ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kick boxers from Erbil are travelling to the Lebanese capital of Beirut to participate in the Asian Championship beginning this weekend. They are paying their own way, and want to show Kurds are represented in the sport.
“We will be raising our flag there, using our abilities and showing them that the Kurds also exist,” boasted Mohammed Hamid, a local competitor.
Athletes from 10 countries will take part in the championships, which are sanctioned by the World Kick Boxing Organization and lasts four days.
“Our preparation takes two months,” said Karwan Jamil, a local coach. “We train hard. We train five to six days a week. We have made good preparations [for] our teams like [in] the youth, intermediate and adult [divisions]. We are hopeful that we will succeed.”
The 21 Kurdish participants are paying their own travel fares and expenses.
“As a player from Shaqlawa Club, I have prepared myself well for the Asian championship. Hopefully I will come in first,” said Khalid Yunis prior to departing.
There are five kick boxing halls in Erbil, and are supervised by the city’s branch of the Kick Boxing Union, which works to try to promote the sport.
Kurdistan has a long history of martial arts, where Taekwondo gyms can be widely seen. Wrestling has long been popular in Kurdish parts of Iran.
Mixed martial arts have increased in popularity worldwide this century with millions of people subscribing for pay-per-view events like the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
