Meet Malak Hamza, Egypt’s highest-scoring trampolinist — Assembly

Meet Malak Hamza, Egypt’s highest-scoring trampolinist. (Courtesy of Lina Geoushy)

In a series of photos by Lina Geoushy, 20-year-old Egyptian gymnast Malak Hamza shares about her experience training for the Olympics and advice for persevering through hard times.

This article is part of Malala Fund’s collaboration with Studio 1854 and British Journal of Photography.

When Malak Hamza first stepped onto a gym mat at 14 years old, girls half her age surrounded her. Most professional gymnasts start training between the ages of 5 and 6, some even beginning as young as 2 years old. In the world of gymnastics, many considered Malak too old to compete. Though she didn’t let that discourage her, Malak knew she had to make up for lost time as a late starter to the sport. So she worked twice as hard in the gym, perfecting her forward and backward somersaults, her twists and pikes.

As she continued to train, Malak fell in love with trampolining — a discipline in gymnastics where athletes launch from a trampoline and complete intricate routines in midair. It quickly became her speciality. Malak practised trampolining nonstop every week for five years, winning multiple competitions in Egypt and Africa. Now 20 years old, Malak is the reigning champion in her event.

Despite the lack of funding and sponsorships for women’s sports in Egypt, Malak found support in her teammates and coaches. “If you want to chase your dream, then surround yourself with people that will help you get there,” she says. And for Malak, “there” meant the Olympic Games.

Years before they were scheduled to begin, Malak set her sights on competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (later postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Then in May 2021, she earned a gold medal at the African Championships in Cairo — her first time winning a national title. An incredible accomplishment on its own, the win meant Malak had qualified to compete in the Tokyo Olympics that summer.

Like many other athletes competing at the Games, Malak wanted to bring home a medal for her country and see her hard work pay off. But dealing with the pressure and stress of representing Egypt on an international stage wasn’t easy. “At the end of the day, it’s you against you,” she says. “You deal with the stress, you get yourself out of bed, you exercise, you eat, clean — you change your mindset.” Malak reminded herself that she had more than one goal at the Games. “I had a dream that I sketched myself on a platform called My Future Gymnast, and a child was looking up to me. I hope to reach that level where I am a role model that inspires younger girls.”

With the world tuned in to watch the games, Malak wanted to set an example for young Egyptian girls and bring recognition to women's gymnastics on a global stage. After completing two routines, Malak placed ninth overall in women’s trampolining, achieving the highest score of any Egyptian trampolinist in history. “I’m grateful that I’ve been through these bumps in my life because I know that it taught me and is still teaching me a lot,” Malak says. “So, go out there, chase your dreams, and don’t ever let anyone stop you!”