Dania Akeel's Glorious Victory Inspires Arab Women

On the stage of motorsports, Saudi Arabia's Dania Akeel has distinguished herself by winning the Baja Middle East Cup, a significant event under the International Automobile Federation. With this victory, the participation of women in this field is rapidly increasing.

The Baja Cup consists of a series of off-road races held in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan. The 36-year-old Akeel excelled in the final leg in Dubai, clinching victory in the vehicle category and achieving overall success, making her the first Saudi woman to earn this honor. Born in Jeddah, Akeel demonstrated her strength by standing on the podium in all four events, even leading during the race in Qatar.

Her racing career began in 2019 when she became the first woman to obtain a motorcycle racing license in Saudi Arabia, later transitioning to rally racing due to a motorcycle accident. It is noteworthy that Saudi women gained the right to drive only in 2018, marking a significant milestone in social reform.

Akeel is not alone; in recent years, more Arab women have emerged in the racing field. For instance, Saudi Arabia's first race car driver, Reema Juffali, secured second place in the PRO-AM category of the 2022 International GT Open, while UAE's Amna Al Qubaisi became the first Emirati female racer in 2018 and participated in the F1 Academy for women last year.

In 2021, Toni Breidinger became the first Arab-American woman to race in NASCAR. According to Nielsen Sports, this year, the interest of Saudi women in sports has risen by 11%, compared to 10% for men.

Overall interest in the UAE has also increased by 6%. The study indicates that 41% of sports fans worldwide are women, highlighting the growing influence of women in the sports arena.

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