Raja Hamid Rashid

 

Iraq – Hanan Basem, an 18-year-old Iraqi girl, is a member of the national Kyokushinkai karate team. She is the Iraqi champion for six consecutive years, the Arab champion in Kata (first place), the Asian champion in Kumite, and most recently, the world champion (first place). She has become an inspiring example for every girl, demonstrating determination, strength, and self-defense.

Iraqi player Hanan Basem began her journey in Kyokushinkai in 2020, when she was looking for martial arts academies. She found the “Asif” academy, which was the most suitable option for her, saying that she did not know at first that the sport she would join was Kyokushinkai, as she thought it was Taekwondo, but she later discovered that it is a type of Karate.

Time Management: The Secret to Success

She explained that she was able to balance her studies and exercise by organizing her time between training and studying, noting that neither sport nor study affected her athletic pursuits.

She believes that self-defense is essential for every girl, especially given the social circumstances that may necessitate a girl knowing how to defend herself. "Self-defense is like a weapon a girl should be armed with, because there isn't always someone to defend her. I joined this sport to learn self-defense, in addition to my passion for sports since childhood. I started with swimming, and then my interests developed into karate, because it offers two aspects: self-defense and martial arts."

Breaking Down Negative Views of Society

Regarding the challenges she faced, she explained that society was initially resistant to the idea of ​​girls learning martial arts, and there were many negative comments. However, she noticed a change in this perception after the sport's spread and development, and society became more accepting of self-defense sports. She emphasized that the secret to her success is commitment, dedication, continuous training, and setting goals and striving to achieve them.

Hanan Basim aspires to continue in this sport and raise Iraq's name in international arenas. She noted that she achieved first place in Saudi Arabia with the participation of more than 230 countries, defeating players from Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, and Poland. She also won a gold medal and a bronze medal after competing against players from Japan, Spain, Russia, and Pakistan.

She emphasized that the future of Kyokushinkai for women in Iraq is "very promising," as a large number of girls have begun to take up this sport, which has become one of the most popular sports in the country after football. However, it suffers from a lack of government support, as tournaments are often organized at the players' own expense.

She explained that the "Asif" Academy is a private academy operating without government support, which limits the support available to players, despite the community's interest in youth and sports.

Self-Defense: A Message to Every Girl

She addressed a message to all girls, stressing the importance of learning self-defense to protect themselves in difficult situations, emphasizing that knowledge of the sport's techniques can help them overcome such situations.

Iraqi athlete Hanan Basim stressed the need to strengthen women's role in sports by providing them with financial and moral support. She explained that they do not receive support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports or the Olympic Committee, while moral support and encouragement are essential when a woman enters any sporting field.

The Asif Academy was one of the first institutions to open its doors to girls learning martial arts more than seven years ago, and the majority of the Iraqi national team players have graduated from it. This reflects the vital role women play in sports and confirms that Iraqi girls have the ability to achieve great accomplishments and raise their country's name in sporting arenas.