KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics highlighted the promising potential of Kuwaiti women’s sports on the international stage.
This historic involvement showcased the progress of Kuwaiti female athletes, signaling a future of accumulating experience and determination that could lead to significant achievements in regional and global arenas.
Kuwait was represented by four female athletes in the 33rd Olympics held from July 26 to August 11, 2024, competing in athletics, rowing, sailing, and swimming under the slogan "Our Will is Strong.” Each athlete demonstrated perseverance and determination in a competitive field.
Following their participation, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) had a sit down on Tuesday with the four proud women representatives for each to give her experience throughout their thrilling campaigns in the Olympics.
Amina Shah, a first-time Olympic participant, said that she gained valuable experience and is committed to continuous training for future international events.
In the women’s individual (ILCA 6) race, she achieved her best result by finishing 30th out of 43 competitors, marking the top ranking among Arab participants.
Amal Al-Roumi, on the other hand, pointed that she began her career in 2017 as she expressed pride in being the first Kuwaiti woman to compete in the 800-meter race at the Olympics.
She has plans to train for upcoming championships, including the 2024 Asian Games in Thailand and the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh in 2025.
Lara Dashti expressed passion about the sport since early childhood, when she started her journey at the age of 10.
Her dedication led her to a fifth-place finish in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke.
Lara qualified for her second Olympic appearance after Tokyo 2021, and she aspires for participating in future competitions like the Asian Championships and the World Aquatics Championships.
Suad Al-Faqaan, a professor in the Biological Sciences Department at Kuwait University (KU), and is the first Kuwaiti women to compete in rowing, said that she started her journey in 2020 and has been supported by her students and faculty at KU.
Her commitment garnered significant media attention and resulted in a personal record at the Olympics.
The Kuwaiti delegation, including female athletes Lara Dashti, Amina Shah, Amal Al-Roumi and Suad Al-Faqaan, alongside their male counterparts attended the Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday. — KUNA