Dubai: For Bahrain swimmer Amani Al Obaidli it was an unusual feeling. The 18-year-old was at the cynosure of all eyes while taking part in the 100-metre backstroke heats at the Paris Olympics late last month. With the capacity crowd at the Paris La Defense Arena watching her every stroke and being at the pinnacle of the sports competitions left Al Obaidli with trepedition.
But the biggest stage the brought the best out of the teenager, who rewrote her personal best time of 1:04.76 and created a national record while finishing sixth in the heat.
“Being at the Olympics is such a prestigious event, and leading into it, I was really nervous and doubting myself. After achieving my personal best and a new Bahrain record, I can take the newfound confidence to future competitions. Now I will not doubt my ability as know I can compete at the highest level,” Al Obaidli told Gulf News.
Pinnacle of glory
“The Olympics is a pinnacle for any athlete in their career. To be able to represent my country is such a great honour. When I found out about representing Bahrain at the Olympics, I cried as this is what I had dreamed of. I felt so proud and grateful to stand up behind the blocks with the Bahrain flag on my cap.”
Al Obaidli started swimming when she was 10 months old, at her auntie’s swimming school, at Hampton Swim School, in Brisbane when she was on holidays with visiting family.
“Mum loved it so much, she opened the ‘first baby’s and learn to swim school’ in Bahrain, where I continued to learn my swimming and started competing at local swim competitions,” she added.
The flag-bearer for Bahrain has been making the headlines at home and I competed at the Doha world championships earlier this year, which formed the ideal preparations for the Paris Olympics.
“The opening ceremony was one of the best moments of my life and will stay in my heart forever. Walking out onto pool deck before my race witnessing the atmosphere of the crowd was something I used to motivate myself and to perform at my best. Looking up at the scoreboard after my race and hearing my family and the crowd is a memory I will never forget,” she added.
Al Obaidli is studying Bachelor of Psychological Science at the Griffith University, but plans to transfer into nursing/midwifery in January 2025. But despite her busy schedule, she aims to make her mark in swimming as wants to follow in her father’s footsteps.
Father is her biggest motivation
“My father Abdulla Al Obaidli My idol. He represented Bahrain in discuss and shot put and his under-18 records still stands to this day. I have always looked up to my father as a young child and I aspire everyday to be just like him and make my country proud. He is my biggest motivation,” Al Obaidli said.
“The message I want to convey for fellow Bahrainis is, if you put your mind towards a goal and work hard and set mini goals towards that, you will find yourself achieving great things. I really hope to inspire our younger generation of Bahraini swimmers to dream big and go after their goals.”
Apart from swimming, the other hobbies for Al Obaidli is sunset walks with her best friend and cooking, but currently her focus is only grabbing the limelight.
