'Everything is possible': UAE's female pioneer athletes inspire young women to follow their dreams

Two Emirati women pioneers and 'firsts' in their fields, Zahra Lari, the first woman in history to compete in figure skating wearing a headscarf and Amna Al Qubaisi, the first Emirati female racing driver, have spoken about their journeys and victories they've won. The young Emiratis have also revealed their challenges in male-dominated sports.

In a panel discussion on "Female athletes who refuse to stand for the status quo" at the Forbes 30/50 Forum in Abu Dhabi, Lari said she championed female representation in sports in the Middle East and has worked relentlessly to build the women's sporting community regionally.

Lari was the first woman in history to participate in international figure skating competitions wearing a hijab. This was at the European Cup in Canazei, Italy, in 2012, and her points were deducted for "outfit violation".

The Emirati was also UAE’s first figure skater to compete in the winter qualifications in 2018, leading the UAE to become the first Arab nation to join the International Skating Union.

Lari, currently the CEO of the Emirates Skating club & President of Figure Skating Committee UAE Winter Sports Federation, says she first skated at the age of 12 after seeing the Disney film Ice Princess.

“When I saw the movie, I fell in love with skating. I told my mother that I wanted to try the sport, and she said "no", stressing that I had to focus on my studies,” she told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the Forbes 30/50 Forum.

“But my dad welcomed the idea, and he started taking me for skating lessons after class. I started learning the spot for fun, and I had no idea I would take it as a profession."

When her passion for skating grew, she intensified her training.

“I used to wake up at 4.30am to practice and then practice for another three hours after class. I was so passionate about learning more skills, and sometimes I had to eat and change in the car as I headed for training because I didn’t have time.”

The Emirati says she had a very good coach who helped her to participate in her first international competition.

Lari said she never wanted to travel abroad for training, and they decided to open up the Emirates Skating Club, which was the official skating club in the country and they brought in high-level coaches.

“We still have fantastic coaches for the young generation,” she said.

The Emirati says when she got married and gave birth to her first daughter after the Covid-19 pandemic, she decided to retire from international competitions to focus on the young generation.

Educating people about figure skating sport and informing them that it was ok for women to take part in the sport, even in international competitions, was one of Lari’s biggest challenges.

The Emirati skater has urged the young generation to join the skating sport for fun, and then they can take it on to the next level.

Inspiring women to follow their dreams

Amna Al Qubaisi, the Emirati Formula Racing Driver and the first Emirati female racing driver says she is keen on inspiring women to follow their dreams.

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