Valerie Tarazi

Valerie Tarazi
OLY
Personal information
Full nameValerie Rose Tarazi
Nationality
  • American
  • Palestinian
Born (1999-10-09) 9 October 1999 (age 25)
Illinois, U.S.
Alma materAuburn University
Sport
CountryPalestine
SportSwimming
Achievements and titles
Personal best200m medley: 2:20.56 (2024)
Medal record
Representing  Palestine
Arab Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Oran 100m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2023 Oran 100m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2023 Oran 200m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Oran 50m backstroke

Valerie Rose Tarazi[1] OLY (Arabic: فاليري روز ترزي; born 9 October 1999)[1][2] is a Palestinian-American swimmer who represents Palestine internationally. She competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Life

Tarazi was born in Illinois, U.S., to an Orthodox Christian family originating from Gaza, where she has relatives. She grew up in her birth state, graduating from Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake and then Auburn University in Alabama. She took up swimming at the age of 3.[3][4][5]

She participated in the 2023 Arab Games held in Algeria, and won two gold, three silver, and one bronze medal,[6] making her the highest yielding medalist in the games.[citation needed] She holds the Palestinian record in the 50m and 100m backstroke, 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke, and the 50m butterfly.[citation needed] She competed for Palestine at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, in the 200m medley, also serving as national flagbearer at the opening ceremony alongside boxer Wasim Abusal,[7] as well as at the closing ceremony alongside taekwondo practicioner Omar Yaser Ismail.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Valerie Rose TARAZI | Results". World Aquatics. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Val Tarazi - Player Profile - Swimming". Eurosport. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  3. ^ Abdalla, Jihan (11 August 2023). "Meet the Palestinian swimmers in the diaspora making a splash for their team". The National. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  4. ^ Chen, Meredith (28 July 2024). "Palestine's Olympians: amid Gaza onslaught, 8 athletes hope to bring smiles from Paris". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  5. ^ Dwojak, Michal (2 August 2024). "Prairie Ridge graduate Tarazi makes 2024 Paris Olympics debut". Northwest Herald.
  6. ^ "Result Arab games 2023". results.arabgames2023.dz. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  7. ^ Pick, Oscar (26 July 2024). "Every Olympic flagbearer for Paris 2024 opening ceremony as Tom Daley and LeBron James take stage". The Independent. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  8. ^ Braidwood, Jamie (11 August 2024). "Every Olympic flagbearer for Paris 2024 closing ceremony including Alex Yee and Katie Ledecky". The Independent. Retrieved 11 August 2024.


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