Rodrigue Ibrahim and the rebirth of rowing in Lebanon

On 4 August 2020, an explosion shook the port of Beirut. The impact and damage was extensive. Over 200 people lost their lives and an estimated US$15 billion in property damage occurred. Among the damaged property was the Lebanese National Rowing Centre, which was just 200m from the port. The centre was unusable and most of the boats were destroyed. The Lebanese Rowing Federation established a campaign, “reBuildreRow Lebanon”. Rodrigue Ibrahim represented his nation at the 2022 World Rowing Championships, where he told us about the explosion, and the impact it has had on rowing in Lebanon.