Al-Daly and his Gaza Sunbirds cycling group have not only had to overcome a war, but also personal adversity and disability for a chance to compete internationally.

In March 2018, Gaza’s champion cyclist Alaa al-Daly was six months away from realising his goal of representing Palestine at the Asian Games in Indonesia.

A few days later, an Israeli sniper shot al-Daly in the leg when he participated in the Great March of Return, a massive wave of protests on the Israel-Gaza border organised by Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip against the expropriation of their land.

The bullet ended up shattering 22 centimetres of bone in al-Daly’s right leg and crushing his lifelong dream to cycle at the Olympics.

Even as an able-bodied athlete, it was nearly impossible for al-Daly to partake in international competitions. Israeli authorities had blocked his applications to leave the besieged Gaza Strip. To protest the ban, the then 21-year-old al-Daly turned up at the march in a helmet and full cycling gear.

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