Swimming to glory

Swimming champion Hussain Ibrahim Al Rashid is eager to get back in the water after the Covid-19 outbreak interrupted his training schedule preventing him and other athletes from training in a pool.

He has his sights set on further glory in the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games which take place in Bahrain in December.

“I’m scheduled to compete and very excited that the event will be staged here,” he said.

“My goal is to continue training with vigour and determination to achieve my sporting dreams of competing on an international stage, representing my country and raising its flag high.”

Hussain, 12, who loves gymnastics and playing football, started on his sporting journey in 2016 when he was recruited by coach Yasser Al Namshan of the Bahrain Sports Federation for Disabilities to put his sporting prowess to the test and try out in the pool.

He said: “It was such a surprise for me as I couldn’t swim at the time and my parents, Ibrahim, a banker, and Bebe, were worried about me being a part of this.

“The captain insisted that I try and told us that I am a champion, and inshallah, will be a world class swimmer.

“Learning how to swim was so enjoyable and the coach boosted my self-confidence so much that I learned how to swim in a short period of time.

“After that, I started learning competitive swimming, including freestyle, breast stroke, butterfly and back stroke. It was difficult at first having no limbs.”

His coach would capture his actions in the water, analyse them and then guide him on how to improve his performance to help him swim better without picking up any penalties during competition.

“I am grateful to my dad, who works in Saudi, and would drive down daily to take me to practice and stay with me,” Hussain added. “A lot of the times he would be in the pool with me too, helping me and cheering me on, before having to drive all the way back to Saudi.”

Hussain’s first competition was in 2017. He competed in the Bahrain Swimming Associations’ National Day Swimming Championship in he which he won first place in the 50m freestyle.

“I can’t even begin to describe how I felt and what emotions came over me!” he added. “The spectators were cheering me on feverously and I felt so proud. I will never forget my dad, teary-eyed, taking me into his arms and telling me how proud he was.”

On the agenda next was the 2018 IRONKIDS Aquathlon. “It was a difficult challenge where I had to swim 50m in the sea and then run for 500m,” he said.

“Alhamdulillah, I completed the race and to my surprise I saw Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa waiting for me at the finish line, smiling with arms wide open to greet me.

“He was holding a medal that has become my most precious and priceless prize that I’ve ever won.

“His Highness placed it around my neck and my father, who could not contain his emotions, started crying when he saw me being hugged and cheered on by His Highness. These are moments I will never forget.”

Shaikh Nasser, His Majesty King Hamad’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, National Security Adviser and Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Affairs chairman, recently praised Hussain as a ‘true champion’, as reported in our sister newspaper, the GDN.

He also published Hussain’s video on his Instagram account, underlining that the young boy was an example to follow for all young people due to his determination and spirit.

Hussain, who wants to be a pediatrician when he grows up to help treat other children, especially disabled ones, added: “I’m always asked if I inspire others, and yes, I inspire people when they see my dedication and determination in anything I do. The word impossible is not in my dictionary.”

Hussain is thankful to his parents who have always encouraged him to excel in everything he took on. His mum used to attend school with him daily but after Grade 4, he was determined to be more independent. He is also thankful to his brother Rashid, 17, and sister Ghazlan, 15, for always bringing him joy.