Maitha bint Mohammed Al Maktoum
Sheikha
Born (1980-03-05) 5 March 1980
Dubai
Names
Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Maktoum
HouseAl Falasi
FatherMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
MotherHouria Ahmed Lamara
Styles of
Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Reference styleHer Excellency
Spoken styleYour Excellency

Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Arabic: مَيْثَاء بِنتِ مُحَمَّد ابْنِ رَاشِد آل مَكتُوم; born 5 March 1980)[1] is a karate, taekwondo, polo athlete and Sheikha of Dubai.[2] She was the first woman from UAE to represent the country in the Olympics in 2008.[3]

Personal life

Sheikha Maitha is the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.[4] Her mother is an Algerian, Houria Ahmed Lamara. She is the full sister of Sheikha Shamsa, Sheikha Latifa, and Sheikh Majid.

She was appointed as a board member of the Global Initiative Foundation in December 2015.[5]

Sports career

In 2000, Sheikha Maitha began her martial arts career. In 2004, she won the karate 65-kg class at the 10th Pan Arab Games and became the first UAE woman to win an international gold medal.[6][7][8]

Representing the United Arab Emirates in the 2006 Asian Games, she won the silver medal at the Women's Over 60 Kilogram karate event. In 2007, she won another gold medal at the 11th Pan Arab Games in Cairo.[9]

In March 2008, the UAE National Olympic Committee announced Sheikha Maitha's participation at the 2008 Summer Olympics, making her the first woman to represent the UAE carrying the national flag.[3] She participated in taekwondo in the 67 kg category for women.[10]

In March 2011, she participated in the GCC Women's Sports Championships in Abu Dhabi and won the gold medal in Taekwondo.[11][12]

Sheikha Maitha started playing women's polo at the age of 32 as injuries prevented her from continuing martial arts.[13][14]

She participated with her team in the IFZA Silver Cup 2021 and advanced to the semi-finals.[15] At the Polo Masters Cup 2021[16] and the Dubai Polo Challenge 2021 Sheikha Maitha led her UAE team to victory.[17]

Accolades and awards

In 2007, Sheikha Maitha was named Arab Sports woman of the Year for winning the silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games.[18]

In December 2007, she was the first Arab woman to receive the World Fair Play Award in Paris, France.[19]

In 2008, she was included as 17th on the list of the "20 Hottest Young Royals" as compiled by Forbes magazine.[2]

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ "Sheikha Maitha ALMAKTOUM - Olympic Taekwondo | United Arab Emirates". International Olympic Committee. 2016-06-25. Archived from the original on 2018-05-10. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  2. 1 2 "The 20 Hottest Young Royals - 17. Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum". Forbes. 2008-05-27. Archived from the original on 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  3. 1 2 "About HH Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum". Team Z7. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  4. ↑ "Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum: Who is Dubai's ruler?". BBC. 2020-03-05. Archived from the original on 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  5. ↑ "Mohammed establishes Global Initiatives Foundation". Emirates 24/7. 2015-12-29. Archived from the original on 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  6. ↑ "Interview: Sheikha Maitha, The UAE's martial arts maestro". Sport360. 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  7. ↑ Gupte, Pranay (January 2011). "Dubai: The Making of a Megapolis". Google Books. ISBN 9788184755046. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  8. ↑ "Shaikha Maitha claims individual gold in kumite". Gulf News. 2004-09-27. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  9. ↑ "Maitha clinches karate gold". Gulf News. 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  10. ↑ "Shaikha Maitha bound for Beijing Olympics". Gulf News. 2008-03-24. Archived from the original on 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  11. ↑ "Shaikha Maitha wins taekwondo competition". Gulf News. 2011-03-11. Archived from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
  12. ↑ "Golden girl Shaikha Maitha keeps UAE right on top". Khaleej Times. 2011-03-13. Archived from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
  13. ↑ "Sheikha Maitha on women and polo". The National. 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  14. ↑ "100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport: Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid". Sport360. 2019-03-06. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  15. ↑ "Sheikha Maitha-led UAE Team storm into Silver Cup semis". Gulf Today. 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  16. ↑ "Sheikha Maitha-led UAE Polo clinch Polo Masters Cup crown". Gulf Today. 2021-02-13. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  17. ↑ "Maitha bint Mohammed leads the UAE team to win the "Dubai Polo Challenge" – local sport". en24news.com. 2021-03-20. Archived from the original on 2021-05-02. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  18. ↑ "Sheikha Maitha set for Olympic honour". Arabian Business. 2008-08-07. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  19. ↑ "Maitha first Arab woman to get World Fair Play award". Gulf News. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
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