• Acclaim is pouring in for the 21-year-old after she defeated Irina Zaretska in the Women’s Karate Kumite +61kg final at Tokyo 2020

Mohammed Al-Shamaa

CAIRO: Feryal Ashraf woke up on Sunday morning the most famous athlete in Egypt.

Sorry, Mohamed Salah.

On Saturday, Abdelaziz claimed a glorious gold for Egypt after beating Irina Zaretska 2-0 in the final for the Women’s Karate Kumite +61 kilogram competition at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan arena.

It was Egypt’s first gold of Tokyo 2020. Historically, it was the first Olympic gold ever won by an Egyptian female athlete.

“I am very tired, and God did not waste my fatigue,” she said the day after her glorious win. “I thank my father, my mother, my brothers and all the Egyptian people and my coaches. I hope to make the Egyptians happy.”

It’s fair to say she did, with not only Egyptians, but Arabs in general, widely celebrating her achievement.

Her family, following the action from Cairo, remained in constant communication with her while she was in Japan, joking with her to ease the pressure while all the time preparing for, and believing in, her success.

At the moment of her win, her mother was the first to jump in front of the television screen, with the rest of the family close behind, screaming with unprecedented joy.

Even Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was captivated, congratulating the 21-year-old Ashraf on her success only minutes after she won the final.

“I congratulate the heroic daughter of Egypt, Faryal Ashraf, for winning the gold medal for karate at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It is a new achievement that calls for pride and confirms the ability of Egyptians,” he commented. “I am proud of my daughter, Faryal Ashraf, and every Egyptian who is raising Egypt’s name high in international forums.”

As of this morning, fans can’t get enough of the Olympic champion.

Ashraf loves drawing and reading, and her favourite food is pasta with sausage and mozzarella. She also would rather have partner who is an athlete, someone who can understand her lifestyle of training and championships.

“We are all very happy, this is Egypt’s first gold medal in this year’s games, and Egypt has risen dozens of places in the classification,” her brother Ahmed Ashraf said. “In addition to that Feryal is the first Egyptian woman to win gold in the history of the Olympics,” her brother, Ahmed Ashraf said. “Feryal was born a hero and will remain a hero.”

He added that Ashraf’s success was not an easy process, but she was always confident she would eventually succeed.

Ashraf’s Olympic triumph has been years in the making, taking up karate when she was only eight years old.

According to her coach, Hani Qeshta, in preparation for the games, Ashraf’s typical day training would start at 6am and end at around 10pm, despite the fact she is currently studying pharmacy at the British University in Egypt.

Ashraf’s haul of local and regional titles include a bronze medal at the 2018 African Nations Championship in Rwanda, a gold medal at the World Junior Championships 2019, a gold medal at the African Championship 2020, a silver medal at the Premier League in France 2020, and a silver medal at the Premier League in Turkey 2021.

And as of Saturday, August 7, 2021, gloriously, Olympic Gold.