By Zainab Abbas
Kuwaitis are considered some of the most talented people when it comes to sports. Kuwait Times spoke to an Olympic athlete who agreed that Kuwaiti athletes have made the country proud by representing it on the international stage and sharing its culture with others. However, the lack of prioritization for sports talent can limit their potential. Greater support is needed from sports clubs and the ministry of education to discover and nurture new talent among the youth.
In an interview with Kuwait Times, Mohammed Mustafa, a retired athlete, shared his thoughts. "What role do you think sports clubs or the ministry of youth affairs could play in discovering and supporting young athletic talent in Kuwait?” he asked. "I believe they should identify young talent from schools by organizing annual tournaments, sponsored and managed by professional coaches and trainers from official sports clubs in Kuwait. Additionally, special care should be given to students who are selected from these tournaments to represent Kuwait on the national team across various sports. This way, they can represent Kuwait in international competitions worldwide.”
Hussain Mohammed, a young athlete involved in basketball and CrossFit, noted: "What do you think is the key factor in discovering talented athletes in our community? I feel like many athletes remain undiscovered because people think sports are a waste of time and don’t take them seriously. However, since I started playing sports at a young age, I’ve noticed that many people with incredible talent don’t get enough recognition. I believe coaches should encourage and support athletes who show great potential in excelling in their sport. The community also needs to take sports more seriously to offer broader support.”
International taekwondo athlete Ibrahim Aqeel shared his approach to discovering talent. "When I used to scout for talent, I would take a notebook from the club and visit schools. I discovered many talented students this way, inviting them to train at the club for about a month or two. It was through this process that I identified the most skilled taekwondo players. Back in the day, there weren’t as many academies as there are now.”
Mahmoud Ramadhan, a hiker and coach, emphasized that Kuwait offers a wide variety of local and private sports clubs, creating an encouraging environment for both beginners and professional athletes to work on their fitness. "Additionally, the ministry of youth affairs is facilitating the establishment of more sports clubs across Kuwait to encourage people to make fitness a part of their daily routines. Talented athletes can be discovered through the increasing number of local and regional tournaments and competitions, which are held more frequently in Kuwait and the surrounding region, especially during the winter season,” he pointed out.