After 15 years of absence, Egypt won a medal in the World Wrestling Championship. Samar Hamza is the first Egyptian wrestler to win a medal in the championship since 2006.
Hamza won the bronze medal of the 2021 World Wrestling Championship in the women’s 76kg category, which took place in Norway.
The 26-year-old carved her name in the Egyptian Wrestling history. The last World champion was Mohamed Ibrahim Abdelfattah who won the gold medal in the 84kg category in the Greco-Roman in 2006.
“I prepared well for this championship,” Hamza said. “I focused on winning a medal,” she told the Egyptian Mail in an interview.
She noted that the medal compounds what she started with her coach, Mohamed Tolba, before the Tokyo Olympics.
“I am proud of Egyptian female wrestlers and of what I have achieved so far,” Hamza said.
In the Tokyo Olympics, Hamza reached the 16th round in the 76kg category of the women freestyle where she lost against 2019 world champion, Natalia Vorobieva, of Russia.
Following the tournament, Hamza announced her decision to retire after the defeat.
She said she was happy with what she had achieved in her career until then.
Just two months later, however, she reversed her decision.
“There was an avalanche of calls from my friends and relatives who asked me not to retire,” Hamza said. “This touched me deeply and caused me to backpedal.”
Hamza also competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where she finished in the 16th place.
She started her wrestling career in 2013 when she was still 18 years old.
She showed her talent early on by winning the African Championship in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Hamza also claimed the Mediterranean Championship in 2015.
“I played wrestling because I loved it,” Hamza said. “Wrestling is a competitive sport, and I like the challenge.”
Hamza is one of few athletes who are able to balance her career and her life.
She said she organises her time according to the schedule set out by her coach and the tournaments she participates in as well.
She said she feels grateful to all those who stood by her, including her coach and her colleagues.
Hamza said she dreams of winning a medal in the Paris Olympics which will be held in 2024.
If she qualifies for the Olympics, Hamza will be participating in the top sports events for the third time in her life.
“I have already started training with an eye on more medals,” Hamza said.
