Haya Al-Mami 1st Saudi female rower participating in 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou

In a new achievement for Saudi women, Haya Al-Mami made history to be the first Saudi female rower representing her country in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8.

In an interview with Sayidaty Magazine, published on September 12, Mami said that her passion in rowing began when she participated in the rowing championship in Jeddah in 2020. Since then, she kept on practicing rowing.

“Being the first female rower representing Saudi women in the Asian Games held in China is a great pride for me, and my qualification came after more than a year of preparation,” she said.

Mami added that her parents backed her in practicing sports like swimming, cycling, running, and CrossFit, besides rowing.

Speaking about women empowerment in sports, she said that Saudi women in the past faced challenges when they were deprived of their rights to practice sports, but due to the current openness in the Kingdom, these challenges were removed, and the government constructed two rowing centers in the Jeddah and Jubail.

Meanwhile, Kariman Abuljadayel, who became the first Saudi female Olympian sprinter in 2016, will participate as a rower for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Arab News reported on August 18.

The Saudi News Agency (SPA) reported on August 28 that 193 male and female athletes will participate in 19 different games at the 2023 Asian Games in China. SAP added that the Saudi National Rowing Team won a bronze medal in February at the World Indoor Rowing Championships in Canada.

Under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi women have seen unprecedented rulings empowering them in a number of the Kingdom’s vital institutions in several fields like the security sector, human rights, and space.