1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
I started rowing in Cairo. Initially, my little brother wanted to row, so my mum, brother and I showed up at the club and the coach told us he was too young, but I was at the perfect age to start (13). I was reluctant at first because I was definitely not the athletic type at all. I hated all sports but I didn't want to be impolite, so I decided to give it a try. I rowed for a year in Egypt and then continued when my family and I moved to Switzerland, where I'm currently living.
2. Was there a practice, race or other event when you fell in love with the sport, or when you knew you might not be too bad at rowing? When you thought you could make the national team?
To be honest, until March of 2014, rowing felt more like an obligation rather than a hobby or something I enjoyed. I had already done an entire regatta season the year before and it was horrible, I never did well and I always regretted picking up the sport. So right before the first regatta of 2014, I told my mum that if I didn't come back happy, I'd like to stop. I made it to final A and got the gold, so it was meant to be, I guess. I'd never considered rowing for a national team or taking it that seriously until the Egyptian team had contacted me asking me to represent Egypt at the African championships in October of 2014.
3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?
My favourite races are always the ones that are very rough in terms of weather conditions. We had a race earlier this season and it started pouring down on us and the wind was just horrible. I got the gold in final A (junior category). It's really just you against the elements and it all comes down to how bad you want it. Whether you win or don't, you always feel like a total Viking walking away from the race.
The worst race I ever had was back in 2014, when I was in the U17 category. I was leading the season as one of the top 3 in Switzerland. I was in final A and all was going well, I was leading the race, and I capsized after 750 metres. It was the most humiliating feeling and I was just so frustrated with myself. It took me a very long time to get over it.
My favourite practice would have to have been the first time I did an 8 last year with the Swiss team. Each year, the Swiss team picks the best Swiss French rowers to compete in a regatta against the Italians and French. It's a great experience and I was picked to do an 8, quad and double. We trained in the mountains for just one weekend. It was cool, because we did a bunch of different things in and out of the water and it's always nice to change things around.
The worst practice was back in 2012 in January in Cairo. The Nile was extremely rough and I was put in a single scull. It was terrifying. I guess it helped me get over the fear of waves and I actually don't get bothered with wavy water at all, so there's always something good that comes out of every training, whether good or bad.
4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
Most people only know about the bigger, international regattas I've done with the Egyptian team (African champs, Piediluco etc...) but to be honest, my greatest achievement was winning gold in the Swiss championships in the single sculls for u17 in 2014. The amount of effort and work that went in to achieve that was extreme. I was the happiest I had been in a long time and it was very fulfilling.
5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
I myself am 17, so I don't think I'm in the position to really answer this, but if there's one thing I've learnt is that you can never ever have enough pairs of socks. If you're going to a regatta or training camp, take 3 or 4 times the amount of socks you think you need. I learnt this the hard way.
Hometown: Maadi, Cairo
Current Residence: Geneva, CH
Club Affiliation: Societe Nautique de Geneve
Began rowing: 2011
Date of birth: 23/08/1998
Height: 1.69 m
Weight: 63 kg
High School: Institut International de Lancy
Undergrad: N/A
Training Location: Rhone, Geneva
Current Coaches: Francesco Gabriele
National Teams: Egyptian Rowing Federation, 2 years, Junior and Senior
International Results: 2nd in the African Champs U19 Wx1 2014 and 2015,2nd at the Memorial Paulo D'Aloja (Piediluco) U19 Wx1 2016,3rd in the Quad at TERA (Swiss French VS French VS Italian) U17 2014,1st in the Double at TERA U19 2015
National Regattas: Criterium Lausannoise: 1st U17 Wx1 2014 and 2nd in U19 Wx1 2015, National Regatta Sarnensee: 3rd in wx1 U17 2014 and 1st in wx1 U19 2016, National Regatta -Lauerz, Cham, Greifensee, 1st WX1 U19 2016, Swiss indoor championships: 2nd U19 2016, Swiss French championships: 1st in U17 wx1 2014 and 2nd in wx1 U19 2014, Swiss Nationals: 1st in U17 Wx1 2014, 2nd in U19 Wx1 2016, 3rd in U19 double sculls 2016, Egyptian Nationals 2013: 1st in U19 wx1 and double sculls
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07/15/2016 2:17:28 PM