Eight editions, one constant: Kuwaiti Sheikha Al Hamad’s enduring journey at AWST 2026

Table tennis was never a casual hobby for Sheikha Adnan Al Hamad. It was part of family life. Both her parents played the sport, and her brother and sister followed suit at the local and recreational level.

What began around the family table developed into a competitive path that would define her sporting career.

The Kuwaiti player has become a constant at the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST 2026). Since the first edition of the competition, she has represented Kuwait’s Al-Fatat Club in every stage.

Eight editions later, she stands among the few athletes to have featured throughout the tournament’s history.

In 2014, she and her team secured the gold medal. Yet she maintains that AWST represents more than podium finishes.

“You don’t often get all Arab clubs in one place. “For us as Arab athletes, it is important to meet and compete against each other so that we improve our performance,” she said.

Over the years, she has witnessed a steady rise in competition, particularly with stronger participation from Gulf and regional clubs. Organisation has also advanced, she noted, with more teams arriving not only to chase titles but to gain experience and exposure.

Her commitment has remained firm. Al-Hamad plans her season around the biennial event and continues to prioritise it on her calendar. Al-Fatat Club, like Al-Hamad herself, has maintained a continuous presence since the tournament’s launch.

“I hope to continue participating as it grows,” she said. “I would like to see it expand even further, perhaps one day becoming an international event.”

Although she was drawn to football and volleyball in her youth, table tennis remained her first choice. She also points to the sport’s lower injury risk compared with many other disciplines, which she believes makes it accessible to more women and girls.

After more than a decade alongside AWST, Al-Hamad’s career is closely tied to the competition’s timeline. As new clubs enter and standards rise, she remains a familiar figure at the table, returning every two years to the event that has accompanied much of her sporting life.