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Gold for Palestine: Karate’s Mariam Bsharat a rare sporting success
Mariam Bsharat, 17, has won her second under-21 World Karate Championship gold medal, competing for Palestine in Poland in October. Her achievement stands out because athletes from the Palestinian territories face obstacles including restricted travel, limited access to training and funding, and persistent security fears.
Raised in Nablus in a karate family, Bsharat said she initially took up the sport because her relatives did, before growing to love it. She competes below 66 kilograms and now lives in Hamburg with her mother and siblings, having moved to Germany last year; her father remains in Palestine and visits when he can. Bsharat said Germany has opened opportunities for her, while leaving home has brought personal challenges and the pressure of representing her family and country.
In short
- Mariam Bsharat won her second under-21 world karate gold.
- She competed for Palestine at the October championships in Poland.
- She moved from Nablus to Hamburg with her family last year.
Explained simply
Karate is a martial art in which competitors score points with controlled punches and kicks. Mariam Bsharat grew up in Nablus in a family involved in the sport, and now competes for Palestine in the under-21 category below 66 kilograms.
Palestinian athletes can face difficulties travelling to competitions, finding places to train and securing funding, as well as living with security concerns. Bsharat moved to Hamburg with her mother and siblings last year; her father remains in Palestine, and she says Germany has given her more opportunities while being away from home has been difficult.