Saudi champion karateka Captain Abdulmutallib Al-Barqawi has been taking the Al-Ahli karate team to new heights over the past year, following an absence of a team representing the club for over a decade.

“Since taking over instruction of the karate team at the Al-Ahli Club just over a year ago, it has been growing rapidly and showing much progress. I expect it to continue to improve and become a world-class team,” Al-Barqawi told Arab News.

He further said that when the team was formed, the class had only a few boys ages 6 to 13, but in only a short time has grown to a team of over 25 students.

Al-Barqawi took up karate when he was also a child, going on to win first place in his first Arab League Championship held in Cairo in 1994. This was followed by first place in the International Championships in Iran, silver medals in both the Asian Championship and Middle East Championship, three gold medals each in championships held in Riyadh and the GCC, as well as the first Saudi to gain license as an international karate instructor by the World Karate Federation in Paris, France. Al-Barqawi is also the official instructor of the Saudi national team under the Saudi Arabian Karate Federation.

When asked about his vision and future plans for the team, Al-Barqawi stated that he is not just seeking to build champions to keep them competing in the Kingdom or Arab states, but on an international platform, as well.

“My vision for the team includes the same hard work, discipline and dedication I have delegated to myself in gaining international success. I hope that the team will to be able to compete and become champions not only on the MENA regional circuit, but European circuit as well,” he said.

Students that have recently joined the Ahli karate team have said they were pleasantly surprised at the quality of instruction and Al-Ahli facility.

“I think learning karate is an excellent activity because it improves my health and can help me learn to defend myself. I have passed my first test and a.m. awaiting my yellow belt. Al-Ahli Club is truly amazing,” Ammar Helmi, an 11-year old Saudi karate student told Arab News.

Helmi’s twin brother Omer, who is also a student at Al-Ahli added, “I chose to learn karate because it is not only useful for self-defense, but for defending others that can’t defend themselves.”

According to the latest Arab rankings, Saudi Arabia is at No. 3. The various karate belt stages include: white, yellow, orange, blue (3 stages), brown (3 stages) and black (10 stages).