Siblings from NE Syria excel in Karate at home, abroad

By Avin Youssef

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Two siblings, Malaka and Walid al Sheikh, commit to their karate training at a sports club in the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria. They surpass boundaries and excel in the sport at home and abroad, winning awards in several national and Asian championships.

Both siblings rely on the support of their father and coach to pursue their passion for the sport and develop their skills and knowledge about it.

The regular training sessions, which last for six hours a week, and at times intensive training in preparation for competitions have not stopped the siblings from focusing on their school studies.

Walid, 16, is a high school student, while Malaka, 18, enrolled in the physics department at the University of Rojava this year, which was established by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in Qamishli.

The players’ participation in local tournaments in Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria, has been remarkable, as they have gained awards at the national level in Syria. Most recently, in early March, they were crowned as champions of Syria in their respective categories for 2024.

Furthermore, Malaka achieved the silver medal in the West Asia Karate Championship held in Jordan in 2023.

Back-to-back successes

Nine years ago when Walid was four years old, he started training at the club, which caught Malaka’s attention, leading her to join the training at the age of nine.

Walid told North Press that despite his young age at the time, he was not afraid of punches and injuries that would later pave his way to victory.

Malaka says that Karate was not popular among girls in the area back then, but when she watched her brother train, she loved it and wanted to learn just like him.

The two players initially participated in local tournaments where they achieved their first success.

Malaka believes she learned a lot from any match she played regardless of the outcome, because in the end, she gained new experiences and learned from her mistakes and how to avoid them.

In 2018, Walid participated for the first time in the Syrian Republic Championship, where he won the bronze medal. Additionally, he won the silver medal in 2019. Both Walid and his sister participated in the Syrian championship this year and won the gold medal in Damascus.

The Republic Championship includes several sports clubs from all Syrian governorates, and the players are selected according to age groups and weights.

Malaka’s participation in the 2023 West Asia Karate Championship was remarkable, as she was among three other girls representing the Syrian national team. She won the silver medal in the championship held in Jordan, in which 11 countries participated.

She says she felt some anxiety in that championship, but she managed to overcome the obstacles when she stood on the mat and faced her competitors.

Supportive family

Malaka recalls the obstacles she would not have overcome without the support of her family and the encouragement of her father, including the stereotypes surrounding girls’ participation in sports in general and combat sports in particular.

The society did not accept the idea of girls practicing karate; they saw it as something exclusive to men, she says.

However, the enrollment of other girls in the training in the past years, shows a change in the mentality that used to view karate as a drawback for girls, according to Malaka.

Some players are unable to participate in championships held in Damascus or Latakia, or abroad because they cannot afford the expenses of travel and accommodation amid the absence of support.

But Malaka and Walid’s father cares about their passion for sports and music alongside their studies, and he feels proud of the results they have achieved.

Malaka attended training courses in refereeing and obtained a certificate that allows her to be a referee in games. Now, she participates as a member of the refereeing committees for children’s championships in Hasakah.

Malaka’s coach, Rezan Sheikhmous, says the player’s victory in the West Asia Championship was just the beginning. After achieving second-place, many referees and coaches turned their attention to her, extending invitations for her to participate in international tournaments.

Malaka says it was a great feeling to see her family and acquaintances proud of her when she returned from Jordan.