Another championship is added to the record of individual sports achievements for the youth of Damietta Governorate, this time the gold medal of the African Kickboxing Championship, which was held in Cairo at the end of last month.

Ten players from Damietta managed to secure top positions in the tournament, including Muaz Al-Junaidi, who won the African gold medal by knockout.

Youm7 met with Muaz Al-Junaidi, the son of Kafr Saad city and the African kickboxing knockout champion, who began by saying: “I saw this as my chance to prove myself in this sport. An international championship is an opportunity for us to showcase our talent, win the championship, and return with gold.”

He continued: “I spent long hours training. Every time I trained, I felt closer to my dream. When the championship started, I had no doubt I would win it. I was fully focused, so I achieved what I wanted.”

Muaz Al-Junaidi, the gold medalist from Damietta at the African Kickboxing Championship, added: “Winning by knockout is not easy; it requires precision and skill in decision-making. In every match, I was close to achieving the gold, so in the final match, I wanted it to end quickly, hence my focus on the knockout.”

The African kickboxing champion added: “My life became more disciplined after practicing sports. My university studies will never be affected; if there is any effect, it will definitely be positive. Sports made me a different person who always seeks excellence and success. My coach is my companion on this journey, always supporting me. I wanted to win for him and for my family; they deserve this success.”

Captain Mahmoud Abu Al-Majd, the personal coach of the African champion, said: “We faced many challenges preparing for this championship. Preparing a player to participate in such an international tournament requires great effort. We had to move to another village far from ours to train in the ring. This was part of the necessary preparations.”

He continued: “From the first match, I was confident that Muaz was delivering an amazing performance inside the ring. We crowned the African championship with a knockout gold medal.”

Captain Mahmoud Abu Al-Majd confirmed: “Parents played a role in this success. We participated with 10 players from different age groups, all of whom won medals ranging from gold to silver. This is a shared success between youth centers and families.”

Muaz Al-Junaidi concluded: “I dream of the world championship. This will be my ambition that I strive for. I want to send a message to everyone: sports are important and should not be neglected. Practicing sports is a duty and will have a strong impact on your life. For me, I will start a new chapter now towards the world championship.”