Amal Murad
At barely 5 feet tall, she pushes social and cultural boundaries; Amal is an Arab woman who has exceeded as a sportswoman in a heavily male dominated industry and continues to inspire and encourage more women to find their passion and embark on their own personal fitness journey.
With her warm and welcoming demeanor, she advocates perseverance, personal progression and self – acceptance; Amal discusses with AboutHer.com the challenges she faced, her drive and inspirations since breaking through as a sportswoman and opens up about what lies beyond what we see on social media and dealing with failure.
The Nike ambassador took her first class four years ago and hasn’t looked back since.
Tell us a little about Parkour as a sport and how you discovered your passion for it.
Parkour is the art of learning how to efficiently go from point A to point B in the quickest manner while overcoming obstacles. I've always had that expressive and adventurous side of me as a child but as I started growing up into my teenage years, I lost a lot of courage as well as self-confidence. It didn't help that I was a little girl, glasses and braces, who was the only girl who liked to play sports. However, fast forward 15 years later, my cousin, Yousif Al Gurg, started the first parkour/calisthenics facility. That was when I decided to try something new and to rediscover that side of me again.
You've been known to speak about how Parkour liberates you, in what ways do you find the sport liberating?
It's the way that you're free to express yourself in any given space. In parkour, there is no "right way" of finding a path. It's about analyzing your surroundings and allowing your body to do the work. Through this process, you begin trusting your body; there is no longer room for hesitation. You plan out a route, you commit your hundred percent or you would not be able to reach your destination.
Being a female Arab athlete, what obstacles did you have to overcome in the face of Arab culture and society?
Almost all of the obstacles were mostly in my head rather than being physical and tangible barriers. I think your intentions mean everything. It was never about being a rebel and doing things despite people's opinions but rather the love of wanting to serve your country and others to be the best version of themselves. I think when you mean well, it shows, and people tend to want to support you because of it. Of course, however, people in the media industry love controversy and I always get asked "how did people accept you". It never was about people accepting me; it was about me accepting me.
How did your parents feel about your chosen career path?
I come from a family of entrepreneurs who all paved their own path. They warned me about how hard it would be but always encouraged me to find my own voice.
As a female athlete, how do you assert yourself within such a male dominated industry?
By focusing on being an athlete and worrying less about being a female. If you work hard enough on your craft, people appreciate you whether you were a man or a woman.
You were featured in a campaign with Nike, how did that opportunity come about and what was its core message?
I was very fortunate to be part of this campaign. We were approached by Nike and were asked about what struggles we faced as Arab, Muslim Women who practiced sports. Almost 90 percent of the women explained that we all had the same fear, the fear of "What will people say about you?” We all decided to change this phrase to something positive rather than having a negative connotation. Maybe if we believed in ourselves, people would say we broke barriers and changed perceptions.
What would you like to say to encourage more Arab women to try Parkour as a sport?
Please don't be intimidated by the videos on Instagram. It's all about you and your process. And don't underestimate what your body is capable of. Give yourself time and commit to the sport and I promise you, amazing things will happen.
Parkour is described as an "extreme sport", and as an athlete you may encounter injuries that may hinder your participation in the sport, how do you keep yourself motivated at such times?
Risk of injury is present in every sport. You can be walking on the street, trip and break a leg. I always remind myself to not let my ego get in the way because alot of injury occurs when that happens. You end up doing things you know are dangerous just to prove a point or you end up skipping steps and directly try to attempt something extremely difficult. Take your time and respect the process.
Who are the women that inspire you and why?
My mother, because she's a strong entrepreneur who started her own businesses when she was only 20 years old and still runs them to this very day. Resilience, sacrifice, and determination is what I've learned from seeing her grow.
What do you hope to see for the future of Arab women in sport?
I hope that more girls are encouraged to pursue sports from childhood. We teach our girls to care too much about their looks and too little about everything else nowadays.
How do you use your career and social media following to promote female empowerment?
I have to always remind myself that I am responsible of what I post on social media. I post videos to show women what's possible but I also show them the amount of times I've failed. Everything is so fabricated on social media and we only see the pretty side of people's lives. It's important to show girls, especially children, that no one's perfect.
What are your thoughts on the recent reforms for women's rights taking place in Saudi Arabia, especially the most recent ones allowing women to participate in sport on a public level?
About time! I seriously can't wait for women to show the world that we aren't "oppressed" and we have so much to offer.
Lastly, what tips would you share with other women who are inspired by you and wish to pursue a sporting career?
It'll be hard and it'll take time but it is very very fulfilling. Let's stop spending our time and efforts on things we care not of. Let's chase after our dreams instead!
