CONNECTOR.AE 32 CONNECTOR.AE 33 Kids And Education Kids And Education From Dubai Schools To Paris 2024 Olympics: Inspiring Journey Of Teenage Olympians Karin BelbeisiAnd Christina Rach No dream is too small, and age is never a barrier to achieving greatness. Whether you’re 16 or 60, if you dare to dream and work hard for it, success is within reach. Along the way, you’ll face challenges, moments of doubt, and setbacks, but believing in your goals and persevering through adversity opens up limitless possibilities. Proving this philosophy are two remarkable young girls from Dubai, poised to bring honour to their home country and the UAE at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Connector had the privilege of For Christina Rach, she started swimming at age six and joined the Hamilton Aquatics Squads Programme by age ten. Under the guidance of coach Katie Baxa since 2021, Christina has trained in the Youth 2 squad and competed in numerous international competitions. At the African Aquatics Zone 3 Championships in November 2023, she claimed gold in the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle, along with a silver in the 50m freestyle. In February 2024, Christina achieved a personal best in the 50m freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, securing her qualification for the Paris Games. Their journey may seem like a dream, but it’s been built on sacrifices, discipline, determination, and perseverance at such a young age. What began as a childhood activity has evolved into a passion and now a profession, defying norms while balancing school, friendships, and more. Reflecting on her early swimming experiences, Karine shares, “When I was young, my parents enroled me in various sports activities. Initially, my mom signed me interviewing Karin Belbeisi, 15, and Christina Rach, 16, shining stars in the world of swimming. Their inspiring journey is bound to inspire and motivate you! Karin Belbeisi, a 15-year-old student at GEMS Wellington Academy, Al Khail, will represent Jordan in the 400m freestyle swimming event. Christina Rach, aged 16 and attending GEMS Wellington International School, Al Sufouh 1, will compete in the 50m freestyle swimming event, representing Eritrea in East Africa. Both teenage swimmers, trained by Hamilton Aquatics at GEMS Wellington Academy, Al Khail, have fulfilled their lifelong dreams of Olympic participation through years of dedicated training and rigorous international competitions. How Did It All Start For Karine And Christina Karin Belbeisi began swimming at the age of four through an intensive summer program with Hamilton Aquatics. Her talent and commitment were evident early on, and at just 13, she represented Jordan at the 2022 Arab Championships in Algeria. Karin’s journey to the Olympics included winning three medals at the 2024 Arab Championships in Qatar and competing at the World Long Course Championships and Asian Age Group Championships in Doha, where she achieved multiple top-10 finishes. To secure her spot on Jordan’s Olympic team, Karin travelled to Singapore for the 19th Singapore Nationals, where she set personal bests in the 400m individual medley, 400m freestyle, and 800m freestyle, solidifying her selection for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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