Five Minutes with... Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari

Emirati professional figure skater Zahra Lari started ice skating at 11-years-old. Today, nine years later, she’s aiming to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

If she succeeds, she would be the first Emirati to ever participate in the winter edition of the games.

Dubbed the ‘Ice Princess in the Hijab’ by the media, Lari tells Arabian Business why it’s important for her to be a part of the Olympics and what it’s like to be a Muslim, covered figure skater.

1. You’re planning on making it to the 2018 Olympics. When you first started ice skating, did you think you were going to reach this far? “When I first started skating I never dreamt that I would reach this stage and level in skating that I am at now. My original plan was to just learn how to master basic skating. It never really entered my mind that I would continue on to learn the various technically complicated spins or jumps.”

2. Prior to ice skating, did you participate in other sports? “Before taking up figure skating I only participated in the physical education classes given at school. I did, however, enjoy gymnastics and ballet.”

Original article by Lubna Hamdan

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Five Minutes with… Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari