Abdullah Interviews Faye AlSultan

I guess by now you know how big Faye’s name out there in the universe, she represents us at the Olympics in London right now.

Thought of having a quick Q&A with this young, high spirited, self-motivated young citizen of ours.

Could not be more proud of her – Best of luck !

Faye, please introduce yourself.
Faye Sultan, 17! I love dance, travelling to different places, playing a variety of sports, watching movies, reading , cooking with friends, and spending time at the beach perfecting my tan. I’m a student and will be attending Williams College this Fall…

What inspired you to tap into who you are now ?
I am blessed to have a very open-minded and supportive family who didn’t limit my opportunities based on my gender.

What differentiates you from the rest of the competition out there?
My swimming ‘upbringing’. Most girls in other countries get to train with in really good swimming programs with access to facilities and regular competitions from a very early age, those sorts of opportunities were not available to me! That’s okay though, because it has molded my character and I don’t take things for granted and hopefully my participation in the London Olympics will pave the way for others to come.

What were the difficulties you faced and how did you overcome them ?
Well there’s undoubtedly a dearth of training opportunities here for women, which needs to change. We have the facilities in Kuwait, but women can’t access them regularly. For the majority of my swimming career I trained in a kiddy pool and it was so shallow that my hands would touch the floor at the end of each stroke! The biggest challenge I’ve had to face is not having team-mates my age to train with and compete against. Also, in most countries swimmers compete every week, whereas I only compete a handful of times a year and I have to go abroad for those. Well I’ve just had to make do with what was available to me and focus on training.

Family & friends ?
I have had great support from my family & friends..it would be a long list if I start naming everyone ..they know who they are & I thank them all….

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now ?
I’m not entirely sure about my future right now. I’m going to try out college swimming and if I enjoy it, I’ll probably continue training for the 2016 Olympics. I am looking forward to my next challenge, starting college in the US , a new phase in my life…its very exciting!

Throw something for p0ach readers!
Don’t let anyone limit your personal development and use any hurdles that you face as a source of motivation to do better! To succeed you really can’t let words or the negative opinions of others bring you down. You should pursue your own goals and always surround yourself with like-minded supportive people who will bolster you when you feel down ….and always remember nothing worthwhile is easy!!!