Palestine's Mohammed Hamada competes in the men's 96kg weightlifting competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo on July 31, 2021. (LUIS ACOSTA / AFP)

Mohammed Hamada feels that he is steadily moving toward his dream of becoming an international champion.

In May this year, Mohammed Hamada finished seventh at the Asia championships and eighth at the under-20 world championships in Uzbekistan

As the first Palestinian to compete in an Olympic weightlifting competition, the 19-year-old finished 13th in the 96-kilogram category at Tokyo 2020, and is already aiming to improve on that result at the 2024 Paris Games.

"I have spent many years of my life training to participate in such an international event," said Hamada, who was treated to a hero's welcome by the Palestinian public when he returned to the Gaza Strip from Tokyo.

"I was so glad that I had an opportunity to represent Palestine for the first time," he added.

Hamada started his Olympic journey in 2019 when he won six international competitions to book a spot at the Tokyo Games.

In May this year, he finished seventh at the Asia championships and eighth at the under-20 world championships in Uzbekistan, where he performed a 141 kg snatch and 171 kg clean and jerk for a total weight of 312 kg.

"I am proud of what I have achieved and I will continue my strenuous efforts to raise the Palestinian flag in the international arena."

With resources limited in the troubled Gaza Strip, however, athletic training is a luxury that not everyone can afford.

In 2007, life in Gaza was turned upside down when Israel imposed a tight blockade on the region after the Islamic Hamas movement seized the territory by force, ousting the forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas.

The blockade, as well as internal Palestinian divisions, have pushed the population deeper into social and economic decline.

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According to a report published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate in the Gaza Strip reached 52 percent in 2020. 83 percent of the population lives in poverty.

The average daily income per capita is the equivalent of US$2, which is one of the worst in the world, according to the Gaza-based Popular Committee against the Israeli Siege.

Under such circumstances, practicing sports is becoming almost impossible.

Mohammed's training is funded by his dad, Khamis. The 62-year-old father of eight told Xinhua that Mohammed first displayed an interest in weightlifting when he was just 6 years old, simulating the moves of his older brother Hussam, who coached the sport.

Soon, Mohammed was spending hours watching the Olympics and dreamed that one day he would be there too.

"I decided to encourage my child, and any of his brothers who would like to be a champion, even if the situation was impossible for us," said Khamis.

Khamis registered his son with a number of weightlifting clubs in Gaza and encouraged him to participate in local competitions, rewarding him when he won.

Year upon year, Mohammed racked up the titles in Gaza, eventually qualifying for Arab and international tournaments.

However, he was often unable to leave the enclave as the borders were closed. Mohammed would, therefore, leave Gaza months in advance to avoid missing out on participating in competitions.

"Sometimes I spent many days on my way to arrive in Egypt before heading to the country that was hosting the competition. However, I felt that I have a goal that I must achieve, and once I reached that goal, I forgot all the obstacles that I faced," he said.

Four of Mohammed's brothers have also participated in many Arab competitions, winning various medals. He hopes to change the world's view of the region, and to prove that Palestinians love life and are trying their best to establish their presence in all fields, whether that be in sports or elsewhere.