Dubai: The ongoing unrest in Syria has not helped Olympic hopeful Gassan Karaman, one of the trainees at the Shams Gymnastics Club. As a teenager, Karaman was part of an eight-member national squad that trained regularly in an attempt to get ready for international competitions.
However, over a period of time, all that changed and government allocation enabled just one member of the team to continue using facilities in Damascus. “I had no choice but look outside Syria and that is how I reached Dubai,” says the 22-year-old from Aleppo.
Karaman started practising gymnastics when only nine and, despite spending 13 years in the sport, his enthusiasm has not waned. “I dream of competing at the highest level every day. I’m still young and have many more years before me in gymnastics,” he says.
Karaman is preparing to leave for Turkey for the next two months for an intensive training camp in Istanbul to prepare for the World Championships in Germany later this summer. “Whatever the situation back home, life cannot stop for a sportsman. I need to be ready for any challenge that comes my way. I will continue my efforts and definitely make it to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro,” he promises.
