The first Emirati woman to win a gold medal at Asian Games, Asma Al Hosani impressed the audience at Emiratia, the Gulf News and Being She event that celebrated the achievements of Emirati women at Raffles the Palm Dubai on Wednesday.
“For every woman, the journey is unique,” the 21-year-old jiu-jitsu athlete said in a fireside chat. “Self-doubt is natural, but it will never define you. And challenges will only make you stronger. So always push yourself beyond your limit. Sometimes, commitment can be tough, but it is the key to unlocking your true abilities, and every small step will bring you closer to your dream.”
It’s this philosophy that led Asma to a jiu-jitsu gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games. But her path to success was not without hurdles. “People always question why jiu jitsu; why do you have to fight in front of men? But jiu-jitsu is what I love. Even simple things like travelling abroad for training for longer periods of time raised concerns. But if I want to be a professional athlete, I will have to go through many obstacles. And these obstacles made me more determined to succeed.”
Jiu-jitsu has helped her develop and hone this mindset. Seeing the change in Asma’s personality, her mother encouraged her to take it to the next level.
“The most important thing that has helped me throughout my jiu-jitsu is the communication between me and my teammates and even the coach,” she said.
A mechanical engineering student at Khalifa University, Asma hopes to make a difference in the world through both her sporting career as well as professional achievements. “I'm passionate about combining my engineering knowledge and renewable energy,” she says. “I want to work in that field and reduce the environmental footprint.”
Emiratia was supported by Ajman Free Zone as the Platinum Sponsor, Virgio and La Marquise as Gold Sponsors, HSBC as the Banking Partner, Areen East and West and Moser as Support Partners, Raffles The Palm as the Venue Partner, Apparel Group as the Lifestyle Partner, Clean Rebel and Lush as Gifting Partners, Al Haramain as the Fragrance Partner, and Arpan as the Flower Partner.
