Gharbi took up athletics in 2009 with the intent to improve to improve his social integration. He made his senior international debut in 2010 classified as a T54 competitor. Gharbi's first major international competition was the Mediterranean Games held in Mersin, Turkey. He took part in one event, the 1500m (T54), finish third with a time of 3.26:81. Two years later he represented Tunisia on the world stage after he qualified for the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha. He competed in four events, failing to complete the 1500m and 5000m races, but finishing the 800m in seventh and the 400m in fourth, just outside the medals. In October of that year Gharbi entered the 2015 African Games in Doha. There he won gold in two events, the 800m (T54) and 1500m (T53/54).