Aisha hopes to make team members proud after Olympic nomination

Dubai - The Emirati woman will carry the UAE's weightlifting hopes at Rio in August

In a country which has a massive passion for football, Aisha Al Balushi will quite literally be lifting an entire nation on her strong shoulders, in little over a month from now.
The Emirati was nominated from among the seven-member team, by the Emirates Weightlifting Federation on Thursday, to carry the UAE's hopes at the Rio Olympics in August. This is the second consecutive time that the women's weighlifting team has made it to the Olympics after Khadija Mohammed had taken part in the 2012 London Olympics in the 75kg category.
Aisha Al Balushi, who will be competing in the 58kg weight division, was pleased and proud to be nominated to represent the UAE on such a big stage and gave credit to the rest of the team for making it happen. Al Balushi was the obvious choice as she notched the highest score in qualifying in Category B at the Asian Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in April.
"It is a dream come true not just for me but also for my team," Aisha Al Balushi said later, after her name was announced at the UAE National Olympic Committee office.
"There are six other girls and they are all representing the UAE. Since 2009, we have done it for the second time. So, it is not only me, it is the team. We would not have earned this qualification spot without the effort of each and every member of this team. So, while I feel really fortunate that I have been chosen to represent my country at the Olympics, this honour belongs to each and every member of the team. I would not be on this trip without them and I hope I will make all of them proud," she added.
And the 24-year-old, the youngest of 12 siblings, gave an insight into the camaradrie that runs through the team. "I'm their leader, I'm their mother, I'm their sister. I'm everything for them as much as they are everything for me," said Aisha, who has won 11 gold, five silver and six bronze medals, ever since she started representing the UAE from 2009.
"Among the team, we have a slogan which is 'One soul, one team.' That is what we say to each other," added the Dubai resident, who lives in Al Barsha.
Despite weightlifting being viewed in the society as not fit for women, Aisha is undeterred.
"People keep asking because it is weightlifting and I'm Arab and I'm muslim. They will keep asking what am I doing. But Alhamdulillah, until now, I have been able to represent the UAE," Aisha said proudly.
There is still some time to go for Rio and Aisha was eager to break the news of her nomination to her mother, who has supported Aisha in her endeavour.
"My mother has supported me a lot. She doesn't know about it yet and kept asking me since 3 a.m. I will go to her and show her the pictures and surprise her," she signed off.
james@khaleejtimes.com