Gymnastics ‘runs in the blood’ of Jordan’s 1st world medalist

AMMAN — National gymnast Ahmad Abu Alsoud made history by earning the Kingdom’s first world medal in gymnastics on Saturday. 

He secured a silver medal in the pommel horse at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Liverpool, United Kingdom from October 29 to November 6.

The 27-year-old athlete began his journey in the sport at just four years old. 

“I was a hyperactive kid; I loved jumping in the air and walking on both hands, so my dad encouraged me to take on gymnastics and I decided that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he told The Jordan Times in his first interview over the win. 

Abu Alsoud also noted that becoming a professional gymnast usually requires one to start at an early age because mastering the sport demands diligent work and daily training.

Gymnastics is a challenging sport that demands “patience and dedication” to perform feats requiring muscle strength, balance and flexibility, “but my strong passion for it makes it all well worth it”, he added.

“I have been doing this every day for over two decades. I believe it now runs in my blood,” he said.

Abu Alsoud participated in eight different international championships in 2022, including the World Cup Artistic Gymnastics and the Challenge Cup Artistic Gymnastics.

He said that although this was a busy and challenging year, “determination and consistency” were the keys to his success in gymnastics.

“I train between four to six hours every day and I am proud that my efforts crystalised into a performance that brought honour to my country,” Abu Alsoud said.

The next goal, Abu Alsoud added, is to qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games and score more wins for Jordan.