Alaa Ali

First Sudanese female boxing champion breaking gender barriers in sports

Alaa Ali (born 1995) shattered cultural norms as Sudan's first female boxer and Africa's first female boxing champion. Growing up in a conservative society where women were discouraged from sports, she secretly trained in Cairo until 2017 when she became the first Sudanese woman to compete in international boxing. Her 2018 victory at the African Championship made global headlines, inspiring girls across the Arab world to pursue sports.

Key achievements:
- Founded the Sudanese Girls Boxing Association training 500+ young athletes
- Partnered with UN Women for 'Girls in Boxing' programs
- Featured in Nike's 'Pro Hijab' campaign promoting athletic wear for Muslim women
- Spoke at the 2022 International Women's Day summit in Geneva
- Authored 《Breaking The Chain》 memoir detailing her struggles

Her story was adapted into the documentary 《Punching Through》 (2021) on Netflix.