In the society of the United Arab Emirates, which bets on the success of women, many promising local names have emerged who have managed to enter unique sports fields and achieve proud successes. Among the most prominent of these models, the experience of Emirati Noura Al-Sarakh, an engineer in the field of artificial intelligence at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, has shone. She chose to take a different path into the world of "CrossFit," a sport that requires high physical strength, strict discipline, and an unbreakable will. Noura did not start her journey through the gates of competitions, but from the regular sports classes she practiced to maintain her fitness, before discovering herself in design and challenge. Her passion for sports turned into a complete life project, combining her technical career and her athletic ambitions. Her big dream is her capabilities and her insistence on achieving more victories and raising her country's flag in a world championship soon.
Away from the routine In her interview with "Al Ittihad," Noura stopped at the beginning of her journey with the world of sports about seven years ago, saying: "I used to participate in regular sports classes at the club, but over time I felt a kind of boredom and routine, so I decided to try a different sport, and I found that CrossFit does not depend on repetition, but represents a new challenge every day." She added: "In 2018, I joined my first CrossFit class, which gave me a year later the opportunity to participate in my first women's championship, and I came in seventh place at that time." Noura confirmed that CrossFit is based on challenge and perseverance, blending physical and mental strength together, and has increasing popularity in the world and the UAE.
Participations and challenges With the spread of the "Corona" pandemic in 2020, Noura participated in the Sheikha Hind Women's Sports Games for government departments in Dubai in the "CrossFit" category, through her work at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), describing this experience by saying: "The timing of this championship was in a difficult global circumstance, but it gave me a strong morale boost to continue, and on the other hand, it proved to me that the real challenge lies in continuity, not just in winning." She added: "This participation allowed me in 2021 to join the Sheikh Fazza team, which took me in 2023 to the circle of success, and winning first place in Dubai Games (Government Games) as part of the F3 team, and we also won second place last year with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority team."
Inspirational words Amid her talk about her experience, Noura Al-Sarakh stopped at the period of her preparation to join the Sheikh Fazza team, saying: "During the team's trials, I was afraid of jumping from a height of 10 meters, but one encouraging word from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, encouraged me to go ahead with the experiment, so I jumped, and it was an unforgettable moment for me, as I overcame my fear successfully." Noura Al-Sarakh added: "We must also stop at the most inspiring personalities for me in this field, which is the Emirati player Shah Budbus, who was used to achieving first places in championships, and was a model to be followed and a real role model for me, and fate willed that I later participate with her in the Sheikh Fazza team, and achieve first place in the same year."
A supportive environment About her current work as a computer engineer in the field of artificial intelligence, after graduating from Dubai Colleges of Technology with a bachelor's degree and obtaining a scholarship in engineering and technology, Noura Al-Sarakh said: "I am happy with the support and encouragement I find for my sports experience in my work environment, as I was given a sports leave for six weeks during the Government Games period, which helped me focus on training and participate without pressure." In describing her ability to balance her professional responsibilities and the requirements of her sports experience, she said: "I work eight hours a day, after which I go to the club for training, and this matter requires discipline, organization, and precision, but it is not difficult for the one who has the desire and insistence."
Constant support Regarding the nature of community support and the difficulties she faced, Noura Al-Sarah confirmed that it was not easy to accept the idea of an Emirati girl practicing this type of sport that relies on this amount of challenges and high-intensity exercises, such as weightlifting or jumping, saying: "I heard many comments, but I did not care, and I continued my way armed with my passion, and the encouragement of my father, may God have mercy on him, which pushed me after his death to continue the road and raise his name high. And by relying on continuous training that takes hours of effort and focus, I was able to build my experience step by step, based on unlimited family and institutional support that gave me the ability to balance work and ambition."
Future ambitions In the context of her talk about ambitions and hopes, Noura Al-Sarakh confirmed that she has not yet been given the opportunity to participate in sports events and championships outside the UAE, saying: "I am currently working on developing my physical fitness in preparation for participating in the 'Zayed Charity Marathon', especially since CrossFit has opened new fields for me in the field of sports." She confirmed her belief in her capabilities, and her insistence on achieving more victories and raising her country's flag in a world championship soon.
Noura Al-Sarakh: • I was afraid before jumping from a height of 10 meters, but one encouraging word from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed encouraged me to try, so I jumped, and it was an unforgettable moment. • I work 8 hours a day, and after that I go to the club for training, and this matter requires discipline and organization, but it is not difficult for the one who has the desire and insistence.
