2022 saw unprecedented individual and team achievements along with several records set by Egyptian female athletes. It was definitely the year of women as they made names for themselves and their nation.

Throughout the past year, these super ladies showed the world that they were true champions and that impossible is nothing as they look to add more to their career and country in 2023. In no particular order, Al-Ahram Weekly introduces these prize-winning sports women.

Table tennis star Hanna Gouda continues taking the world by storm. The prodigy became the youngest player to win the 2022 African Championship singles and double titles at the age of 14 as well as winning the gold medal at the Mediterranean Games last year in Algeria. The Ahly player also won the gold medal in the mixed doubles at the World Juniors and Youth Championships and the gold medal at the Under-15. Meanwhile, she is the top ranked player at the U-15, 17 and 19 levels.

Tennis ace Mayar Sherif managed to put Egyptian women’s tennis on the map in 2022, winning two major WTA competitions, making her the first Egyptian tennis player to win a WTA Tour title after beating top seed Maria Sakkari of Greece in the Parma Open final and the Copa LP Chile after beating Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl with a scoreline of 3-6, 7-6, 7-5, securing her fourth world title in 2022.

Wrestler Samar Hamza took the world by storm as she made it to the podium of the world championship to receive her silver medal in Greco wrestling, making her the first Egyptian wrestler to make it to any wrestling final in 16 years. The year before, she had claimed the bronze. Hamza then topped the world’s top ranking in her 76 kg weight category.

Sprinter Bassant Hemeida, who missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for injury, snatched the silver medal in the 100 metres sprint in the Gold League in Nairobi, Kenya, before winning two gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres at the Czech Republic International Championship. She also claimed the gold medal in the Mediterranean Games, setting a new Games’ record. Hemeida finished the year by adding two more medals: a silver in the 200 metres and a bronze in the 100 metres in Switzerland, which saw her qualify for the 2023 World Championship in Hungary.

Weightlifter Sara Samir returned to the sport’s circuit stronger after a doping ban on Egyptian wrestlers was lifted. As the year was wrapping up, the 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist Samir collected three gold medals in the World Weightlifting Championship in the 76 kg category. She claimed a total of 261 kgs in the clean, snatch and total to announce her powerful comeback to the weightlifting world despite the suspension.

Another weightlifter, Naema Said, managed to see her nation’s flag flutter in several competitions as she made it to the podium with three gold medals in the 71 kg at the African Championship, in addition to two gold medals at the Mediterranean Games and two gold and one silver in the Juniors World Weightlifting Championships in Greece. She also tallied two gold medals and one silver at the World Championship in Uzbekistan.

Professional handballer Marwa Eid continued to excel with her French team Nice, clinching the title of Best League Player of the year, while the 23-year old footballer Sara Essam, who moved to Spanish club Fundación Albacete from England’s Stoke City, was named football ambassador at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, becoming the first Arab female football player to join football ambassadors at the World Cup which included the world’s legends in the sport.

Squash ace Nouran Gohar maintained her leadership of the world’s top ranking for nine months during which she managed to win six titles around the world but was runner up at the World Championship which was held in Egypt. Teammate Hannia Al-Hammami, the world’s third- ranked, won four Open Tournament titles during the year.