Bayan Salman breaks Gulf basketball ground

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bayan Salman has become the first women’s basketball player from Bahrain and the GCC to join an NCAA Division I team after signing for Charleston Southern University in the United States.

The 21-year-old Bahrain national team player will also study for an MBA at the university, pairing basketball in the NCAA's top tier with postgraduate work in business.

Salman said the move was about more than her own career, as she hoped it would show girls in Bahrain and across the Gulf that a place in US college basketball was possible.

‘I want them to see that with hard work and belief, you can achieve things that seem out of reach,’ Salman told The Daily Tribune. ‘Being able to represent Bahrain on this stage is a huge honour, and I hope it inspires more girls to pursue their dreams in sport.’

Salman said basketball first came into her life through her parents, who urged her to try different sports as a child. She said she loved the game from the start and wanted to improve each day.

She grew up admiring British basketball player Holly Winterburn, whose career helped her believe she could reach that level too.

Away from the court, Salman said her parents and sister had helped her reach this point. She also paid tribute to her late aunt, Fatima Jawad, whom she described as a kind and determined businesswoman who helped many people.

Charleston Southern stood out, she said, because of its coaching staff and style of play. With an almost new roster, Salman believes the team has a chance to shape a new side.

‘I’m very grateful for the belief they have shown in me,’ she said. ‘I’m excited to go there, work hard and hopefully help make some programme history.’

Salman said she did not fully grasp where basketball could take her when she first started playing. As she grew older, Division I became a clear goal, though her path has not followed the usual college route.

Her biggest change off the court will be living away from her family. On it, she expects the speed and physicality of the American game to be the main test, along with taking on a role that may differ from the one she has known.

Salman described herself as a quick, hard-running player who likes to push the ball, attack in transition and bring energy to every training session and match.

She said balancing basketball with an MBA would require discipline, time management and focus, but added that Charleston Southern offered support for student-athletes.

Her message to young girls in Bahrain was to believe their goals are possible and not allow stereotypes or other people’s doubts to set the limits.

‘Never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot achieve,’ she said. ‘Stay close to God, trust the process, and remember that hard work never goes to waste.’