Noor Daoud was the only woman to take to the track in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where the Palestinian racer impressed the crowds with her “drift” driving skills.
Daoud has mastered the art of drifting and traveled to Sharm el-Sheikh for a regional competition.
“Since I was little I’ve become used to meeting up with the guys to play football or tennis,” the 27-year-old said on the sidelines of the competition.
Photo: AFP
Racing now dominates her life, evident from Instagram, where she often poses with her thick wavy hair falling over driving leathers.
“When I was little, I loved cars and I had a collection of them to play with,” said Daoud, a polyglot who was born in Texas and went to a French school in Jerusalem.
In Sharm el-Sheikh, she zigzagged around the tarmac track and dodged obstacles as thick white smoke and sparks came off her car.
“There’s only one girl,” said a young enthusiast of drift, which emerged in Japan in the 1970s.
Competitors were judged by a professional panel on their style and their driving skills, which count as much as their speed.
Daoud had to abandon the second round of the competition due to engine failure, but nonetheless picked up a trophy for her participation as the sole woman.
She wishes other Arab women would take part in professional competitions.
“Let Arab girls show the world that we also follow our dreams,” she said.
There are more women racing cars in the region, including four other Palestinians who featured alongside Daoud in the Speed Sisters documentary.
It has been more than a decade since Daoud first raced, borrowing a car from her mother, who she credits as being her sole supporter.
She learned drifting “on the streets of Palestine” in 2010, before moving to Dubai.
“At first, in Palestine, people would say to me: ‘But what are you doing? The sport is for the guys,’” she said.
“I went for what I want, I didn’t listen to anyone... When I got successful people started to respect me,” Daoud added.
However, drifting is more than just sport and spectacle for Daoud.
“We are under occupation, so this helps us, it helps me to drive to feel free,” she said. “I want to show the world that just because we are under occupation, it doesn’t mean we will stay holed up in our homes.”
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani on Monday wobbled through a 28-pitch first inning at home against the San Diego Padres in his first appearance on the mound since August 2023. Scheduled to throw as many as two innings, Ohtani went a single frame while allowing one run on two hits. He did not issue a walk nor strike out a batter. “Not quite happy with the results overall, but the takeaway for me is that I feel good enough to be able to make the next outing,” Ohtani said of his pitching performance. Ohtani still wound up with a positive impact
RSS