Areej Al Hammadi has just added Guinness World Records titleholder to her repertoire of achievements. The Emirati football player made history by smashing the record for the most football 'hotstepper' ball control tricks in one minute, completing 86 repetitions in total. The UAE national football team player’s impressive feat was announced in tandem with the launch of Guinness World Records Day 2020.
"It's an amazing feeling to break a Guinness World Records title!"
— GuinnessWorldRecords (@GWR) July 29, 2020
Areej Al Hammadi has set a new record for 'most football 'hotstepper' ball control tricks in one minute'#GWRDayhttps://t.co/oOZgZEjR25 pic.twitter.com/wK1f5P8CZQ
Al Hammadi, who underwent three weeks of consecutive training, met the challenge to break the world record in Dubai’s Mirdif neighborhood on a concrete ground outdoors, using a FIFA approved football. And she managed to markedly surpass the previous record of 56 repetitions, which was set in March 2020 in the UK. While she was able to break the record for the maneuver that involves using one’s feet to bounce the soccer ball on the ground while keeping it under control after just one week of practice, she “wanted to raise the bar on this record title to keep it, at least for a while.”
“I am incredibly proud to be Guinness World Records title holder and excited to help celebrate the launch of Guinness World Records Day this year. It is a proud moment for me, for my country, and for women around the world. Why football? Because it is my passion,” the local soccer star said in a statement.
She also hopped on to Instagram to say: “Here comes the hotstepper, murderer I’m a football gangster, murderer.
“I’m so happy to say I’m officially a #guinnessworldrecord title holder for most “hotstepper” football tricks in one minute - new record 86! BOOM!”
The hooked Al Hamadi, who is vocal about wanting to see women's soccer gain the same popularity as men's soccer in the country is a fine example of pursuing goals with single-mindedness and commitment. Despite being told the sport is not for women in the past, she has managed to climb to the top of women’s football in the MENA region.
"I aim to contribute to my country's improvement of women's representation at all levels of the game by challenging discrimination with hopes for big improvements in the sport industry globally," she has said.
A Creative Services professional by day, who is skilled in typography, production, design and art direction, Al Hamadi has been fanatical about the world’s most popular sport since she was young. Starting off by forming football teams at school and then at the American University in Dubai, the Visual Communications graduate went on to attend many of the women’s regional football championships and make it to the national team.
Walid Yari, another Emirati sports aficionado, smashed the record title of most side jump push-ups in one minute, competing 33 flying push-ups, a big jump on the previous record stood at 26 in India. Known as ‘The Beast of the Middle East,’ the 34-year old fitness professional is taking the region by storm with his social media content.
The announcement of these records marked the launch of this year’s Guinness World Records Day, the annual festivity of record breaking that takes place in November each year. A ‘Discover Your World’ theme of the “Guinness World Records 2021” book will be celebrated globally on November 18.
