Taekwondo player Alin Haidar wins silver at XIX National Student Sports Games

Published at: 03/08/2025 07:32 PM

At just 13 years old, taekwondo player Alin Haidar already knows what it's like to climb the podium in multidisciplinary games after winning the silver medal in the poomsae. Now the flag bearer of the state of Aragua in the XIX National Student Sports Games has her eyes set on seeking national glory and becoming Venezuela's youth team.

“For me, this silver represents just a beginning, I'm going to try harder, I'll ask my sister for help, since she's always been undefeated in her category,” said Nancy Haidar's consanguineous silver medalist at the Sucre 2024 Bolivarian Youth Games.

Arrival to the tatami

Alin has a long way to go, but she is already shaping up to be a diamond that has been polishing since she started this martial art at the age of 6.

“About seven years ago, in front of my school there was a taekwondo academy and whenever I stopped by I was very attracted to that sport,” said Alin, who was enrolled by her father and her sister in the sport that “to this day I am still passionate about,” she added.

He also recalled the first time he wore his dobok (clothing) for a competition in combat mode. “I was always determined, I went with everything, I didn't think about anything, only about winning and so I became twice national champion in Kyorugi, I always won by knockout.”

However, her trainers decided to perfect her in poomsae, as she demonstrated extraordinary strength and firmness in each of her movements.

“This happened during the quarantine due to the pandemic, since the fighting was suspended and my dad enrolled me in virtual poomsae competitions and I always won gold medals”, which is why his teachers decided to change it to this modality.

Classification of the games

“First, the athletes were chosen by school, and then they went to a municipal phase in the piñonal sector to do the elimination and the last phase was the state phase where five girls were previously selected and I was the winner,” the student of the Humboldt School Educational Unit in Maracay summarized about her journey to the national phase of these Games.

In turn, the athlete who has just been promoted to the third year of high school highlights that she has support from her school, which is always looking for ways to help her in classes so that she can perform in her studies so that she can also give one hundred percent in sports.

Aragüeña flag bearer

Prior to receiving the news that she would be responsible for carrying the flag of her state in these Games, she participated as a representative of taekwondo in the act of the arrival of the torch in her entity.

“That day we had 10 children to carry the torch on the tour, I was the last to take it and hand it over to the authorities; two days later I heard the news, because my dad told me that I was selected to be the flag bearer of my state,” she exclaimed.

Finally, the event was held last Tuesday at the historic youth monument together with the state sports authorities where Alin Haidar received the banner from the hands of Governor Joana Sánchez.

Never give up

After her participation in the 19th edition of the National Student Sports Games 2025, the Aragüeña showed her resilient spirit and stated that her motivational phrase in the face of adversity is “if I fall and get up, I become stronger to see into the future”.

In addition, the little giant completed her words of encouragement with a message for all the athletes who one day hope to compete in these games. “Never give up, your time will always come and if you're ahead, just training, discipline and dedication is the key,” he said.

MINDEPORTE