Roaa Ali is one of Egypt’s most luminous rising wushu stars. Specializing in nanquan and nandao, in 2018 she made her presence known in wushu sport by taking 5th place at the World Junior Wushu Championships in nandao. In 2023 she took 1st place at the Arab championship in Morocco in nandao/nanquan, in 2023 she won 1st place at the African Wushu Championship in Cote d’Ivoire, and in 2023 she won 5th place in the nandao/nanquan all around at the World Combat Games in Saudi Arabia. In 2024 she took 4th place in nandao/nanquan at the 2024 BRICS Games. While Roaa trains and competes on the Egyptian national wushu team, she also balances her sport career with being a fourth-year medical student at Cairo University.
Wushu Beginnings
Roaa, now 22, was born in Cairo, Egypt. “When I was little,” she recalls, “my parents used to take me out to the club to play, and as soon as I turned 4 they enrolled me in different sports so they could find which one I liked the most. At 7 years old I saw one of my cousins training wushu, and I was so curious to learn more about this sport so I asked my parents to enroll me in my club. Soon after I started playing wushu and I never stopped since.”
Roaa’s first wushu competition was Egypt’s national wushu championship in 2011, when she was 9 years old. “At that time,” she recalls, “I won both first and second place. It was a huge success as it was my first competition, and I have been a national wushu champion since then. I first joined the Egyptian team in 2014. I learned a lot from practicing with the national team and watching how the best athletes in my country play; however, I was not chosen to participate in any international events in that year.”
Roaa’s taolu specialties would become nanquan and nandao. “These routines depend more on the athlete’s power,” she says. “I think I am good at expressing this power during doing my routine.”
Junior Worlds Debut
Gaining more experience year by year, Roaa consistently began building her wushu skills. She participated in the 2016 Junior Wushu Championships, and then in the 2018 World Junior Wushu Championships in Brazil Roaa took the 5th place in nandao. Looking back on the event she says, “The 2018 championships were a huge deal for me, I was nervous. The championships took place in Brazil which is a long journey but I was excited to say the least. My event was a difficult one in my opinion as there were a lot of great athletes. We all did well, and I think I did great as well. However, I felt that I could be better. This competition gave me a strong push to work more.”
After the Covid-19 sports hiatus, Roaa began to hit her stride in competition, and at the 2023 Arab championship in Morocco she got the 1st place in nandao and nanquan. “It was my first time doing an optional routine,” she says, “so I was nervous. I wanted to prove myself and prove that I was worthy of the spot they had given me.”
Her next wushu event would be the 2023 African Championship in Cote d'Ivoire where she took the 1st place again in nandao/nanquan. “This event was more difficult than the Arabian championship,” Roaa says. “Africa has a lot of good athletes. It was also difficult to adapt to the climate change. Winning this championship and overcoming all these obstacles, I was ecstatic.”
Combat Games and BRICS Games
These victories would springboard Roaa to her next international wushu events. At the 2023 Combat Games in Saudi Arabia she competed and took the 4th and 5th place in nandao and nanquan. “I had a hard time during these games,” she recalls, “as I had a major knee injury and I needed to take several injections in my knee before I traveled. As well, I was having exams season in medical school at the same time and it stressed me out. I was proud of myself that I managed to play. However it wasn’t my best performance.”
Roaa’s next wushu journey was to the 2024 Brics Games in Russia where she got the 4th place in nandao/nanquan. She says, “I met a lot of athletes. I competed with a lot of great athletes which made it hard to secure a place in the top 5 but it also made it worth it and so much more fun.”
“My Egyptian teammates are the best,” Roaa states, “and training with them is another level. We support each other and we push each other to do our best. Traveling to different events with my teammates brought us closer, and we made a lot of memories. They are always by my side and I find joy in seeing them compete and win for our team.” She adds, “My coaches have played a huge role in my support system since I started playing. They helped me overcome my greatest fears. They are always there whenever I need them. I would have never reached anything if it weren’t for them pushing me to do the best I could do.”
Becoming part of the global wushu family became an important part of Roaa’s life on and off the carpet. “I love making friends,” she says, “and I know a lot of Egyptian and international players. I meet constantly with my Egyptian friends to catch up. As for my friends from other parts of the world, we mostly keep in touch through social media. Making these friendships is one of the best parts of being an international athlete.”
Wushu Life – Rewards, Challenges and Balance
Contemplating her life’s wushu experience so far, Roaa says, “The best part is feeling that I inspire others to just keep going and do better.” However, being a national and international wushu champion also has its challenges, especially as Roaa is studying to become a doctor. “I am a fourth-year medical student at Cairo University. Balancing both school and training wasn’t easy. Both of them are full-time jobs so balancing them together is exhausting sometimes, especially when both exam season and competitions come at the same time -- but I wouldn’t trade any for the world -- I love both I careers.”
Roaa continues, “My family was so supportive from the start. They love to see that I have found my passion and that I have a successful career. I have to admit that without my family support, I wouldn’t have achieved anything. My younger sisters are now great athletes as well which makes me so proud of them.”
Outside of medical school and wushu, Roaa says, “I love to go out with friends, read books, or draw. I also love trying different sports during my free time. I always find it exciting to learn new things.”
On the road ahead, Roaa looks forward to embracing a fulfilling career in medicine, and she’s also focused on bringing more wushu honors to her beloved Egyptian wushu team and nation. “Wushu helped me build my character and it made me more confident,” she says. “My future goals are to secure a spot in the top 3 in the next World Wushu Championships.”
