Joseph Atiyeh

Who is Joseph Atiyeh?

Joseph Atiyeh is a Syrian wrestler, and the winner of Syria's first Olympic medal.

In the 1984 Summer Olympics, he represented his country in the freestyle heavyweight 100 kg competition, and won a silver medal, the first Olympic medal for Syria. Though Atiyeh lived his life in the United States, and studied at Louisiana State University, where he was on the school's wrestling team, he qualified as a dual citizen and wrestled for Syria.

Atiyeh made it to the finals against Lou Banach of the United States and lost by fall in 61 seconds.