To provide the money he needs to support his sports career, the Egyptian nationally ranked bodybuilder, Ali El-Sharkawy, trains in the evening, but after he spends his morning collecting garbage, what was a shock to the citizens.
Although the 29-year-old has won awards, including two bronze medals in national championships, he struggles to obtain funding or external support, like many Egyptian athletes who practice individual sports, according to Archyde.com.
Instead, he uses a horse-drawn cart to collect waste and recyclables in Gharbia Governorate in the Nile Delta, earning up to 200 Egyptian pounds ($6.59) per day.
Despite his limited training regimen, El Sharkawy draws inspiration from Mamdouh El Sebaie, known as Big Ramy, a famous Egyptian bodybuilder who won the 2020 and 2021 Mr. Olympia titles. Therefore, the ambitious young man sets his sights on the dream of bodybuilding championships.
In the context, Al-Sharqawi’s coach, Mustafa Al-Tamimi, confirmed that the latter began to achieve success shortly after the start of training, adding that he was seeking to participate in an international tournament, adding that bodybuilding requires support and funding to provide nutrition.
It is noteworthy that the Arab Bodybuilding Championships are held in cooperation with a specialized company to organize sports championships, under the direct technical supervision of the Arab Bodybuilding Federation.