| Hend Zaza Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 4 ft 10 in |
| Weight | 50 kg |
| Date of Birth | January 1, 2009 |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Hend Zaza is a Syrian table tennis player who, at the age of 12, had become the youngest athlete to compete in the table tennis event at the Olympics when she had represented the war-torn country of Syria at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, having qualified via the West Asia Olympic qualifying tournament held in Jordan in 2020. She had also become the 5th-youngest person to compete in the modern Olympics, an era considered to have been started in 1896 when the event was held in Athens. She had also become the youngest Olympian since Beatrice Huștiu, a Romanian figure-skater who had participated at the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City. She was the youngest competitor, in any discipline, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Born Name
Hend Abdul Rauf Zaza
Nick Name
Hend Zaza
Hend Zaza as seen in an Instagram Post in March 2021 (Hend Zaza / Instagram)
Sun Sign
Capricorn
Born Place
Hama, Hama Governorate, Syria
Residence
Hama, Hama Governorate, Syria
Nationality
Education
As of October 2021, Hend Zaza was a middle school student.
Occupation
Table Tennis Player
Hend Zaza as seen in an Instagram Post in May 2019 (Hend Zaza / Instagram)
Family
- Father – Her father is a former soccer player.
- Siblings – Obaida Zaza (Older Brother) (Table Tennis Player). She has 3 other older siblings.
Build
Athletic
Height
4 ft 10 in or 147.5 cm
Weight
50 kg or 110 lbs
Race / Ethnicity
White
She is of Syrian descent.
Hend Zaza as seen in an Instagram Post in May 2020 (Hend Zaza / Instagram)
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Toned physique
- Long, straight hair
- Cheerful smile
- Gleaming face
Religion
Islam
Hend Zaza as seen in an Instagram Post in July 2019 (Hend Zaza / Instagram)
Hend Zaza Facts
- Hend Zaza had started playing table tennis in 2014 when she was just 5 years old. She was inspired by her older brother Obaida and had followed him to practice after he had won a local championship. She used to train with him and other older players at his club.
- Just 2 years later, in 2016, she had attended an International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) ‘Hopes Week and Challenge’ event in Qatar. Her talent was spotted by coaches there and she soon began participating in as many tournaments as she could without missing school. She soon went on to clinch national table tennis titles at all tiers – hopes, cadets, junior and senior.
- Although she holds the record of being the first Syrian to compete in the Olympic table tennis via qualification, she is not the first Syrian to compete in table tennis at the Olympics. Heba Allejji had participated in the 2016 edition after she had been invited by the Tripartite Commission, one of several commissions within the Olympic movement that are primarily used to select athletes to be invited to compete at the Olympics via special invitational quota places that are aimed at improving universality and diversity in representation of countries at the Olympics.
- Hend Zaza had defeated 42-year-old Lebanese player Mariana Sahakian in the final of the West Asia Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Amman, Jordan, in 2020 to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. She had even suffered an ankle injury during the qualification tournament but that did not deter her from winning the title.
- She had been accorded the honor of carrying the Syrian flag in the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympics. She had shared the honor with equestrian competitor Ahmad Hamcho.
- Her hobbies and interests include playing basketball, swimming, and reading.
Featured Image by Hend Zaza / Instagram
