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Few efforts have produced as many heroes as sports. A good way to tell who they are in 2022 is to look at their Instagram followers. The most followed person on the platform is Cristiano Ronaldo with 477 million followers.
Dwayne Johnson followed with 335 million. While he may be best known as an actor and a wrestler, in his own words, the star is a product of another profession. “I have a lot of stuff, but at my core, I’ve always been and always will be a bodybuilder.”
In addition to football, bodybuilding has produced some of the most historic sports heroes of all time. If Instagram existed in the heyday of Charles Atlas or Arnold Schwarzenegger, they would likely be in the top 10.
The mass appeal of the world’s most famous bodybuilders isn’t just about looks, but the inspiring example they set in and out of the gym. Schwarzenegger is a case in point: He came to America speaking barely English, became one of the most famous athletes of all time, and then one of America’s most recognizable actors. He entered American politics before becoming the governor of California. He is one of the most successful American immigration stories of the 20th century.
Now, the UAE has its own bodybuilding hero who overcomes all odds. Abdulla Al Eisaei, an Emirati who lost his left leg in a car accident, is the first amputee in the UAE to win an international bodybuilding competition, following his 2nd place in the category at the IFBB Pro Spain Empro Classic two weeks ago. one.
Al Eisaei’s story is of extraordinary perseverance. He now wears a prosthesis as a “badge of honor” and God’s blessing. He described the loss of a leg as “the moment when my life would never be the same again. But somehow I also knew it would be better”.
Maybe so, but his road to victory has been a painful one. At the time of the accident, doctors told him to “do your last prayers” and when he finally survived, it took him months of pain and recovery to adjust to his new life.
His success and example is also a model for the entire Middle East, which already has a place in the sport. Back in 1971, Iraq hosted the Mr. Universe Championship. 50 players from 32 countries participated in the competition, which was attended by thousands of spectators. In 1983, Samir Banout, known as the “Lion of Lebanon”, won the sport’s most prestigious Mr. Olympia competition. Egypt’s Mamdouh Elssbiay or “Big Ramy”, the defending champion in 2020 and 2021, is only the second person in the tournament’s history to win back-to-back titles.
So, Al Eisaei’s victory was not the only one in the region, but it was an important one. As the region begins to think more about helping people of determination, engaging people with disabilities in sports is critical to reducing stigma. For his part, Al Eisaei said he now wants to open a gym that could be a welcoming space for disabled people in the UAE.
Most importantly, his victory is a reminder of what they can overcome if they are motivated. As Al Eisaei said: “If you have a goal in mind and truly believe that you will succeed, then you will succeed. It’s all in your head.”
Posted: August 24, 2022 3:00 AM
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