Personal Info
- Country of residence: Palestine
Information
With her small fist, she engraved her name in memory as the first Palestinian woman to become a professional boxer. She broke the shame of customs and traditions and reserved a seat for herself in a sport that is mostly considered masculine due to its violence and intensity. She was able to replace the masculine trait with the feminine one.
Zena Madi from Ramallah, a girl no more than thirteen years old, took up boxing professionally, a sport that requires successive and solid strikes, dribbling, and correct shots, and she fought her first international match in it.
We met Zeina and learned from her about her beginnings, how she became a professional boxer, and why this particular violent sport, and she had this conversation:
“I started boxing about two years ago, through friends of mine who were training in the club for different sports, so they made me an appointment with the boxing coach, Nader Jayousi, to have the experience that I had always loved and wished for, and that is how I got to know the club and began my sports career from here, from the Barrio Club. ".
“The first tournament I participated in was the Vidóvri Boxing Cup in Denmark, and I won a bronze medal, but I did not participate in local tournaments because there are no girls who play this sport, as in our society it is still reserved for males only.”
Zena expressed her pride and pride in being the first Palestinian woman to play boxing, “Despite all the difficulties, as everyone bet that I would not be able to continue and continue and would not endure in this sport, and that it would be a great burden on me and that I would not bear the blows in the fights that I fight, but prove to them that girls are equal.” With the young men."
Zena confirms that boxing combines sports and art, “When you play, you will need to use your mind. You watch how your opponent plays, think about the next move quickly, and try to understand his playing style. Only in this way will you know how to implement your plan and build it correctly, so you will know when to strike or when to move away.” About striking and any defensive method you use, so it is an art. You can devise many defensive and offensive methods with your mind and vision, taking into account that love should be at the forefront of all these things, as your desire and love are what put you at the forefront of the fight.”
She goes on to say, “As a sport, boxing strengthens the muscles and contributes to organizing your daily life and making it more lively and active, so you become more interested in going to sports and training.” I go to the gym 4-5 days a week, and I train for about two hours a day.
She added, "My society knows that boxing is for males. When I entered the club, I felt nothing but equality, as if it was a world separate from the outside environment. It was the first place where I felt equality between females and males. The coach was harsh on me and treated me the same way he treated males, because he realized that I could endure and play boxing and other things." I run seriously, and I want to prove something to the people and society around me. I want to achieve equality between women and men in society, so I participated and played this sport.”
Zena continues her speech, “The club and the coach gave me the greatest confidence in myself. The coach assured me every time through his treatment that he encouraged me and did not want me to allow the youth to gain power and impose their dominance over me, the girl,” adding, “At the forefront of those who supported me was my family, who believed in me.” She had great faith in me and placed her trust in me and that I could continue the journey.”
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