11.10.2008
Arabic female sporting icon
DOHA, 23 October 2007 – The Arabic female sporting icon Nada Zeidan has become an official ambassador for the Doha 2016 Olympic Bid.
Zeidan, 30, is also given star billing in a nationwide advertising campaign to promote awareness of the Bid, launched in Doha last week. Her image together with young sporting stars of the future feature on billboards and buildings throughout Doha. They also appear in newspaper advertisements in the Qatari media.
Young gymnast Yasmeen Dawoud, 12, from Doha was thrilled to appear in posters alongside her sporting heroine. Yasmeen, who also plays basketball and tennis at Aspire said: “It’s my dream to grow up to become a sportswoman like Nada.”
Zeidan’s first official appearance was at Aspire Zone where she met young schoolchildren taking part in sports activities, one of whom was Yasmeen’s seven year-old brother Sulyman.
The youngsters, who are encouraged to try many different sports at Aspire, all told Zeidan how much they loved sport. Three of them, Muhab Al Qassem, Ahmed Ataia and Mohamed Ashraf said: “We love sport, especially football, gymnastics, swimming and tennis – but football is our favourite – because it is good for our health, helps us at school and gives us a chance to have a great time away from home.”
Zeidan represented Qatar in archery at the 14th Asian Games, held in Busan, South Korea in 2002. She competed for Qatar again at the 15th Asian Games in Doha last year.
By day, Zeidan is an operating theatre nurse at Doha’s Hamad Medical Hospital. But after work, Zeidan swaps surgical gloves for driving gloves to climb behind the wheel of her Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 which she has regularly driven to victory on the Middle East rally circuit. During the 2004/5 Middle East Rally Tour she won three Ladies Cups in Dubai, Syria and Lebanon.
Not content with reaching the highest echelons in archery and rally driving, however, Zeidan also competes at a high level in shooting and taekwondo, as well as being an accomplished horsewoman.
Ms Zeidan said: “I am thrilled to be asked to represent the Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Bid. I am honoured to be part of this historic Bid to bring the Olympic flame to the Arabic world for the very first time.
Ms Zeidan added: “Bringing the Games to Doha will help to change perceptions about the Arab world and culture. We will be able to show people how we have kept our traditional culture of generosity and hospitality. At the same time, Doha is now a modern city with the very best business, technology, education, medical and sports facilities.
“As a sportswoman competing at the highest level, I am also very happy to be able to prove that women can and do take part in all forms of sport in Qatar. I hope that by being an ambassador for the Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Bid I can inspire young sports stars from all over the Arab world.”