Parents Arab WAG gymnasts?

[Uglybetty]

I'm new to WAG (always watched it but never really paid much attention...just kind of thought "oh that was good"). My lack of prior attention though means apart from a few local elite gymnasts, i know very little about gymnasts from other countries.
We always try to inspire some pride in our DD as being both Arab and British, so I was searching to see if any of the Arab countries have Elite level WAG and apart from an Egyptian Rythmic gymnast (who placed 23rd in London 2012), I can't seem to find any? I've discounted her on the basis that its the wrong kind of gymnastics. Does anyone know of a gymnast of Arab heritage who competes WAG?

 

[bogwoppit]

Check out videos of Aya Maghoub who competes for Egypt. She is quite a lovely gymnast. I believe she trains in the USA>

Some below.

http://www.youtube.com/user/nohashedid

 

[Quadqueen]

^^yes, she train's at Brestyan's.

 

[Quadqueen]

trains, I mean

 

[Uglybetty]

Thanks, using this vital snippet of info led me to the results of the 2011 pan arab games. There are three Egyptians, two from Qatar, one Moroccan and and one Turk that I could find results for. I've shown my DD their pictures and we'll watch some of their routines together. She'll always aspire to represent Britain (although I think it's technically possible for her to represent her heritage country because her dad can claim nationality and then she too could claim) but its nice for her to see other Arab WAGs perform at a high level.

 

[bogwoppit]

Lots of gymnasts train in one country and compete for another. Getting onto teams from some of the lesser known gym countries can be much easier than in the stronger ones.

Nice to have girls to look up to that she can identify with. The UK has a great gym programme doesn't it.

 

[Jenny]

Hala Alali was a british gymnast from South Durham gym club in the UK who was also a member of the Jordanian national team a few years ago. I found some results for her from 2002 but no video.

There are some Turkish and Egyptian Gymnasts currently competing internationally with some video on youtube. I think there have also been a couple of gymnasts of Arab heritage who have competed for France too but I can't remember their names offhand. Good luck to your dd. I hope she realises her dreams!

 

[Uglybetty]

Yes, there's been a lot of investment over the last 20-30 years in Britain which has really increased the strength and depth of the gymnasts. The system appears to be less of a cash cow than in the US. It's not a cheap sport but there's a lot of central funding and it's not beyond the means of most families. We are very lucky that we live within 30 mins of an elite gym with amazing coaches and she is surrounded by inspirational gymnasts at each session. It's way too early to know her full potential, but I believe in teaching her to reach out to be the very best she can be. Nurturing her dreams so to speak. She understands it will involve lots of hard graft because her much older cousin is England captain in another sport and she sees the hard work she puts into that. Similarly, having seen the sacrifices my in-laws made for their elite athlete, we're under no illusions about how much we'd have to dedicate to supporting her.

 

[Uglybetty]

Thanks for that info Jenny....it's even better for her to know about a British Arab WAG. South Durham is lose to my in-laws, I wonder if she still lives there?

 

[Jenny]

Here is a link to an old article about Hala Alali who lived in Yarm, Teesside and travelled to South Durham to train.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/hala-aims-olympic-pioneer-3783992

She is not listed as a coach for South Durham but she is listed as a Primary School teacher in Coulby Newham which is near Yarm so she obviously stayed close to home. Wonder if she runs the school gymnastics club?

 

[bookworm]

There were also a couple of other Egyptian gymnasts that used to come over to the US and train with Maghoub at Brestyan's for periods of time...one was named Salma Mahmoud El Said...she competed at the Olympics for Egypt as well...Brestyan's even enterred her in the state meet while she was here!! People didn't think that was fair because if you are on a National team and going to the Olympics , then you don't belong in our JO State Meets but Brestyan hates to lose so...

 

[Deleted member D3987]

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[KnowNuthin]

Jordyn Wieber is of Lebanese descent (through her maternal grandmother).