Egypt squash star Nouran Gohar on choosing motherhood at peak of her career: 'I needed meaning in my life'
Nouran Gohar never imagined herself competing on the professional squash circuit as a mother. She thought she would play until she was 31 or 32, then hang up her racquet and focus on growing her family with her husband, Olympic fencer Ziad El Sissy . Yet here she is, at 28 years old, ready to return to the PSA World Tour at the upcoming Qatar Classic, just five months after giving birth to her…
Nouran Gohar, the world's top-ranked squash player, made the surprising decision to return to competition just five months after giving birth to her daughter, Leyla. The Egyptian athlete, who was ranked No 1 in the world when she stepped away from the sport after the Egyptian Open in September 2024, broke the news of her pregnancy during the tournament.
Despite the challenges of balancing motherhood and her professional career, Gohar has stayed in shape and returned to the court for the upcoming Qatar Classic, scheduled to begin on September 12. She credits her fitness trainer and a careful plan for her successful return, but acknowledges that the decision to pause her career to have a baby was not an easy one.
Gohar had been thriving in her squash career, reaching every final in the 2024-25 season, except for the World Championships. However, she felt a lack of meaning and fulfillment in her sport, which led her to question her reasons for continuing to compete. Despite the doubts, Gohar remains optimistic about her return to the PSA World Tour and the future of squash in the Olympics.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
