Hamda Alshkeli 22 Year Old UAE Jiu-Jitsu Athlete Who Breaks Barriers for People With Disabilities

Hamda Alshkelili’s Hearing Impaired is Ready To Represent UAE National Team At The 2024 Jiu- Jitsu Asian Championship In Abu DhabiIn sports, there is a saying that goes “mind over matter”. This phrase is often used to describe how people often overcome physical obstacles to achieve success. While physical strength is certainly important, it’s often the mental strength that separates the best athletes from the rest.

Athletes push themselves to their limits through hard work, determination, and perseverance, overcoming pain, exhaustion, and adversity. They develop a mindset of perseverance, turning setbacks into growth opportunities.

Despite these physical limitations, hamda alshkeili continues to be an emirate athlete whose journey continues to be driven by the human spirit and perseverance, not by physical limitations. Even though he was born deaf, he is a Purple belt in jiu-jitsu and is part of the UAE National Team. He is 22 years old.

In 2023 Hamda won gold at the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. She is currently preparing to defend her championship title and is looking forward to the Abu Dhabi championship, which will be held from May 3 to 8, starting this weekend.

The Abu Dhabi championship will be held at the Abu Dhabi Mubadala arena and will be the inaugural edition of the JGB Asian Union Youth Championship, organized by the UAE JGB Federation. This one-of-a-kind competition is open to participants aged 21+, 18+, & 16.

Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championships is the flagship event of the UAE National Team. Hamda and her team are aiming for their fourth consecutive title. She has earned 800 points in her previous AJP Tour ranking in the Women’s Professional Purple 23’24 ranking, which placed her as #59 in the world, number 19 in Asia and number 6 in the United Arab Emirates.

“I love to compete in any championship, no matter how big or small it is,” she said. Being the defending champion certainly adds to the thrill, and there’s always the desire to win, defend, and put your best foot forward.

The tournament is expected to attract more than 1,500 competitors from all over Asia, including both men and women, as well as about 700 in the youth division, representing a wide range of 25 countries.

I am feeling a bit of pressure, but that’s what sports are all about. I’m giving it my all.

I’m giving my all. We have been training intensively and have the full support of the Federation and the technical staff, so I am prepared, Hamda says, who is currently in her first year of Special Education studies at the University of Al Ain.
The track record of the young athlete speaks for itself. In the second half of the season, she made a statement with an impressive performance at Thailand Open GP 2023. In addition, she has won three gold medals at the Abu Dhabi PWJ Championship and one at the PWJ World Championship.

Her journey as an up-and-coming fighter in the martial arts is anything but ordinary. Hamda was born deaf and hard of hearing, so he had to learn jiu-jitsu with a whole new set of challenges. But when your mind wins, your body has no power. My hearing issues don’t mean I can’t enjoy sports. Jiu-Jitsu is something that has always been close to Hamda’s heart. “I’ve always been interested in sports, and I started playing jiu-jitsu in 2016 when I was in school,” she says. With the help of the school, coaches and my family, after a few months of training, I knew I wanted to pursue this career. Once you find your passion for martial arts, it’s hard to go any other way. Despite the obstacles she faced, her love for martial arts only deepened. There are many reasons why jiu-jitsu is a great sport, and one of them is that it helps you develop both your physical and mental strength. You also feel more motivated when you think about the support you get from the management, the Federation, fans and families,” Hamda says.

Her dedication paid off when she clinched the gold medal at the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand, a remarkable achievement that set the stage for her illustrious career. “Bangkok was a memorable experience. It had an impact on me on many levels. It’s encouraged me to do more, to train harder, and to make my country proud,” Hamda recalls her victorious feat. “Every win serves as a motivating factor to achieve more, and every loss serves as a lesson, helping us identify our weaknesses and strive to fix them.”

Training journey with hearing difficulties

Though the young athlete has never let hearing difficulties come in the way of her goals and aspirations, there are certain challenges that are unique to her training journey as a person of determination in the world of competitive sports.

When she first joined the Jiu-Jitsu team, Hamda admits she found it challenging to express herself to her teammates. “This led to some minor misunderstandings between me and the team members,” she recalls. “Sometimes, my hearing device falls out during my training, making it difficult for me to keep it stable. I also have to ensure that I have enough batteries for them because it’s important and mandatory for me to be able to hear properly during my training and competitions.”

“My coach and teammates have been very supportive with me, showing a lot of attention and care,” says Hamda.

During competitions, the athlete also faces the additional challenge of communicating effectively amidst the fast-paced action. “I usually struggle to hear properly due to the loud noises,” Hamda explains. “To ensure clearer communication, I tend to look more often at my coach during the competition to see if someone is saying something to me.”