From curiosity at university to gold: Hessah Almelaiki’s proud path
As-salamu alaykum - What started as a simple curiosity at university turned into something much bigger for Hessah Almelaiki.
She first tried judo in 2018 without expecting much, but after that first class she was hooked. “I joined a judo class out of curiosity,” she says. “From the first session I loved the balance of strength, strategy, and respect. Judo teaches you to fall, learn, and rise stronger every time.”
That mindset carried her from a student discovering a new sport to a national athlete carrying the Kingdom’s flag. Her big moment came when she represented Saudi Arabia internationally for the first time. “Standing there with my country’s flag on my back gave me purpose,” she recalled. “I realized I wasn’t just fighting for myself but for every Saudi woman who dreams of competing.”
She then committed to serious training: early mornings, tactical study, and strength work. The hard work paid off in Amman, Jordan in 2025, when she won gold in the under-52 kg at the Asian Open - a milestone for Saudi women’s judo. On the podium she thought of every injury, doubt, and late night that led to that moment. She sees that medal as a sign of Saudi women’s resilience and the country’s growing support for sports under Vision 2030: “That medal wasn’t just mine - it was for every woman proving her place on the world stage.”
Early in her career the path wasn’t easy: limited local facilities and the need to travel abroad for training meant adapting to new places and tougher opponents. But those obstacles became motivation. With support from her federation, coaches, and family, she kept pushing and earned respect internationally for her calm, tactics, and determination.
Hessah also keeps discipline in her studies: she’s pursuing a master’s in criminology, a field she says pairs well with her athletic mind. “Both judo and criminology need focus, patience, and analysis,” she explains. Her days are tightly scheduled - training at dawn, lectures during the day, and studying at night - and being a student-athlete has made her more grounded.
Her message to young Saudi girls is simple: opportunity exists. She wants them to know they can put on the gi, step onto the tatami, and succeed - in sport and in life. She hopes her journey helps open doors for the next generation, and she plans to develop training programs to encourage youth and female participation in combat sports.
“Judo is a way of thinking,” Hessah says. “It teaches humility, respect, and patience. You learn to control not only your opponent but yourself.” She carries her country with pride in every match - and that, she says, is her greatest honor.
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