[ad_1]
Kariman Abuljadayel has not finished doing the story. The Saudi sprinter has made a name as the first woman of the Kingdom to run in the 100 meters of the Olympic Games. This race in Rio de Janeiro two years ago changed the perception of female athletes in Saudi Arabia a great deal, four years after Sarah Attar became the first Saudi woman to compete in the World Games.
More than a boon for women in the kingdom that even the remarkable tracks of Abuljadayel and Attar are the ongoing changes in the country. Last month, the ban on driving women was lifted, only a few months after women were allowed into sports stadiums and the inaugural women's race was held in Riyadh in March.
Abuljadayel hoped that these movements will be played out. -changers, not only in terms of equality, but also as a stepping stone to success for Saudi sports aspirants.
"I have the impression that the idea of allowing Saudi girls to drive them gives them independence, giving them the power to dream and (helping them) to achieve that dream. , "she told Arab News
" This will help them get to sporting events and help in many areas. "And will it be possible to attend events? "I want girls to appreciate the opportunities that Saudi Arabia creates and take them for granted. They need to seize these opportunities and experiences to help them grow.
"I believe it is only a matter of time before we are a society that fully promotes sport."
If this last goal is kissed Abuljadayel, aged 24, exudes and attacks each training session. She believes that Saudi sport is very attractive, despite the country's remarkable Olympic history. The Kingdom has only claimed three medals – one silver and two bronze – in 10 appearances at the Olympics. Saudi women were first allowed to compete at the London Games in 2012, following pressure from the International Olympic Committee.
Abuljadayel said: "The gold is not impossible.We have seen many countries earn gold.But to earn gold, it must be made an extra effort
"It's hard work, dedication and patience for years.If there is a will, there is a way."
"Finally, if you really want to to be the best in the world, you can of course be the best in the world. I currently live in a society that offers other Saudi girls that kind of opportunities.
"It's up to them to take them and pass (the sport) to the next level."
Abuljadayel lamented the fact that she was denied "
Yet despite all, the 24-year-old would not be deterred from pursuing her passion for the sport. With my friends, I was part of a football team and we organized matches in our school in Riyadh. All the profits from the games went to the workers at our school, "she said.
Abuljadayel has never dreamed of participating in the Olympics. But the decisive moment came in the summer of 2012 when the Saudi women's ban was lifted shortly before the London Games and the 800-meter runner Attar joined the judoka Wojdan Shaherkani to enter the History
. Remarkable images of the Olympics when, resplendent in a white hijab and a bright green long-sleeved jacket, she became the first woman in the Kingdom to participate in the Games. The 19-year-old athlete received a standing ovation and worldwide recognition for her historic feat, although she was last in her qualifying race.
Abuljadayel was so inspired that she joined the Northeastern University team in Boston, Massachusetts. where she studied architecture. Only four years later, she was one of four women to compete for Saudi Arabia at the Rio Olympics.
She finished seventh in her 100-meter race, but she was also widely praised for her pioneering feat
Now, Abuljadayel's reputation in qualifying for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. And, if she does, she will not be content to participate as she did when she was in Rio.
Abuljadayel, who a few months before his Olympic debut set a national record in the 60 meters at the World Indoor Championships in Rio. Portland, Oregon, said: "It was a milestone that I reached Rio, but I think it's just the beginning of the road .This has given me the To me, it's the qualification for the forthcoming rounds … it's really my goal.
"If I go to the next Olympics, I will know what to expect and how to react, as well as the amount of work to be done. "
Before that, however, she has her job cut out by adapting to a change of discipline after passing the 100 meters at 400 meters His trainer thought that the six-foot step model of the statue would be better suited for longer distances.
The doughty Abuljadayel seems equipped for all the challenges she faces on and off the track, including that of being a model in his homeland and the Middle East in general.Equant and lively, she has equal excelled academically, becoming an accredited architect
after obtaining his bachelor's and master's degrees.
"I have the impression that my experience can help motivate others. Before me, there was no one there. "So, if a girl thought," I want to run the 100 meters "before doing it in Rio, she would think," But no one has done it before. Why would I? But after running the race, she thought, "Oh, she did it, me too." It's really great. I hope that I can be a model.
"But it's up to people, not me, what I can deliver, these are results and I hope these results will inspire people." If it's in Saudi Arabia, If it's outside of (the country) even better.
"In the end, I'm proud to be a Saudi citizen and I hope my community is proud of me. "
Abuljadayel, who was trained in the United States and Berlin, said that his own model is somebody outside of sport – his mother Suraya.
Of his galvanizing impact she said, "She is the one I'm going to, she's the one I'm calling, She's an important factor in my success, she was there in Rio, at the world championships (indoors) and to all my competitions, having this unconditional support for me means the world. "
Abuljadayel, who is taking a break from training, enjoyed watching the Green Falcons play at the recent World Cup. She even traveled to Switzerland last month to attend the first E-Prix Julius Baer Zurich, the penultimate race of the ABB FIA Formula E 2017/18 all-electric season, describing it as "inspiring" and "One-of-a-One"
His visit was also symbolic because the championship – which was launched in 2014 – will make its Middle East debut in Riyadh on December 15, the 2018/19 season of the year. team of 10 teams.
Abuljadayel is "really excited" by the race, especially because it should include activities for women just months after they've been allowed to drive into the country.
"I think it will be a wonderful opportunity to inspire members of Generation Y and other people in Riyadh to witness such an innovative sport that can entertain you but with solutions sustainable. "The Riyadh race agreement is for 10 years, so it will really accelerate the development of the harbor in the Kingdom.It takes place in cities like New York, Berlin and Shanghai and the advent of the organization in Riyadh opens up many opportunities for driving enthusiasts of the country, including women. "
CHANGERS OF SAUDI ARABIC GAME
SARAH ATTAR: Attar was the first woman Saudi to participate in the Olympic Games. She came last in her 800-meter wave in London but won the hearts of fans around the world. The photo of her crossing the finish line in 2012 is one of the iconic sports images of the last decade. She followed her London run by going to the Rio Marathon four years later.
WOJDAN SHAHERKANI: Shaherkani took judo thanks to his father being a judo referee. It was a decision she would not regret as she became the second woman from Saudi Arabia to participate in the Olympics. The 22-year-old was a blue belt when she participated in the London Games and she said, "In the future, we will be and I will be a star for women's participation."
ASEEL AL-HAMAD: Al-Hamad is the first female member of the Saudi Motorsports Federation and is also a member of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. She rolled a lap of the Castellet circuit of the Grand Prix de France in a Formula One car the day the ban on driving women on the roads of the Kingdom was lifted. "Today is the birth of women in motorsport," she said.
Source link
