Around 40 girls train at the centre, defying prejudice in an area where boxing is traditionally seen as a man’s sport
At the only girls’ boxing club in Gaza, 15-year-old Farah Abu Al-Komsan practices her moves with other girls training under the instructions of trainer Osama Ayoub at the Palestinian Boxing Center.
Since taking up the sport at the age of nine, Farah has felt she has found an outlet from the daily stress of life in Gaza, a narrow strip of land home to some 2.3 million Palestinians cut off from Israel and neighboring Egypt.
“Before we practiced in a small garage. Now we train following all the rules and expel bad energy,” said the 15-year-old girl, at the first women’s boxing center in Gaza.
Six years ago, Ayub started with two girls. As others expressed interest, he moved out of the garage and began training on the beach or in rented spaces before moving to the new venue.
“The girls are ready. I have been training them hard for five years,” Ayub said. “We lead by example.”
Now around 40 girls train at the centre, defying prejudice in an area where boxing has traditionally been seen as a man’s sport.
“Some people were saying to me, ‘Why box, what’s in it for you, go and learn something girly,'” Farah said. “I get a lot from boxing and today my ambition is to represent the Palestinian people and take part in world championships.”
RES-EMP
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
