More than twenty young surfers descended on Gaza Beach to take part in the first surfing event in Palestine, organized by the Palestinian Sailing and Rowing Federation.
The Palestine Chronicle was present at the special event. Our correspondent in Gaza, Mahmoud Ajjour, interviewed Khaldoun Abu Salim, director of the Federation.
“This is the first event organized by our Federation and it is beautiful to see this number of young Palestinian athletes,” Abu Salim told The Palestine Chronicle. “We hope that the world will see our talents in Gaza and that this will help us develop our sector”.
The Palestinian Sailing and Rowing Federation, which is a member of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, suffers from a lack of dedicated infrastructure.
Due to the Israeli siege on Gaza, the Federation has no access to racing shells, oars, or dedicated training centers.
The participants in this unique sports event could only use old surfboards, which are not suitable for official competitions.
14-year-old Khalil Muhammed Abu Jiyab was the youngest participant in the event. He told The Palestine Chronicle that the Federation helped him develop his skills in his favorite sports.
“I feel wonderful when I am surfing in the sea,” Abu Jiyab said, adding, “my message to all young people across the world is to pursue their passions, so that they can better contribute to society.”
Muhammad Abu Ghanem, another participant, has been waiting for this moment for years. “We would need better equipment,” he noted. “These surfboards are more than 20 years old and they are not suitable for official competitions.”
(Translated by Mohammed Rafik Mhawesh. Edited by Romana Rubeo)
(All Photos: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle)
If a fundraiser campaign were to be made for new surfboards and related needs, who would be the contact person? Also, could these surfboards be delivered to Gaza?