30 Apr 2012
Kuwait represented at Asian Olympic Qualification Regatta
The regatta had 22 nations participating and one of these nations is Kuwait. Kuwait’s sole participant is Alia Qali.
Alia Qali, 26, is in a unique situation in more ways than one. She is a Muslim rower. She is from Kuwait and has been aiming to qualify for the London Olympic Games, which she unfortunately missed out on. And she is doing all of this while raising her four-month-old daughter. Furthermore, being a woman makes her the only female competitor in rowing from the Arabian Gulf.
Alia Qali talked to Secretary General of the Asian Rowing Federation, Ken Lee about her involvement in rowing.
Ken Lee: How did you first get involved in rowing?
Alia Qali: In 2005 I was passing by Kuwait Sea Sport and saw some men rowing on the sea. I asked the club manager if I could get involved and that is how I started. Then I had to go to the USA to complete my college degree. The team supervisor advised me to join the college team in Long Beach, California and he bought for me, at his own expense, a Filippi boat and a Concept2 ergomete. After I graduated I donated the boat and the ergometer to the university.
KL: Living in Kuwait, what did you know about rowing?
KL: Where do you row in Kuwait?
AQ: We have only the Gulf Sea which is open water and salty. Sometimes we row once a week or twice a month depending on sea tides. We spend more time erging than rowing.
KL: How many rowers are there in Kuwait?
AQ: There are 25 rowers including the juniors. There a four females, myself and three juniors. Throughout the Gulf between Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait, Kuwait is the only country that has female rowers.
KL: What is the local attitude to you being a rower?
AQ: Many people in Kuwait are surprised that there are rowers in Kuwait, although it is a sea country, but as a female rower it is a big deal first for women to play sport. It is not common, especially competitively. Rowing is a tough sport and water sports are not encouraged for women to play.
KL: What is the biggest challenge for you as a rower?
AQ: The biggest challenge is not having calm water to row every day and the fact that the society doesn’t accept women doing water sport in general. We are sad to spend our time erg-ing more than rowing. Also, we are limited in time for rowing since it is over 45 Celsius after 7:00am and can’t practice till after 4:00pm and it gets dark at 6:00pm. And of course not rowing everyday means we have few chances and time for distance or drills.
KL: Where do you get support from to be a rower?
AQ: The biggest support is from my husband, Hitham, since he has experience in rowing of over 28 years and he is the Chairman of the Development Committee in the Arabic International Federation.
KL: I understand that your husband is your coach. Did you meet through rowing or did one of you introduce it to the other?
AQ: Yes, we met through rowing, which I consider the biggest blessing in my life.
KL: Tell me about the Gulf Invasion by Iraq. I understand your husband had to save the rowing boats.
AQ: During the Gulf Invasion the enemy was in our club destroying everything and Hitham had to find a way to stop them so he offered them money, and it worked. He took 32 boats to his home.
KL: Having a four month old baby, how much training were you able to do while you were pregnant?
AQ: I didn’t do any rowing during my pregnancy since my doctor told not to. I was only able to swim.
KL: How soon after having your daughter were you able to start rowing again?
AQ: Two months after my delivery.
KL: How do you fit training into being a mother?
AQ: I organise my time, time for baby, time for my husband and I time everything. What helps a lot that I have my own interior design firm so I am not obligated to go to work at specific times.
KL: What made you decide to try and qualify this year for the Olympics?
AQ: I want to see my level now to be able to put a four year plan for the next Olympics 2016 in Rio.
KL: Is there anything that you would like to add?
AQ: I am the only woman from the Arabian Gulf competing in rowing. Myself and my husband are passionate about rowing. In our house we have put a rowing boat on the ceiling of the living room! We would like to educate people about rowing in the Gulf; we consider rowing not only a sport but part of our life. We hope to set an example for the people in the Arabic Gulf to encourage rowing to men and women, and not to play for the money but play for the passion of being rowers.