Palestinian karate world champion wins second gold, feels weight of representing her people
A second world title
Bsharat said she felt relief and happiness when the referee raised her hand after her latest victory. The gold medal in Poland was her second under-21 World Championship win.
Her route to success involved obstacles beyond training. Growing up in the occupied West Bank, she faced limits on travel between cities, difficulty accessing training partners and insufficient financial support, she told DW.
Karate runs in the family
Bsharat grew up in Nablus in a family closely involved in karate. Her father had a dojo, while her mother, siblings, aunts and uncles also practised the sport.
She said she initially took up karate because her relatives did, but gradually grew to enjoy it. Her father now manages her career and her uncle coaches her.
A new life in Hamburg
Bsharat moved to Hamburg last year with her mother and siblings. Her father remained in Palestine to look after the dojo, though he visits and tries to attend her competitions. Her German mother taught her the language, helping her settle in.
Bsharat said Germany had opened opportunities and offered a brighter future, while she still missed the comfort of having family and friends around her in Palestine. She described the move as a change that brought hardship.
Carrying Palestinian expectations
Bsharat said elite athletes are uncommon in Palestine and that she feels pressure from people across the country, as well as from family and coaches. She told DW that she sometimes focuses on representing them and raising their flag rather than fighting for herself.
She is ranked first in her category by the World Karate Federation. Karate was not included in the Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programs, and it was also excluded from the recent Youth Games in Senegal. The federation has called for the sport to return for Brisbane 2032, if not sooner.
Key points
- Bsharat won her second under-21 World Championship gold medal in Poland.
- The 17-year-old is ranked first in her category by the World Karate Federation.
- She moved to Hamburg last year with her mother and siblings; her father stayed to run the dojo.
- Karate was left out of the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programs.