Winner of the gold medal at the World Youth Karate Championships in Jesolo, Veneto, last Saturday, Mariam Bsharat, a 21-year-old Palestinian, has become a star. This is the first global success of a representative of Palestine in a competition of this level. In this difficult moment for the Palestinian people, “A 'kick ass' Palestinian wins gold”, headlined the Middle East Monitor website, alluding to the nickname inspired by an American comedy mini-series and the 2010 film.
Born in Nablus, West Bank, Mariam triumphed in the 61kg cadet Kumite category, beating Egyptian Roaa Mohamed 2-0 in the final. A podium completed by the Italian Nicole Correddu, beaten by the Palestinian champion in the semi-final with a score of 8-3. The Bosnian Ajlin Kurtanovic, the Swiss Esma Redzic and the Belgian Maissa Sridi also succumbed to the blows and technique of the young girl from Nablus.
Visibly moved, Mariam dedicated the victory to the Palestinian people. He made no statement but repeatedly showed the national flag sewn on his white Karategi. Images which aroused emotion and jubilation on the web, went viral among Palestinians and the Arab new media. Mariam Bsaharat also won two important youth tournaments this year, in Manila in the Philippines and in La Coruña, Spain. Another Palestinian karate champion, Nagham Abu Samrah, 24, died in January after falling into a coma and having a leg amputated following injuries sustained in a bombing in the Strip from Gaza in mid-December.
