Morocco’s Aya Asaqas is Africa’s first female skateboarder to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024. Photo: Courtesy of the Olympics The 2024 Paris Olympics have seen a host of Arab athletes make the region proud, and Morocco’s Aya Asaqas is now one of them. At the age of 21, the young athlete made history by becoming the first African female skateboarder to qualify for the Olympics.
According to the Olympics, Asaqas’ love for the sport began at the age of 16, and as a “means of personal exploration and self-discovery. [She was] initially drawn to it as an escape that allowed her to challenge and expand her own limits.” On August 6, Asaqas will make her Olympics debut and take part in her first skateboarding match, the Women’s Park Prelims.
The Royal Moroccan Federation of Urban Sports marked the big day by sharing a video of the athlete skateboarding through the streets of Morocco wearing a traditional takchita. While the uniforms for the opening ceremony were designed by Ali Drissi, the look worn by Asaqas was created by designer Samira Haddouci, who also made a special design with Moroccan motifs for her skateboard. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fédération Royale Marocaine des Sports Urbains (@frmsu_maroc) Asaqas’ qualification at the Olympics in a male-dominated sport is inspiring for many reasons, including the fact that she reportedly has no coach and mainly trains on her own at various skate parks in Rabat.
The athlete is no stranger to a challenge either, having already competed at the Deg Tour in Iowa, USA, the World Skateboarding Tour at the 2023 World Championships in Italy, and the WST Dubai. Asaqas also currently ranks 44th on the Olympic World Skateboarding Ranking. “For me it is a real opportunity to be here, to represent my country, Morocco but also the African continent,” Asaqas told Olympics.
com . “It is a pleasure to be able to be the image of the skaters of my country. I am proud of it.
” The self-taught athlete participated in the qualifying Olympic Qualifying Series in Shanghai in May. Although she was eliminated in the preliminary rounds, she clinched a quota spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics and secured her best-ever 41st place. Read Next: Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Receives Support from the Region and IOC After Controversial Olympics Match by Naheed Ifteqar.
