UAE Teen Maryam Al Madani Wins Four Medals at Special Olympics MENA Games

The Special Olympics MENA Games have delivered a standout UAE result, with Emirati teen Maryam Al Madani winning four medals in powerlifting. For gym-goers, her story is a reminder that strength training is at its best when it is inclusive, patient and built around good coaching. It also shows why powerlifting can be a clear, confidence-building way into the weights area for people of determination and for beginners of any ability.

In this article

1. Maryam Al Madani’s four-medal powerlifting result
2. What the result says about inclusive strength training
3. Why powerlifting can suit beginners
4. The bigger lesson for UAE gym-goers

Maryam Al Madani’s four-medal powerlifting result

According to Khaleej Times, Maryam Al Madani, a 17-year-old Emirati student at GEMS World Academy who has Down syndrome, won four medals, two gold and two silver, in female powerlifting at the 10th Special Olympics MENA Regional Games - Performance Sports. The event was held in Egypt from September 17 to 23, 2026, with Gulf News specifying that the performance-sports stage took place in Cairo as part of the wider regional format.

Khaleej Times reported that Maryam’s sporting background began in childhood with gymnastics, cycling and fitness. About two years ago, she joined Heroes of Hope Club, where coaches noticed her strength during fitness sessions and encouraged her to try powerlifting. The same report said she had already won a silver medal at a Special Olympics competition in Abu Dhabi and that she aspires to compete at the Special Olympics World Games.

Her result also sat inside a wider UAE team performance. According to Gulf News, Special Olympics UAE won 54 medals at the 10th MENA Regional Games, made up of 21 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze. The UAE delegation had 28 members, including 15 athletes competing in rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, powerlifting and equestrian. Gulf Daily News also reported the 54-medal UAE tally, separately confirming the scale of the team result.

What the result says about inclusive strength training

Maryam’s medals matter because they are more than a podium story. They show what can happen when an athlete is given access, encouragement and coaching that starts from ability rather than assumptions. Khaleej Times also reported that her school principal said her Down syndrome does not prevent her from taking an active part in school life. That detail belongs in the same conversation as sport, because confidence often grows when training, school and community all leave space for participation.

Inclusive strength training does not mean lowering ambition. It means making the path clear. A beginner might need more time to learn a movement, a quieter coaching cue, a lighter starting point or a spotter nearby. Those are training choices, not limits. In a gym setting, the most useful inclusive habits are simple:

• Start with movements the person can understand and repeat safely.
• Use clear coaching cues and check that they make sense.
• Build progress around consistency, not comparison with someone else.
• Celebrate skill, effort and confidence as much as the weight on the bar.

Why powerlifting can suit beginners

Powerlifting has a simple structure. According to Strength Shop USA and Iron Bull Strength, the sport is built on three lifts: the squat, the bench press and the deadlift. Strength Shop USA says the squat works the quads, hamstrings, glutes and core, the bench press targets the chest, shoulders and triceps, and the deadlift trains the back, glutes, hamstrings and grip.

That does not mean a beginner should rush to heavy weights. Strength Shop USA and Iron Bull Strength both stress that form matters more than weight. The movement pattern comes first, and load is added only once technique is solid. This is useful for every new lifter, including people who feel nervous around barbells. Good coaching can break each lift into manageable pieces and keep the focus on control.

For someone curious about powerlifting for beginners, the first phase can be very practical:

• Learn the squat pattern with bodyweight, a box or a light goblet squat.
• Practise pressing with a stable setup before adding more load.
• Build the deadlift from a comfortable height and focus on keeping the bar path steady.
• Rest between sessions so the body has time to recover and adapt.

Strength Shop USA says beginners can train three to four times a week with recovery days between sessions and progress in small increments. The same source describes steady linear progression as adding around 5 to 10 pounds per lift a month. That is general guidance, not a rule for every person. The better target is learning to move well, feeling confident enough to return, and making small improvements that can be repeated.

The bigger lesson for UAE gym-goers

Maryam’s powerlifting success fits a message that every gym can learn from. Strength is not only for the loudest person in the weights area. It can belong to a teenager competing for the UAE, a first-time lifter, an older adult building confidence, or a person of determination discovering a movement that makes them feel capable.

According to Strength Shop USA and Iron Bull Strength, structured strength training can build full-body strength, improve bone density, support better metabolic health and help with focus and discipline. Those benefits are most useful when training feels welcoming enough to continue. Maryam’s result is a proud sporting moment, but it is also a gentle push for more gyms, coaches and training partners to make the weights floor feel open to everyone.

If Maryam’s result has made you curious about building strength in a supportive gym, GymNation welcomes all starting points. Fill in the enquiry form.

Sources:
khaleejtimes.com
gulfnews.com
gdnonline.com
strengthshopusa.com
ironbullstrength.com

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.