View source for Ghada Shouaa

{{Short description|Syrian heptathlete (born 1972)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor      = #98c9f5
| name             = Ghada Shouaa
| image            = 
| image_size       = <!-- Use only when absolutely necessary -->
| alt              = 
| caption          = 
| textcolor        = 
| <!-- Personal information -->
| native_name      = 
| native_name_lang = 
| birth_name       = 
| fullname         = 
| nickname         = 
| nationality      = <!-- will not display if national_team is defined -->Syrian
| national_team    = <!-- only for the country represented in international competition -->
| ethnicity        = 
| citizenship      = 
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1972|09|10}}
| birth_place      = [[Mhardeh]], [[Hama Governorate]], [[Syria]]
| death_date       = <!-- {{death date and age|death year|death month|death day|birth year|birth month|birth day}} -->
| death_place      = 
| resting_place    = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| monuments        = 
| residence        = 
| alma_mater       = 
| occupation       = 
| employer         = 
| agent            = 
| height           = 1.87 m<!-- "X cm", "X m"  or "X ft Y in" plus optional reference (conversions are automatic) -->
| weight           = 63 kg<!-- "X kg", "X lb" or "X st Y lb" plus optional reference (conversions are automatic) -->
| spouse           = 
| life_partner     = 
| other_interests  = 
| website          = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} -->
| module           = 
| <!-- Sport -->
| country          = {{SYR}}
| sport          = [[Athletics (sport)|Athletics]]
| event          = [[Heptathlon]], [[Long jump]]
| origin           =
| rank             = 
| collegeteam      = 
| universityteam   = 
| league           = 
| league_type      = 
| club             = Al-Thawra SC, [[Jalaa SC]]
| team             = 
|turnedpro         = 1991<ref name="damas" />
|retired           = 2001<ref name="damas" />
| partner          = 
| former_partner   = 
| coach            = Imad Sarraj<ref name="damas">{{Cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/ghada-shouaa-olympic-gold-syria-comic-feature|title=Ghada Shouaa: The only Olympic gold medallist for Syria|publisher=[[World Athletics]]|access-date=12 December 2022|date=15 September 2021|author=Christel Saneh}}</ref>
| coaching         = 
| module2          = 
| <!-- Achievements and titles -->
| olympics         = [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996]] – 1st
|worlds         = [[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995]] – 1st<br>[[1999 World Championships in Athletics|1999]] – 3rd
| regionals        = 
| nationals        = 
| highestranking = Heptathlon: 1 (1995, 1996)
| pb             = {{ubl
|Heptathlon: 6942 pts [[Heptathlon#Women|(9th all time)]] '''{{AthAbbr|NR|Syrian}}''' ([[Götzis]] 1996) }}
| <!-- Medal record -->
| show-medals      = Yes
| medaltemplates   =
{{MedalSport | Women's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{flagcountry|SYR|1980}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]] | [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's heptathlon|Heptathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 Gothenburg]]|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Women's heptathlon|Heptathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze |[[1999 World Championships in Athletics|1999 Seville]]|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Women's heptathlon|Heptathlon]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Goodwill Games]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1994 Goodwill Games|1994 Saint Petersburg]]| [[Athletics at the 1994 Goodwill Games|Heptathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Athletics at the Asian Games|Asian Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[Athletics at the 1994 Asian Games|1994 Hiroshima]]|Heptathlon}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Asian Athletics Championships|Asian Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold   | [[1993 Asian Athletics Championships|1993 Manila]] |Heptathlon}}
{{Medal|Silver | [[1991 Asian Athletics Championships|1991 Kuala Lumpur]] |Heptathlon}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Athletics at the Mediterranean Games|Mediterranean Games]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[Athletics at the 1993 Mediterranean Games|1993 Narbonne]]|[[Athletics at the 1993 Mediterranean Games – Results#Heptathlon|Heptathlon]]}}
| medaltemplates-title = 
| updated          =
}}
'''Ghada Shouaa''' ({{langx|ar|غادة شعاع}}; born September 10, 1972) is a retired [[Syria]]n [[heptathlon|heptathlete]]. At the [[1996 Summer Olympics]], she won her country's first and only [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] gold medal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ghada Shouaa |url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/ghada-shouaa |website=Olympics.com |access-date=18 August 2021}}</ref> She was also a [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World]] and [[Asian Athletics Championships|Asian]] heptathlon champion. She is considered one of the best Asian and Arab female athletes of all time.<ref name="damas" /> She was a [[List of flag bearers for Syria at the Olympics|Syrian flag bearer]] at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417092559/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/SYR/ Syria]. Olympics at Sport-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Accessed 25 October 2011.</ref>

She has represented Syria in her two strongest multi-event disciplines, the individual high jump and long jump events. She holds the Syrian [[high jump]] records with 1.87 m outdoors (1996), in [[javelin]] with 54.82 m (1999) in [[200 metres|200 m]] with 23.78 (1996), in [[long jump]] with 6.77 (1996) and in [[shot put]] with 16.25 (1999).<ref name="damase"></ref>

Shouaa's heptathlon results include finishing 25th at the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona Olympics]], 24th at the [[1991 World Championships in Athletics|1991 World Championships]], third at the [[1999 World Championships in Athletics|1999 World Athletics Championships]] and first at the [[Athletics at the 1994 Asian Games|1994 Asian Games]]. She is also multiple gold medalist at the [[Arab Athletics Championships]]. With a performance of 6942 points at the [[Hypo-Meeting]], which moved her into the [[Heptathlon#All-time top 25 athletes|world all-time Top 25]] and she went down in history as the best Asian and Arab heptathlete.<ref>{{cite web|title=Götzis records and winners of all-times|url=http://www.decathlon2000.com/eng/698/gotzis-records-and-winners-of-all-times/|publisher=www.decathlon2000.com|date=2010-12-02|access-date=2010-12-02}}</ref>

Shouaa's career coincided with those of older compatriot, three-time Olympic champion and four-time World champion legend [[Jackie Joyner-Kersee]] and Olympic champion [[Denise Lewis]].<ref name="damas"/>

==Early life==
Shouaa was born to a [[Greek Orthodox]] Christian family in the small Syrian city of [[Mhardeh]] in the [[Hama Governorate]].<ref name=dama>{{cite web|url=http://damascus-online.com/se/bio/shouaa_ghada.htm |title=Ghada Shouaa |access-date=2007-06-22 |publisher=Damascus-Online.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927204618/http://damascus-online.com/se/bio/shouaa_ghada.htm |archive-date=2007-09-27 }}</ref> Growing up in rural Syria, Ghada Shouaa first realised her sporting potential at the age of 12 when she managed to catch a rabbit that had escaped from the hands of an old man in her village. She was soon harnessing her natural speed, competing in cross-country races.<ref name="damase"></ref> However, it was in [[basketball]] that she made her initial foray into the world of elite sport. She played for the [[Syria women's national basketball team|Syrian national team]] for a few years, but then decided to compete in athletics.<ref name="damas"></ref>

==Career==
In 1991, Shouaa took part in a competitive heptathlon in [[Aleppo]] for the first time and set a new Syrian national record with a points tally of 4,010.<ref name="damase">{{Cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/ghada-chouaa|title=Biography of Ghada Shouaa|access-date=14 December 2022|website=olympics.com}}</ref> She was immediately sent to the [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|1991 World Championships]] in Tokyo, where she placed last.<ref name=dama/> She concluded her first athletics season with a silver medal in the [[1991 Asian Athletics Championships]].<ref name="damase" />

Shouaa debuted at the Olympics in the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona Games]], placing 25th in spite of an injury. Her breakthrough did not come until 1995, when she won the important heptathlon meet in [[Götzis]], scoring 6715 points. This boosted her to one of the favourites for the title at the [[1995 World Athletics Championships]], held in [[Gothenburg]]. After co-favorite [[Sabine Braun]] dropped out with an injury, Shouaa won the title with a comfortable margin.<ref name=dama/>

The following season, Shouaa again won the [[1996 Hypo-Meeting]], bringing the still-standing Asian record to 6942 points. In [[Atlanta]], three months later, she confirmed her status as the best heptathlete at the time, winning Syria's first Olympic gold medal.<ref name=dama/>

A serious injury ruined the following season, and she was unable to make a serious comeback until 1999, when she placed third at the World Championships behind [[Eunice Barber]].<ref name=dama/> Shouaa attempted to defend her Olympic title in [[Sydney]], but she again became injured and did not even finish the first event.<ref name=dama/> After this disappointment, she decided to retire from athletics. After 2001, she was declared the best Syrian athlete of the 20th century.

===Civil War in Syria===
During a visit to [[Syria]] in 2013 or 2014 in the midst of [[Syrian Civil War|civil war]], Shouaa appeared in a picture with a heavy machine gun while accompanying the [[National Defence Forces (Syria)|National Defence Forces]], a branch of the [[Syrian Army]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aksalser.com/?page=view_articles&id=7491406e4b1b3880829ec9077536a651|title=بعد أن "طفشها" نظام الأسد... غادة شعاع تتحول من بطلة أولمبية إلى "رامية دوشكا" في الدفاع الوطني (صور) &#124; عكس السير دوت كوم|website=www.aksalser.com|access-date=2015-06-02|archive-date=2018-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103133457/http://www.aksalser.com/?page=view_articles&id=7491406e4b1b3880829ec9077536a651|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In a speech, Shouaa greeted the [[Syrian Arab Army]], saying the army's motto 'Homeland, Honor, Honesty' represents "each and every honest Syrian from which he/she draws the ability for steadfastness and making achievements for Syria's sake".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/SyrianArabNewsAgencySana/posts/609043435784854 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/467568499932349/609043435784854 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=Olympic champion Shouaa: I returned home to work for a brighter future for #Syria|website=Syrian Arab News Agency SANA – Facebook|date=16 August 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> She now lives in Germany.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/327526 |title=Syrian sports heroine laments her country's ill treatment |website=Arab News |date=30 August 2009 |access-date=26 May 2016 }}</ref>

==Personal bests==
* [[100 metres hurdles]]: 13.72 s
* [[Long jump]]: 6.77 m [[List of Syrian records in athletics|NR]]
* [[High jump]]: 1.87 m [[List of Syrian records in athletics|NR]]
* [[200 metres|200 m]]: 23.78 s [[List of Syrian records in athletics|NR]]
* [[Shot put]]: 16.25 m [[List of Syrian records in athletics|NR]]
* [[Javelin throw]]: 54.82 m [[List of Syrian records in athletics|NR]]
* [[800 metres|800 m]]: 2:13.59 min
* [[Heptathlon]]: 6942 [[List of Asian records in athletics|AR]], [[List of Syrian records in athletics|NR]]  (still currently #9 all time, 342&nbsp;pts behind the world record)

==Competition record==
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}}
|-
!colspan="6"|Representing {{flag|Syria|1980}}
|-
|rowspan=5|1991
|[[1991 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]
|24th
|Heptathlon
|[[1991 World Championships in Athletics – Women's heptathlon|5066 pts]]
|-
|[[1991 Asian Athletics Championships|Asian Championships]]
|[[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|Heptathlon
|5425 pts
|-
|rowspan=3|[[1991 Arab Athletics Championships|Arab Championships]]
|rowspan=3|[[Latakia]], [[Syria]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|High jump
|1.60 m
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Long jump
|5.50 m
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Javelin throw
|41.92 m
|-
|1992
|[[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Barcelona]], [[Spain]]
|25th
|Heptathlon
|[[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Women's heptathlon|5278 pts]]
|-
|rowspan=9|1993
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1993 Mediterranean Games|Mediterranean Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Narbonne]], [[France]]
|8th
|Long jump
|[[Athletics at the 1993 Mediterranean Games – Results#Long jump 2|6.13 m]]
|-
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|Heptathlon
|[[Athletics at the 1993 Mediterranean Games – Results#Heptathlon|6168 pts]]
|-
|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Stuttgart]], [[Germany]]
| –
|Heptathlon
|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Women's heptathlon|DNF]]
|-
|rowspan=5|[[1993 Arab Athletics Championships|Arab Championships]]
|rowspan=5|[[Latakia]], [[Syria]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|800 m
|2:14.7
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|100 m hurdles
|14.44 s
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|High jump
|1.75 m
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Long jump
|6.07 m
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Javelin throw
|50.54 m
|-
|[[1993 Asian Athletics Championships|Asian Championships]]
|[[Manila]], [[Philippines]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Heptathlon
|6259 pts
|-
|rowspan=2|1994
|[[Athletics at the 1994 Goodwill Games|Goodwill Games]]
|[[St. Petersburg]], [[Russia]]
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|Heptathlon
|[[Athletics at the 1994 Goodwill Games – Results#Heptathlon|6361 pts]]
|-
|[[Athletics at the 1994 Asian Games|Asian Games]]
|[[Hiroshima]], [[Japan]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Heptathlon
|6360 pts
|-
|rowspan=5|1995
|[[1995 Hypo-Meeting|Hypo-Meeting]]
|Gotzis, Austria
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Heptathlon
|6715 pts
|-
|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Gothenburg]], [[Sweden]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Heptathlon
|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Women's heptathlon|6651 pts]]
|-
|rowspan=3|[[1995 Arab Athletics Championships|Arab Championships]]
|rowspan=3|[[Cairo]], [[Egypt]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|High jump
|1.80 m
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Long jump
|6.64 m
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Javelin throw
|53.72 m
|-
|rowspan=2|1996
|[[1996 Hypo-Meeting|Hypo-Meeting]]
|Gotzis, Austria
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Heptathlon
|6942 pts
|-
|[[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Atlanta]], [[United States]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Heptathlon
|[[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's heptathlon|6780 pts]]
|-
|rowspan=5|1999
|rowspan=4|[[Athletics at the 1999 Pan Arab Games|Pan Arab Games]]
|rowspan=4|[[Amman]], [[Jordan]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|High jump
|1.78 m
|-
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|Long jump
|6.19 m
|-
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|Shot put
|16.25 m
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|Javelin throw
|55.14 m
|-
|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Seville]], [[Spain]]
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|Heptathlon
|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Women's heptathlon|6500 pts]]
|-
|2000
|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Sydney]], [[Australia]]
| –
|Heptathlon
|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's heptathlon|DNF]]
|}

==Honours==
*1995: Prix Monique Berlioux 
*1995–1996: [[Heptathlon#Season's bests|Women's Heptathlon Best Year Performance]]

== See also ==
*[[List of Syrian people]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{sports links}}
* {{Official website|http://www.shouaa.com/}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|before=[[Heike Drechsler]]|title=[[Heptathlon#Women.27s seasons best .28outdoor.29|Women's Heptathlon Best Year Performance]]|years=[[1995 in athletics (track and field)|1995]]–[[1996 in athletics (track and field)|1996]]|after=[[Sabine Braun]]}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Joseph Atiyeh]]
| title =  [[List of flag bearers for Syria at the Olympics|Flagbearer]] for {{flagcountry|SYR|1980}}
| years = [[1996 Summer Olympics|Atlanta 1996]]
| after = [[Moutassem Ghotouq]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Heptathlon Women}}
{{World Champions in Heptathlon}}
{{Footer WBYP Heptathlon}}
{{Asian Games Champions Athletics Heptathlon Women}}
{{Footer Asian Champions women's heptathlon}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shouaa, Ghada}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Syria]]
[[Category:Syrian heptathletes]]
[[Category:Syrian women athletes]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Syria]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for Syria]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1994 Asian Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Syria]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Syrian Christians]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1994 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Mediterranean Games silver medalists for Syria]]
[[Category:Mediterranean Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1993 Mediterranean Games]]
[[Category:People from Hama Governorate]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Asian Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1994 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:20th-century Syrian women]]
[[Category:20th-century Syrian people]]
[[Category:Arab Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Asian Athletics Championships medalists]]