Photos: Egyptian women challenge social norms by practising Parkour

Updated On Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

Curious crowds, accustomed to women taking a low profile in Egypt, congregated at an abandoned park last week in Cairo to watch Egyptian women practice Parkour. But the women keep up the training unhindered, insisting that no sport is exclusive for men. The women have trained every week for the past six months with the eventual aim of forming the first professional Parkour team in Egypt. Founded in France in the 1980s, Parkour involves running, climbing and jumping acrobatically around buildings and over terrain.

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Egyptian women from Parkour Egypt "PKE" practice parkour around buildings on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. A group of Egyptian women gather at an abandoned park in a Cairo suburb once a week, climbing walls and jumping around in the strenuous physical discipline known as Parkour, while also challenging the country’s conservative social norms. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

Egyptian women from Parkour Egypt "PKE" practice parkour around buildings on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. A group of Egyptian women gather at an abandoned park in a Cairo suburb once a week, climbing walls and jumping around in the strenuous physical discipline known as Parkour, while also challenging the country’s conservative social norms. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

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Egyptian women during a training session. It is uncommon for women to play such sports on the streets in Egypt. A 2017 Thomson Reuters Foundation survey of experts on how women fared in mega cities rated Cairo as the world’s most dangerous megacity for women, while London came out as best. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

Egyptian women during a training session. It is uncommon for women to play such sports on the streets in Egypt. A 2017 Thomson Reuters Foundation survey of experts on how women fared in mega cities rated Cairo as the world’s most dangerous megacity for women, while London came out as best. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

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The women have trained every week for the past six months with the eventual aim of forming the first professional Parkour team in Egypt. Last week, ten women took part in the training which focused on building upper body strength and different methods of dealing with surroundings. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

The women have trained every week for the past six months with the eventual aim of forming the first professional Parkour team in Egypt. Last week, ten women took part in the training which focused on building upper body strength and different methods of dealing with surroundings. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

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Guided by coach Mohamed Omran, women train hard on climbing obstacles, landing correctly after jumps and seeing opportunities in buildings around them. “Women are now training and more women are starting to come,” said Omran. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

Guided by coach Mohamed Omran, women train hard on climbing obstacles, landing correctly after jumps and seeing opportunities in buildings around them. “Women are now training and more women are starting to come,” said Omran. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

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Parkour is played by men in Egypt but the sport is neglected and has no regulatory body. Parkour Egypt, a group that comprises men and women, has grown exponentially after starting off with a handful of players. Last year Britain became the first country officially to recognise Parkour as a sport. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

Parkour is played by men in Egypt but the sport is neglected and has no regulatory body. Parkour Egypt, a group that comprises men and women, has grown exponentially after starting off with a handful of players. Last year Britain became the first country officially to recognise Parkour as a sport. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

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Mohamed Omran, coach at the PKE watches his students during a training session. Founded in France in the 1980s as the Art du Deplacement and later taking its name from the French word ‘parcours’ (course or route), Parkour involves running, climbing and jumping acrobatically around buildings and over terrain. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

Mohamed Omran, coach at the PKE watches his students during a training session. Founded in France in the 1980s as the Art du Deplacement and later taking its name from the French word ‘parcours’ (course or route), Parkour involves running, climbing and jumping acrobatically around buildings and over terrain. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

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“It is natural that people did not accept it because they were not used to it,” said Zayneb Helal, one of the players. “They did not accept the idea that girls could play sports, let alone on the street. It needs more time to evolve and the sport needs to spread more so that people would learn about it,” she added. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 24, 2018 04:00 pm IST

“It is natural that people did not accept it because they were not used to it,” said Zayneb Helal, one of the players. “They did not accept the idea that girls could play sports, let alone on the street. It needs more time to evolve and the sport needs to spread more so that people would learn about it,” she added. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh / REUTERS)

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