in the qualification round, clinching the last ticket to the semifinal, which he dominated.
7. Many assumed he was a refugee
Competing under the neutral flag has misled many to believe Al-Deehani belongs to the Refugee Olympic Team.
Let's get this clear: ten athletes are participating in the Rio Olympics with Refugee Olympic Athletes as their National Olympic Committee, while nine Kuwaitis are competing as Independent Olympic Athletes. Deehani belongs to the latter. Besides sharing the Olympic Anthem and the five-ring flag, the two teams are distinct from one another.