- Title: Taming the ball: Syrian female footballer aims for world record
- Date: 28th September 2021
- Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (SEPTEMBER 26, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FOOTBALL PLAYER, RONA AIZOUQ, PRACTICING WITH A FOOTBALL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FOOTBALL PLAYER, RONA AIZOUQ, SAYING: "When I saw a video of a girl who broke the record and entered Guinness Book (Guinness World Records), I thought that this is a difficult thing. I thought that I need a long time and effort to do the same. It took me a long period of time but I continued to work on the thought I had in mind. I wanted to control the ball and it took me a week to film the video." VARIOUS OF AIZOUQ WARMING UP AND PERFORMING BALL CONTROL DRILLS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FOOTBALL PLAYER, RONA AIZOUQ, SAYING: "I trained for a long time and had a muscle strain. The camera was on me and I was trying, trying, trying. At first I reached 30 counts, then 30 and continued, until I reached 93 counts in 40 seconds and my moves were fast on the ball." VARIOUS OF AIZOUQ KICKING BALL AND DOING TRICKS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FOOTBALL PLAYER RONA AIZOUQ, SAYING: "I got an answer (from the Guinness World Records) that we are in a war and that no judges can come to see what I do." VARIOUS OF AIZOUQ PERFORMING BALL CONTROL DRILLS ON HER WAY TO STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FOOTBALL PLAYER, RONA AIZOUQ, SAYING: "I want people to know that Syrian women are able to do anything and that the war generation can achieve many things. We have talents that should be supported." VARIOUS OF AIZOUQ TRAINING WITH COLLEAGUES AT FOOTBALL PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRAINER OF WAHDA WOMEN FOOTBALL TEAM, HAITHAM SHARIF, SAYING: "She has a great potential, experience and self-confidence. Her physical performance is very good. She moves with her legs and head, she works the right way." VARIOUS OF AIZOUQ TRAINING
- Embargoed: 12th October 2021 14:05
- Keywords: Damascus Dream Female player Football Record Syria
- Location: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- City: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Middle East,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWMWYFP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Showing off football tricks, 21-year-old Syrian football player Rona Aizouq wishes she can break a world record in taming the ball technique, used to control the ball and improve legwork.
The young female footballer aims to break the record with 93 counts in 40 seconds.
Aizouq, an architecture student, grew up in a house of football players and believes she got her talent from her father.
She started practicing the taming the ball technique two months ago, when she saw a video of Areej Hammadi, an Emirati woman, who entered Guinness World Records, reaching 86 counts in a minute.
The 10-year war engulfing Syria, however, so far stands in the way of her dream, as Guinness World Record judges are unable to visit the country to evaluate her bid.
Aizouq plays in the Damascene 'Wahda' female football team and wants to show the world that Syrian women and the youth who grew up during the war " can achieve many things".
(Production: Firas Makdesi, Kinda Makieh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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