Jordanian woman wins first int’l kettlebell lifting championship

AMMAN — Representing Jordan for the first time ever in a kettlebell world competition, 36-year-old Mona Bitar recently made history by seizing two medals in the 75 Amateur division.

A non-contact sport that consists of lifting kettlebells, kettlebell has a long history tracing back to Russia, according to web sources, which noted that the sport only developed into an “organised, standard sport” known as kettlebell lifting in the 1960s.

Bitar recently won a silver medal in the “clean and jerk” category and a bronze in “snatch” at the 2018 Kettlebell Sport World Championship in Milan, Italy.

The sport requires strength and endurance.

“The beauty of the kettlebell sport is that it’s open to anyone,” Bitar told The Jordan Times in a recent interview, adding “there is no specific body type that is needed for the sport”. 

Bitar’s passion for kettlebell started over a decade ago, when she attended her first kettlebell workshop. She said what attracted her to the kettlebell was “its unique shape and function”. 

“The specific lifts done with the kettlebell enable you to develop functional strength and power, as well as speed,” she stated.

In 2013, Bitar was nominated to become a kettlebell trainer for the Middle East. She undertook training in New York, where she further developed her passion for the sport.

Upon returning to Jordan, she realised no had heard of kettlebell before, prompting her to become the first person to bring the sport to the region. She spent two years researching, and she finally found a coach who helped her train for the world championship. 

The kettlebell sport includes three lift variations: the “snatch”, a single movement of the kettlebell from between the knees to above the head, the “jerk”, a single movement from chest level to above the head and the “clean and jerk” known as “long cycle”, which consists of two continuous movements of the kettlebell from between the knees, up to the chest level, then to above the head, according to online sources. The overall aim of the sport is to repeat the lift as often as possible within ten minutes. 

During the competition, Bitar faced some tough challenges. Three minutes into the “snatch” event, she ripped her hand until it bled. Despite the pain and challenging grip, she soldiered through and won third place. 

When remembering the event, Bitar admits that “it can be a very mentally and physically challenging sport, but it is great”. 

Bitar’s next goal is to create a federation and start training people for the kettlebell sport. Through that, she wants to promote a healthier lifestyle, which does not only focus on weight loss. 

“I hope to train men, and more importantly women, to take ownership of what they believe in,” the athlete stated, noting that being a woman involved in a sport that requires lifting can result in some backlash.

“You get a lot of negative comments as a female with a muscular build, but it doesn’t bother me. It used to bother me a lot, but I have learned over the years to take everything with a pinch of salt,” Bitar continued.

She said her road to success was a long and tough one but it was worth it all. “I consider myself blessed, because not a single day has gone by where I felt like I was working,” she concluded.