Dubai: Emirati karateka Salem Al Mehairi is dreaming of the 2024 Paralympics after making his debut in the World Karate Championships in Linz, Austria, last week.
The 18-year-old who has cerebral palsy was first introduced to the sport when he was just nine by his late father Mohammad, who passed away five years ago aged 47.
Since then his mother Maryna has made it her mission to fulfil Mohammad’s dream for Salem, and they promise that last week’s participation was just the beginning in the realisation of his potential. “It was as if Salem’s dad knew he would do well,” said Maryna, who is originally from South Africa. Official placings are yet to be announced, but the former Al Noor pupil and Dubai Club for the Disabled member got a high score of 6.5 with top scores ranging from seven to 8.2.
It wasn’t enough to win a medal but Maryna said Salem’s participation alone was monumental. “It is challenging for abled people to perform but so much more for people with disability to achieve the same results,” she said. “In karate, people with disability typically learn a maximum of one or two kata (movements) in a lifetime.
“It is a challenge for them to learn this to perfection, but to win a medal would take years of practice. Considering Salem has only started training seriously five months ago, the fact he has already competed at a major tournament is huge.
“It was tough but the way he coped with the stress in the build up to the event made me proud to be his mother and I realised he has yet to realise his full potential.
“I never forget what he told me the evening before his performance, he said: ‘I will make you proud mum,’ and he did.
“You can’t understand how emotional that night was as there have been so many different things against us, life has a different meaning when a parent has a child with disability, it’s a different journey,” added Maryna, who also has two daughters Michaela and Aisha.
“The challenge now will be for him to learn more complicated katas in time for the next competition. The road is not going to be easy, a lot of hard work and dedication is required but every second spent on this sport is worth everything and more.”
Karate will be included in the Olympics for the first time in 2020 but won’t be integrated into the Paralympics until 2024.
“My son will be 26 by then and it is his goal to participate in the Paralympics as a proud Emirati. I will be next to him every step of the way and he is determined to achieve this goal.
“Since the moment he was born I have put all my energy, effort and strength into empowering him and lifting him up.
“Salem maybe mentally impaired but for me he’s a voice, a voice for other people that have disability that proves they can achieve too if given the chance.”
Maryna wanted to thank everyone involved in Salem’s participation with special thanks to the support of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council.
“Without them, this wouldn’t have been possible and our gratitude for the Rulers’ endless support is heartfelt,” she added.
