12 athletes that should make every Lebanese proud

While Lebanon may not be known as global leader in athletics – a rather difficult task for a small country – it does boast a few sport stars that can make every Lebanese feel proud.

Here are 12:

Hassan currently plays as a goalkeeper for the Swedish football club IF Elfsborg. He formerly played for Arvidstorps IK, Aalborg BK, and IFK Norrköping. In 2012, he also joined the national Lebanese team in its victory against Iran, for which he received high praise.

Bassil has definitely proven her shooting skills over and over. She won bronze at ISSF World Shooting tournament in Cyprus in 2007, placed fourth in 2009's Mediterranean Games in Italy, received another fourth place in 2009's ISSF World Shooting tournament in Slovenia, and won silver at the 2011 Arab Shooting Championship in Morocco. She also went to the 2012 Olympic Games in London to represent Lebanon.

We all fell in love with Chiha – and more in love with Lebanon – earlier this summer when his epic wakeboarding video went viral. But his viral video is only the cherry on the top of his three gold medals at the Asian Games. In addition to water sports, Chiha also enjoys alpine skiing, judo and mixed martial arts.

In 2010, Chammas competed in judo at the Youth Games in Singapore, placing 7th worldwide. She went on to win silver and bronze medals in 2011 in the Pan Arab Games and represented Lebanon in 2012 at the London Olympic Games. Although she didn't win a medal, she was the first Lebanese female judoka ever to compete in the Olympics.

Chaya not only boasts Lebanese records but also a world record. He was the first Lebanese to climb Mount Everest and also the first Lebanese to climb the tallest peaks on all seven continents. In 2013, Chaya also managed to break the world record for rowing the Indian Ocean along with two partners. He enjoys a wide range of sports to stay in shape, such as trail-running, mountain biking and rock climbing.

Nassar is a certified sports nutritionist and personal trainer. She is also an international fitness model, having won several international trophies . In 2015 she took home both silver and bronze at the Pure Elite UK Championships as well as the People's Choice Award. The previous year she took home gold in the Bikini category. She currently also serves as a brand representative for international sports retailer Decathlon.

Khatib has played for several local Lebanese teams and previously spent time playing for a Chinese team. He also represented Lebanon on the national team in 2002, 2006 and 2010 in the FIBA World Championship. Currently he plays for Al Riyadi in the Lebanese Basketball League.

In the Lebanese National Championship, Chamoun has won gold, silver and bronze for skiing in the slalom and giant slalom events. She has competed at international tournaments all around the world ever since she was a teenager and went on to represent Lebanon at the Winter Olympic Games in 2010 and 2014.

Mohamad played professional football with Germany's FC Köln, where he served as the club's captain from 2010 to 2011. In 2011 it was announced that he would transfer to the UAE's Al Ahli Club. He has also played with the Lebanese national team in various international tournaments.

She may look innocent but you definitely don't want to pick a fight with Paoli. In 2010, she took home the bronze medal in Taekwondo at the Asian Games. A year later she was ranked eighth in the entire world. Paoli also represented Lebanon at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Feghali holds the record for rally car wins in Lebanon, claiming the title of Lebanese champion 10 times. He has competed throughout Lebanon and Jordan in various rally events, regularly ranking either first or second.

Elias is a North Face-sponsored athlete who enjoys rock climbing as well as other outdoor sports. Although he was born and raised in the United States, he recently came back to Lebanon to reconnect with his Lebanese family while filming a documentary with VICE about rock climbing within the country.

Are there any other Lebanese athletes you think should be added to the list? Write their names and achievements in the comments below.