From Ski Dubai To Asian Winter Games: 16-Year-Old Snowboarder Makes History For UAE

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) What started as a fun holiday adventure at the age of eight has now propelled Emirati snowboarder Amenah Al Muhairi to the heights of global sports. She is set to make history as the first UAE snowboarder to compete at the 2025 Asian Winter Games.

The 16-year-old, who is competing at the championship from February 7 until 14, will also be the only female participant in the seven-member UAE delegation travelling to China.

Speaking to Khaleej Times before her flight to the Games in Harbin, Amenah said she sometimes forgets that she is the first woman representing the UAE in the sport. The excitement was palpable in her voice, "I am proud to be able to represent my country at these massive events, especially being the first one at the Asian Games, which is a big achievement."

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The teen athlete has secured several firsts for the UAE in the past. In 2023, she became the first UAE snowboarder to compete internationally at the Snowboarding Junior World Championships in Cardrona, New Zealand.

She then rode her way to the Youth Winter Olympic Games, becoming the first Emirati to compete in the games in South Korea.

"Wearing the UAE flag in every international competition is a tremendous source of pride for me," added Al Muhairi.

Being the first female to reach such heights in this sport can come with its own pressure, but Amenah, who also goes by the nickname 'Moon', has received tremendous support from her family, community and the federation in the Emirates.

"There can be instances where people react negatively to an Emirati girl taking up this sport, but I don't care about the judgement. Just do it, take the lead, and trust yourself. If you enjoy it, then you must do it," she said while giving advice to young girls dreaming of pursuing a career in sports.

Amenah Al Muhairi in South Korea

"It is fun to be the only girl. My team is at a different level, so I learned a lot from them. I hope to one day see an entire team of girls in snowboarding."

Competing alongside snowboarder Humaid Al Ansari, the duo will be the first Emirati snowboarders at the games. "I can't wait to go there and take part in the competition and meet my friends."

From the desert to snowy mountains

Moon decided to take the profession seriously at the age of 10. By 13, she was off to the slopes competing. Training tirelessly at Ski Dubai and during family holidays, she quickly became the UAE's top winter sports athlete.

"I started to learn proper tricks and began coaching in Austria on a monthly basis. When I'm in Dubai, I train at Ski Dubai. I think, the only challenge I face living here is the constant travel abroad to train."

Why call 'Moon'?

The athlete revealed that some people don't even know Amenah by her real name but just by her nickname. "My coach named me 'Moon' because in Arabic, the root meaning of my name is a Moon."

This name originated from her flawed tricks at the beginning of her career. "I used to have a really bad habit of jumping my jumps and not doing them properly, so my coach used to say, 'Amenah has to shoot for the Moon'."

Routine before competitions

Apart from physical training and endurance, Amenah also places a strong emphasis on mental training.

"Before a game, I plan my run and have a conversation with my mindset coach. When I travel to a country for a competition, I find a song that resonates with the place and listen to it on a loop."

Amenah has a few rituals before the jump- she slaps her thighs, claps herself and puts on her song while pumping herself up, repeating to herself: 'I got this'.

"Then my run goes well. Even if it didn't go as well as I hoped, I tried my best," she said.

Her process for the Asian Winter Games is not much different from her other competitions. "I have been practising all the tricks I want to do, and I keep reminding myself that it is just the competition that is different."

Amenah is currently 'aiming for the Moon'. She hopes to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games and prepares for it by participating in other games to refine her technique and master more difficult tricks.

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