Gaza Sunbirds athletes qualify in Para-cycling World Cup first

After being evacuated from Gaza, two amputee athletes, Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour, earned Palestinian’s first-ever top 20 finish in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium with the Gaza Sunbirds. This was in the first round of the competition, which concluded on Sunday 4 May. It was also the first time the country accrued UCI points.

Gaza Sunbirds: Para-cycling team qualify for upcoming World Cup

Despite immense challenges in Gaza – including life-changing injury, displacement, and years under siege – Alaa and Mohamed have qualified for the upcoming World Championships in August. They are realising the dream which their team, the Gaza Sunbirds is founded on: to represent Palestine on the global stage.

Alaa becoming the first Palestinian to rank top 20 in his road race on Sunday 4 May builds on his previous historic debut. He was the first person to represent his country at last year’s World Championships:

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Now, both he and Mohamed have secured qualification for the 2025 edition – with their sights set firmly on the LA 2028 Paralympics.

Gaza Sunbirds athlete and entrant for Palestine at UCI Para-cycling World Cup Mohamed Asfour said:

Participating in this competition and representing Palestine is a great honor in my life. After years of training in Gaza and dreaming of moments like this, being able to compete and meet international athletes means so much to me.

Connecting with athletes around the world

As well as racing against 22 entrants from all over the world, last weekend was an important opportunity to further the sporting integration of Palestine with athletes from around the world. In that spirit, the country’s riders connected with Peruvian entrant Israel Hilario, who showed great support. He attended two events which the Gaza Sunbirds hosted. They also arranged jersey swaps with South Korea and Saudi Arabia, and local fans came out to show their support. This included Green Party city councilor for Brugge, Karin Robert.

Gazan athletes make up a substantial number of the medals won by Palestinian delegations at international competitions, including five at the Paralympic Games. The nation ranks within the top three Arab countries in para-sporting achievement. Last year’s entrant, Fadi Aldeeb, is a big supporter of the strip’s para-cycling champions.

Gaza Sunbirds co-founder, team captain, and entrant for Palestine at UCI Para-cycling World Cup Alaa al-Dali said:

We ride for our country with pride, and thank God Palestine was among the countries that qualified for the upcoming World Championship. At the same time, our people in Gaza are experiencing famine, killing, and genocide, and the situation is very bad. Despite this, our teammates are still trying to help and are continuing to deliver aid to our people experiencing intense famine. This is something that athletes around the world must know to help us stop this destruction of Gaza, and the whole world must raise its voice, including the sports world, until the attacks against us stop.

Alaa launched the Gaza Sunbirds in 2020. This was after Israeli forces shot him in the leg at a peaceful protest in Gaza resulting in amputation. He assembled 19 teammates with similar injuries from Israeli attacks and rewrote his personal ambition of competing individually into a collective project using sport to empower others.

Gaza Sunbirds: the true voice of Palestine on the world stage

Alaa and teammate Mohamed were evacuated last year to compete globally. The remaining athletes have been continuing the squad’s courageous aid missions – totalling $450,000 worth – carried out since October 2023 using international donations.

They hope to one day build a sports and rehabilitation centre in order to support and uplift their community further, especially the thousands of children amputated as a result of current and historic Israeli assaults

The Gaza Sunbirds are a powerful example of Gaza’s youth defying the odds and creating hope amidst pain. This team is steadily rising to the global stage. Now more than ever, they need our support. Let’s raise their voices high, because they are the true voice of Palestine.

Both athletes wore brand new kits designed by KLABU, a Dutch non-profit that builds sports clubhouses for displaced communities around the world. These jerseys are now available for purchase, with profits supporting the missions of both KLABU and Gaza Sunbirds.

Alaa and Mohamed will race at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, 28 to 31 August 2025 in Ronse, Belgium.

Featured image and additional images supplied