Trading Jabs And Punches: Gaza Welcomes Its First Women’s Boxing Club
Al Arabiya reported that the first women’s boxing club has just opened its doors in Gaza, giving an opportunity for women to practice their beloved sport. This new facility means fighters no longer have to train on the beach or in rented spaces. In an interview with Farah Abu Al Qomsan, the 15-year-old said that “we used to train in a small garage, now we train according to the full rules and release bad energy.” Osama Ayoub, the club’s boxing coach, told The National News that the girls are ready for such an opportunity as they trained hard for five straight years.
A boxer since the age of nine, Abu Al Qomsan’s daily stresses of Gaza fade every time she enters the ring. The boxing club is giving around 40 girls a chance to train with a full-sized ring, training equipment, and posters of well-known boxers such as Mike Tyson on the walls, defying expectations in what has traditionally been a sport for men.
She expressed her experience when she decided to become a boxer as she was met with pessimistic reactions. Some people used to tell her what benefit would she gain from boxing and that she should then just go learn something “girly.” Abu Al Qomsan, however, affirmed that she gains a lot from boxing and that her ambition is to represent the Palestinian people and take part in world championships.
