A 15-year-old Palestinian girl won an international award for horse riding in Bahrain.
Leila Malki from occupied Ramallah was awarded, on November 20, the “Against All Odds” prize by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI).
The teen began riding when she was just five-years-old in the occupied West Bank where she lived all her life, she said her win is a way to break taboos for women and has become the first Arab female to win the accolade.
RFS student wins International Equestrian Award!
Ramallah Friends School 10th grader Leila Malki has just won FEI’s (Federation Equestre Internationale) “Against All Odds” 2018 Award for her accomplishments as the youngest Palestinian… https://t.co/IgkVXUEYZZ— Ramallah First (@RamallahFirst) November 22, 2018
Leila said:
“I’ve been through a lot of challenges and a lot of borders in front of me, but I’ve believed in myself and I’ve had the confidence to achieve my goals and I’d like to tell every woman out there, if you have a dream if you have a goal go ahead and do it.”
Leila Malki – Against All Odds | FEI Awards 2018 https://t.co/8qf7oVdSaO
— Flavia Malusardi (@FlaviaMalusardi) November 22, 2018
FEI said of her:
“She travels as far as Colombia and Morocco with no trainer or support team, only herself and her Dad. She is a perfect example that if you have determination and passion.”
Her passion and determination to overcome the challenges facing a young female rider in Palestine have led Leila to actively work towards the promotion of the sport. She volunteered to help young children and those with special needs start riding for the first time.
I added a video to a @YouTube playlist https://t.co/PFqdMEDPUc My Passion/ By RFS student Leila Malki
— RFS (@FriendsRamallah) January 15, 2018
Palestinian are often hindered in pursuing sports by Israel, which regularly bars athletes from traveling to represent Palestine in the international arena.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
