Fares-El Bakh (Meso) Hassouna Is Aiming to Defend His Olympic Title at Paris 2024 

The Olympics in Paris are already underway and until the start of the weightlifting tournament we have only a few days worth of waiting left. As the excitement for the biggest event of the year builds, Torokhtiy Media would like to present to you a quick rundown of our meeting with Meso Hassouna, while he was training in Italy in preparation for the Paris Olympics. 

Even though Meso is representing Qatar at the Games, he chose Italy and more specifically Rome for his training camp for several reasons – the closeness to the French capital, the great food, the atmosphere within the Italian team and the opportunity to train alongside his friend Nino Pizzolato. 

In the last qualifying event before the Olympics, Hassouna looked extremely well, snatching 180 kg and lifting heavy weights in training.Unfortunately, during a 230 kg Clean & Jerk, Meso sustained a bad injury which had a significant impact on his preparation for Paris.

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When our team talked to him about the incident, he said that the one thing that pissed him off was comments from fans on social media that were putting blame on him and his coaching staff for training a way too heavy lift in training and taking a bigger risk than necessary: 

“You have to take risks. If you don’t risk it, you will never be improved and that’s why I’m going to win the 2024 Olympic Games”. 

A pretty confident statement, considering that the 102 kg is full of talent and there are a lot of other contender challenging Meso on his way to the gold medal. Three months post-injury, Meso is now training with Team Italy in Rome. His journey is marked by unwavering family support and a relentless drive to improve.

The stakes are high, but Meso remains focused, echoing Winston Churchill’s words, “To improve means to change, to be perfect means to change often.” However, the golden Olympic rule remains – the title is decided by who’s best at that given moment, not in the months leading up to the competition. 

Despite the injury being considered a major stepback, Meso thinks that it did happen for a reason and that it’s something that happens to all professional athletes in their careers. According to him, he became too cocky and knew that he would be able to lift the 230 kg on the Clean & Jerk and that split-second of not dedicating his full attention to the lift is what led to the injury.

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Interestingly, Meso’s training regimen hasn’t drastically changed. He continues to follow the main exercises prescribed by his coach and father, with a cautious approach to avoid pushing for maximum results and manage risks better.

One of the most crucial parts of Meso’s training regime is learning from other greats of the sport, and he’s happy to have had the opportunity to train alongside many top athletes. Hassouna shared with our team that he loves doing training camps with different athletes because it’s a fantastic way to learn new methods of preparation.

When it comes to the improvements in his performance, Meso has worked really hard to improve on his snatch – a historic weakness in his lifting in contrast to his incredible Clean & Jerk. By dedicating himself to building muscle in the arms, shoulders, and upper back, Meso aims to lift 185 kg in the Snatch.

In the competition that Meso missed in Thailand, one of his main competitors Lin Huanhua set a new world record in the Clean & Jerk – 232 kg, but that has only motivated Hassouna to aim for a better result in Paris and to showcase what he’s capable of. 

Meso is known for his unique style and positive demeanor, often spotted with a big smile, different shoes, and bright training gear. His good vibes spread positivity, making him a standout figure in the sport. Weightlifting runs deep in Meso’s blood, with a lineage of weightlifters in his great-grandfather, father, and brother. This deep family connection to the sport shapes his commitment and passion.

As Meso Hassouna prepares for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the anticipation is high. The upcoming competition promises to be the most thrilling yet, and the Torokhtiy Media Team sends their best wishes for his safety and continued success. Hopefully he’s able to shine bright once again on the Olympic stage!

And if you want to follow Meso and other athlete’s Olympic journeys, make sure to check out our news page regularly. And for more exciting content, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and check out our Instagram page.