Undoubtedly, determination is one of the key factors in achieving one's dreams, irrespective of the difficult circumstances. An Egyptian bodybuilder recently proved this by deciding not to give up on his dreams by collecting trash to fund his sporting career. Get more details about the man's inspiring story below.
Egyptian Bodybuilder Turned To Trash Collection To Fund His Dreams
Unsplash | Carl Campbell
Inside Ali's Dream To Be A Bodybuilder
Flickr | Thomas Hawk
Ali el-Sharkawy's dream has always been to become a bodybuilder and represent his home country in international championships. He began at a young age to pursue those dreams. The Egyptian found success not long after he started training.
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Ali Bagged Accolades Across Egypt
It was only a matter of time before Ali began to bag accolades around the country while practicing individual sports like other Egyptian athletes.
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Ali Wanted More
Flickr | hamna.aslam
Ali won two bronze medals at the national championships. However, he wanted more for himself. The determined Ali saw himself in the future representing Egypt in international competitions, but achieving the goal was quite far-fetched.
Ali Struggled To Secure Funding
Unsplash | Alexander Grey
Like many others, Ali could not secure funding or external support, which was very important for a sport like bodybuilding.
Ali Chose Not To Give Up
Irrespective of his predicament, Ali chose not to give up. While he spent the evenings training with his coach Mostafa el-Tamimi, the bodybuilder dedicated his mornings to raising money to fund his dream.
Ali Collected Trash To Fund His Dreams
Unsplash | the blowup
According to reports, Ali would use a horse-drawn cart to collect waste across Gharbia, his hometown in Egypt's Nile Delta. After collecting the waste, he would recycle them, making $6.59 daily, equivalent to about 200.47 Egyptian Pounds.
Ali Wished For Better Options
During an interview, Ali told an outlet that he wished there were better options, but he had to make do with what he had. According to the Egyptian, he had not found state support for his bodybuilding career, and most of the funding was used for higher-profile team sports like soccer.
Who Is Ali's Inspiration?
Flickr | Carlos Delagusta
Despite how difficult his situation might be, Ali says he is not giving up. He takes inspiration from Mamdouh Elssbiay, better known as Big Ramy, a celebrated Egyptian bodybuilder who won the Mr. Olympia title in 2020 and 2021.
Mamdouh's Life Before Fame
Like Ali, Mamdouh didn't have the most pleasant experience during his early years as a bodybuilder. Before he began to train professionally, Mamdouh worked as a fisherman in Kuwait. However, everything eventually turned out well. Hopefully, someday, Ali will become a star and represent his country internationally.
