Saudi Arabia has made history with its first-ever female professional boxer, Halah Al-Hamrani. The 26-year-old athlete is breaking boundaries and paving the way for women in sports in the conservative country.
Al-Hamrani first got into boxing at the age of 16, when she started training with her father in their backyard. She quickly fell in love with the sport and began competing in local competitions. However, boxing was not widely accepted as a sport for women in Saudi Arabia, and Al-Hamrani faced numerous challenges along the way.
In an interview with CNN, Al-Hamrani said, “It was tough. I was the only girl in the gym and people would always ask me what I was doing there. But I kept going because I loved it.”
Al-Hamrani’s persistence and dedication paid off. In 2017, she became the first Saudi woman to win a boxing championship, taking home the gold medal in the women’s welterweight category at the Arab Women Sports Tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Since then, Al-Hamrani has been training hard to achieve her dream of becoming a professional boxer. In 2020, she signed with the Jeddah-based Fitness Time Pro Boxing team, becoming the first female boxer to do so in Saudi Arabia.
Her first professional fight was on February 25, 2021, against a fighter from Kenya, and she won the match in the third round by technical knockout.
Al-Hamrani’s achievement is a significant milestone for women’s sports in Saudi Arabia. The country has been making strides in recent years to increase opportunities for women in sports, including hosting international sporting events and opening women-only gyms.
However, there are still challenges that women face in pursuing sports in the country. The strict dress codes and gender segregation policies can make it difficult for women to train and compete, and many families still do not support women participating in sports.
Despite these challenges, Al-Hamrani remains committed to inspiring other women and breaking down barriers in the sport. “I want to tell girls that they can achieve anything they want. They just need to believe in themselves and work hard,” she said in an interview with Arab News.
Al-Hamrani’s success has also been celebrated by many in the international community. The International Boxing Association (AIBA) congratulated her on her win, saying that she was “a true inspiration to all female boxers around the world.”
The World Boxing Council (WBC) also praised Al-Hamrani, calling her “a pioneer of women’s boxing in Saudi Arabia” and a “great ambassador for the sport.”
Al-Hamrani’s achievement is a step forward for gender equality in Saudi Arabia, and it shows that with perseverance and determination, women can succeed in any field they choose.
