In 2016 Gharbi was selected to represent Tunisia at his first Summer Paralympics, held in Rio de Janeiro. In his first race, the 400 m (T54), he posted a time of 47.07 to claim the bronze medal, his first major international podium finish. Gharbi failed to get through to the final for the 1500m and in the 800m, despite initially finishing second behind Switzerland's Marcel Hug, he was later disqualified and did not medal.