Abdel Moneim Mokhtar

A graduate of the El Saidia Secondary School for Boys, Abdel Moneim Mokhtar was the Egyptian secondary school gymnastics champion from 1923 through 1926. In 1927, he was tapped by the nation’s Ministry of Information to lead a yearly gymnastics festival, which garnered notice from Prince Omar Toussoun. Mokthar was then selected to represent Egypt in the gymnastics tournament at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, although he switched to diving after learning that he could not compete as Egypt’s lone gymnastics entrant. He therefore competed in the platform event, where he was eliminated in round one. His compatriot Farid Simaika won the silver medal.

Afterwards, Mokhtar studied in England and Germany and returned to Egypt to found the first rowing club in Giza, which did not thrive despite his reputation. During the 1930s he broadcast a fitness show over Cairo radio and later headed several national sporting bodies.