Mariam Bsharat won the junior women’s under-66kg gold medal at the World Karate Championships in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, on October 17, earning her second world title while representing Palestine. The 17-year-old defeated Spain’s Noa López González 3–1 in the final, according to the World Karate Federation (WKF).
The result follows Bsharat’s gold at the 2024 world championships, where she competed in the cadet women’s over-61kg division. The two victories came in different age groups and weight categories: her latest title was in the junior division, not under-21.
A title won despite barriers to training
Bsharat grew up in Nablus in the occupied West Bank, where she said travel between cities made it difficult to train with other athletes. In an interview with DW, she described security concerns, difficulties reaching training and limited financial support as obstacles in her sporting career.
Karate has been part of her family’s life for generations. Her father ran a dojo, and her uncle became her coach. Bsharat said she began the sport because relatives practiced it, but gradually grew to love competing.
Her mother and siblings moved with her to Hamburg last year, while her father remained in Palestine to run the dojo. Bsharat said living in Germany had opened opportunities, though leaving her home and close family and friends was difficult.
She also described the pressure of representing Palestine at international events, saying she sometimes focused on carrying the expectations of her family and country rather than on herself. Despite that burden, she said her next ambition is to become a senior world champion.
Olympic hopes depend on karate’s return
Karate is not on the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The sport’s return for Brisbane 2032 has not been confirmed, so Bsharat’s Olympic ambition remains conditional. She has said that winning an Olympic medal and representing Palestine would bring her great pride.
Reid Bentley