3 BAHRAINI WOMEN’S DAY womanthismonth.com | DECEMBER 2025 Fatema Reyadh Bahrain’s First Woman to Coach a Men’s Basketball Team When Ms. Reyadh stepped into the role of coaching a senior men’s basketball team, she entered a space shaped almost entirely by male leadership. Long before joining Al Najma, she began her sporting journey by training young girls and boys, a chapter she often cites as the foundation that shaped her confidence as a coach. “Nobody is used to a female coach coaching a senior men’s team,” she states, describing her early days on the court. She grounded her progress in discipline and merit. “They do not know I earned the spot because of my hard work,” she says, Nadeen Yateem Bahrain’s First Female Muay Thai Fighter Ms. Yateem discovered Muay Thai during a period of searching for a sport that tested her mind and body. “The discipline, respect and raw honesty of the art pulled me in,” she shares. She entered a field where women were largely absent and often unwelcome. “Entering a combat sport as a woman meant facing doubt, stereotypes and the feeling of being out of place,” she explains. “I overcame every barrier by showing up every single day and letting my work, consistency and courage speak louder than any resistance.” Her dedication carried her through challenges and into history as Bahrain’s first female Muay Thai fighter. Her achievements include a World Championship bronze medal and a professional knockout against a Thai opponent. “Winning bronze and my first knockout proved that I belonged in this sport not just as a woman but as a competitor on an international level.” “Muay Thai showed me what I am made of. It stripped away every excuse and left only honesty, discipline and growth,” she reflects. “I learned that consistency is louder than doubt. When you turn up every day, the world eventually has to take you seriously.” For Ms. Yateem, Bahraini Women’s Day carries a message of purpose. “If my journey makes even one girl believe she belongs in any space she dreams of, then that is the legacy I want to leave,” she affirms. Manal Fakhrawi Bahrain’s First and Only Female International Equestrian For Ms. Fakhrawi, the world of horses began long before her sporting career. “The beauty and power of a horse attracted me to equestrianism,” she says. She started in show jumping before moving into endurance racing. In 1999 she entered Bahrain’s first endurance event as its youngest competitor and soon joined the Royal Endurance Team Bahrain. Her career took her across international arenas including the World Championship in Italy. “Claiming the title as first female jockey did not come easy,” she acknowledges, “but with perseverance and determination I was able to achieve it.” Working with horses has also led her to become a strong advocate for animal welfare. She has always emphasised the necessity for larger awareness on “how animals should be treated” and endeavours to do everything in her power to help “put an end to abuse.” addressing the assumptions she encountered. Over time she proved herself through clarity and consistency. “I am treating them as if they are any other players,” she adds, reflecting a philosophy that now defines her leadership style. She acknowledges how attitudes have shifted, noting that when she began her career there was not the same level of acceptance as there is today. Alongside basketball, she holds a black belt in Taekwondo and has competed on Bahrain’s national swimming team, a background that underlines her athletic versatility and drive. On Bahraini Women’s Day, her story stands as a testament to how persistence can shift perceptions and reshape what is possible.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==