Hend Zaza: Twelve-year-old Syrian makes history as youngest athlete

Hend Zaza is the youngest competitor at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Hend is a table tennis star at just 12 years old. Table tennis is a sport that is very similar to pingpong.

Hend grew up in Syria. It is a country in the Middle East. The country is in the middle of a civil war. This did not stop her from competing in the Olympics.

In 2020, Hend won the West Asia qualifying tournament for table tennis. She was just 11 years old at the time. She beat someone four times older than her. This achievement qualified her for the Olympics.

Hend has now won Syrian national titles in all four categories in which she was allowed to compete. That includes the senior title.

"I have very rarely seen a player at this age play with such joy and train with such intensity as Zaza," said Eva Jeler. She is an experienced German table tennis coach.

Jeler said Hend plays with so much energy that she never walks to pick up the ball, she runs. Hend's play "needed and still needs improvement," Jeler said. However, Hend's determination, strength and desire to win will almost certainly bring her future success, Jeler believes.

The First To Qualify For The Olympics

Hend has lived much of her life in Syria. The country is experiencing a violent civil war. Unrest there began around 2011. That period is known as the Arab Spring. At that time, many people in Middle Eastern countries were protesting. They were speaking up against mistreatment by their governments. Nearly 11 million Syrians were forced from their homes by March 2015, reported Al-Jazeera. Al-Jazeera is a news organization. Hend was born in the city of Hama. Due to the unrest in the country, Hend has been able to play in only two or three matches a year outside Syria.

It is remarkable that Hend was set to become the fifth-youngest Olympian in history in 2020. The coronavirus outbreak forced the Tokyo Games to be held in 2021.

She will be just the second Syrian to compete in table tennis at the Olympics. Heba Allejji was the first. However, Hend is the first from her country to qualify for the Games through competition. Allejji was given a special invite to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Country Is Proud To Be At The Games

"This qualification tournament was really difficult for us," explained Bassam Khalil. He is president of the Syrian Table Tennis Federation. "But we are really proud to be at the Olympic Games for the second time ever."

The conflict in Syria has made it difficult for Syrians to compete and participate in Olympic events, Khalil said. Still, "we tried our best to take part and keep table tennis in our country as active as we can," he said.

Nimble hands and fast eyes should help Hend. She has the energy of youth on her side. All those skills are needed in table tennis. It is a game of great concentration and accuracy. Whatever happens, Hend's very presence at the Tokyo Games is a victory for the sport.