Halah Alhamrani
has been watching women break down barriers since she was born.
Her mother, an American, fell in love with a Saudi and put down roots in a land that then offered few opportunities for women.
Halah, unlike all the girls of her generation, was lucky enough to go to a private school where they did practice martial arts like karate or taekwondo.
It was during her college days in the United States that she fell in love with kickboxing and boxing and, upon her return to Saudi Arabia, she began to promote it among women.
First, she had to do it in the garden of her parents' house, because women's gyms were not allowed.
She later created Flagboxing, the first women's sports center in Jeddah.
The name is an acronym that contains quite a statement: Fight Like a Girl (FLAG).
Your gym was one of the first to open in Arabia, has your example spread? It was the first where boxing was practiced and probably one of the first for women in general.
For the last four years there has been a boom in gyms run by women and for women, but almost none for boxing. After years away from the sport, has the mentality of women changed? Generally speaking, women do have more interest in playing sports or fitness, but they still do it aesthetically rather than as a healthy habit in their life.
They ask how they can tone their arms, legs, lose weight.
It still doesn't look like something they should incorporate into their lives, but we're moving in that direction. Do they value boxing and martial arts? I think they're starting to figure out what interests them, because,
until now they had not been able to do so.
In sports centers now they have many options to choose from, from trying spinning one month, to boxing the next.
Saudi women had no idea what they could be passionate about and this is how they can decide. And how does it look from the most conservative sectors of society for women to box or do martial arts? From my experience, you still find families who think in a very conservative way and who believe that it is not necessary for a woman to practice sports or fitness.
I see that happen sometimes in my sport.
It is not easy to think that a woman can be a leader or participate in international competitions.
I've had families disagree with their daughter continuing to box, perhaps because they thought they were empowering themselves too much.
something that I still see strange.
I think it's more about them worrying because they think they're playing an aggressive sport.
I have had students stop training because their parents were not happy and stopped paying for their classes.
It saddens me, but I think that will change with time.
Halah Alhamrani, during a training session.
How has the Government's Vision 2030 program contributed to women practicing more sports, especially competitive sports? Obviously, it tries to make sport more accessible to the general population and there have been many changes, especially in the way of raising awareness about the Importance of sport for health. When he returned to Arabia, he found no boxing coaches or female competitors.
Has that changed? Then it was impossible, now we still have a lack of coaches for women in martial arts and combat sports.
But that has begun to undergo small changes as a result of wanting to be successful in competitions.
The government and the different federations are doing everything possible so that women can compete and that is raising awareness.
Before, no men trained women, and if any did, he was not a Saudi.
Do you think that the country's commitment to attracting major sporting events helps to strengthen grassroots women's sports? I think that, to a certain extent, the fact that different international events are held in Saudi Arabia makes women interested in playing sports.
Recently a women's boxing competition was scheduled that gave them an idea that it can be an exciting sport, that it is possible for them to practice it.
For years I have been trying to represent women athletes and send a clear message that there is nothing wrong with women practicing and competing, but I think it has now helped that the government does too.
That encourages and accepts women who do sports, because it is very positive.
The fact that different international events are held in Saudi Arabia makes women interested in playing sports.
Recently a women's boxing competition was scheduled that gave them an idea that it can be an exciting sport, that it is possible for them to practice it.
For years I have been trying to represent women athletes and send a clear message that there is nothing wrong with women practicing and competing, but I think it has now helped that the government does too.
That encourages and accepts women who do sports, because it is very positive.
The fact that different international events are held in Saudi Arabia makes women interested in playing sports.
Recently a women's boxing competition was scheduled that gave them an idea that it can be an exciting sport, that it is possible for them to practice it.
For years I have been trying to represent women athletes and send a clear message that there is nothing wrong with women practicing and competing, but I think it has now helped that the government does too.
That encourages and accepts women who do sports, because it is very positive.
For years I have been trying to represent women athletes and send a clear message that there is nothing wrong with women practicing and competing, but I think it has now helped that the government does too.
That encourages and accepts women who do sports, because it is very positive.
For years I have been trying to represent women athletes and send a clear message that there is nothing wrong with women practicing and competing, but I think it has now helped that the government does too.
That encourages and accepts women who do sports, because it is very positive.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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Saudi Arabia