XM : You started your BMX career in 2006 , how did you get involved in the sport ?
MAS : I was 15 years old and had nothing else to do . I would ride my BMX every day after school – it was my ultimate joy . I tried participating in a local championship , but I lost . I made up my mind on winning the next championship , I intensified my practice and participated in the upcoming one , I ranked third . This encouraged me to improve myself more and achieve more . I did not intend to win in the next championship ; I merely wanted to show them what I could do , and this is when I ranked first . I remember this was in 2008 .
XM : Before BMX , you were heavily involved in Kayaking and even made it onto the Kuwait National Team . What made you decide to follow BMX ?
MAS : It was the opposite – I started with BMX and became involved in Kayaking later . My knee was terribly injured while practicing on my BMX and I could not rely on my leg for long . I did not want to sit down and do nothing . Since Kayaking involved least leg work and more upper body work , I tried Kayaking with an aim to recover my knee and go back to BMX later , but I liked it . In order to be a good BMX athlete one needs to be fit , and Kayaking was my choice when I had to follow a routine to maintain my fitness . Later , I wanted to become part of Kayaking championships , so I practiced every day for 2 years and I achieved the 1st rank in Kuwait Kayaking Championship for 3 consecutive years .
XM : Is there anybody that inspires you , that you look up to ?
MAS : Mohammed Al Balooshi , the Emirati Motocross Champion and also a Red Bull athlete .
XM : Is there a big BMX scene in Kuwait ?
MAS : There is a big scene . They are all my friends and I consider them to be my younger brothers . I always try to support them and help them master this sport , I help them avoid the mistakes that I had to go through during my early years .
XM : You helped establish the Trampo BMX Academy . Do you see a big rise in the number of younger athletes getting involved in the sport ? What more do you think needs to be done to grow the sport in the Middle East ?
MAS : There is a rise and now young athletes are more excited to try out new sports that have not been highlighted before . This sport requires a platform for athletes to practice and grow their talent such as skate parks and governmental support .
XM : We see you over here in Dubai very often , is there a bigger scene over here for BMX ?
MAS : Kuwait ’ s BMX scene is bigger than Dubai ’ s . I go to Dubai for shows and sometimes participate or serve as a judge in national championships held in UAE . I also go to Dubai with my friends for a getaway or a vacation .
XM : More recently , you did a huge paddle over 3 months from Kuwait to Oman and back , in order to raise awareness for the environment with the team from Kayak4Kuwait . How did you get involved in such an extraordinary project ?
MAS : the idea started 3 years back , Bashar Al Huneidi , a member of Kayak4Kuwait team and myself did a paddle within Kuwait ’ s islands for 5 days . Our aim was to deliver a message that sheds light on the importance of sea life .
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