The sportswoman from the Emirati national team and former badminton star Salama Al-Hatiri continues to showcase her talent in various sports fields. Last month, she won her first gold medal at the Asia Championship in velodrome cycling, which took place in Thailand, in the discipline of road racing over 42 kilometers. This is already the second continental medal for her since she became a champion in 2024 in cross-country at 20 kilometers.
Salama Al-Hatiri is an exceptional example of the Emirati sportswoman, who combines success in education, having graduated from the chemistry faculty of a British university, and a vibrant performance in sports for people with disabilities. Last summer, 24-year-old Salama continued her education in New Zealand in marine sciences, simultaneously achieving success in her new sport - cycling.
The sportswoman noted: "My acquaintance with badminton began in school when one of the coaches noticed my athletic talent and encouraged me to take up badminton, which I started to engage in, and then I moved to a Dubai club for people with disabilities for professional practice and joined the national team."
She continued: "Despite my physical shortcomings, since I had a congenital hip deformity, and one leg is longer than the other, and one leg is stronger than the other, my passion for sports pushed me to try cycling in 2023. Over time, it became my first and favorite sport."
Salama added: "I am proud to be the first Emirati with disabilities who achieved success in cycling, and this success could not have been achieved without the support I received from the Emirati Paralympic Committee, Dubai Club for People with Disabilities, Shabab Al-Ahli Club in cycling, as well as all the coaches I have had."
In conclusion, she said: "I have bigger ambitions in the field of marine sciences, which I am studying right now, and also in continuing achievements in cycling, especially considering that Asian competitions provide me with ranking points for achieving the higher goal of any athlete, participating in the Olympic Games and representing the country at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028."
