Chronicle Editor
Saudi taekwondo athlete Donia Abu Taleb certainly knows how to kick through a barrier. She’s been kicking through her opponent’s defences for years, and now, she’s preparing to deliver her crushing blows at the Olympic Games.
The 27-year-old secured the first quota place for a female taekwondo athlete from Saudi Arabia at the 2024 World Taekwondo Asian Qualification Tournament. She is set to follow in the footsteps of other trailblazing Saudi Olympians like judoka Wojdan Shaherkani, fencer Lubna Al-Omair and distance runner Sarah Attar.
Abu Taleb cites sparring against boys when she first began taekwondo as an eight-year-old as the secret to her recent success. She told the AFP, “I always played with the boys in the boys’ centre, originally without girls. I used to wear a head covering on my hair so as not to show that I was a girl.”
Her talent has grown immensely with the backing of the Saudi Taekwondo Federation, and under the guidance of coach Kurban Bogdaev. She’s now dreaming even bigger ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, adding a gold medal performance to her to-do list. It would be a first for a nation, and a cherry on top of her Olympic debut.
Abu Taleb competes in the under 57kg category of taekwondo, which will take centre stage at the Grand Palais on 8 August.
The Syrian gymnast flipping into history
The Syrian Arab Republic likely isn’t the first nation that comes to mind when thinking about artistic gymnastics. In fact, the country has never sent a representative in the sport to the Olympic Games. Lais Najjar is ready to change that statistic for good.
He was recently awarded a universality quota by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), allowing him to enter artistic gymnastics events at Paris 2024.
The American-born representative of Syrian Arab Republic began his career in artistic gymnastics with an injury. His father, Maher Najjar, told The Michigan Daily, “He was just flipping at home, [and] hit his head.”
“He was just hyperactive, too much activity,” explained Najjar. “And then I said, ‘Look, let me put him in a sport where he just discharged all that activity.’ And I chose for him gymnastics.”
Lais Najjar took well to the choice, rising through the youth ranks quickly. He ultimately landed a spot on the men’s gymnastics team at the University of Michigan, where he continues to train ahead of Paris 2024.
He finished 49th in the all-around at the 2022 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Liverpool, England, and claimed all-around gold at the 2023 Arab Sports Games in Oran, Algeria.
Supported by his parents, who serve as team doctor and team leader, Najjar hopes to give Syrians something to cheer for at Paris 2024.
Artistic Gymnastics will begin on 27 July at the Bercy Arena.
Aruba’s BMX trailblazer jumping towards Olympic debut
While it isn’t exactly Cool Runnings, Aruba’s Shanayah Howell will be hoping to feel the rhythm, and perhaps the rhyme, when riding over the bumps and jumps at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines BMX Stadium.
Howell is set to become the first rider from the Caribbean island of Aruba to compete in BMX racing at the Olympic Games after being awarded a universality quota by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
She won a bronze medal at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, and made the semifinals at the 2023 Pan American Games.
The 25-year-old will chart a new course for the island known mostly for regional success in aquatic sports such as swimming and sailing.
She will have an opportunity to win Aruba’s first medal at the Olympic Games. While she isn’t a favourite for gold, it would certainly be a story worthy of a Hollywood adoption if her dreams were to become reality at Paris 2024.
BMX Racing will begin the men’s and women’s quarterfinals on 30 July at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines BMX Stadium. – olympics.com
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