An up-and-coming Egyptian basketball player is stealing hearts in the country with a series of mesmerizing displays, with videos of her feints proving very popular on social media.
"Move over Cleopatra, there is a new queen of Egypt" was how the Basketball Federation (FIBA) dubbed Ahly's Soraya Mohamed after her splendid performances during the FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup.
The 24-year-old earned that unique nickname.
Videos of her highlights went viral during and after the tournament as Egypt clinched the title last month after defeating Mali 18-15, handing their opponents their second ever defeat in the competition.
It wasn't a surprise that Soraya was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the top scorer of the tournament with a total of 48 points.
"I'm very happy and proud of myself. I used to be called [Ahly's football great] Abou-Treika or [Brazilian football legend] Ronaldinho, but it's the first time I get a nickname of one of the most famous Egyptian queens," she told Ahram Online in an interview
But how did she turn out to be one of Africa's best female basketball players?
At the age of eight, Soraya started playing basketball and tennis at Egypt's Shooting Club, but she found herself more in basketball, with her then coach telling her that "one day you will be a star."
"These words have always been in my mind, and I wanted to explore how I can become a star," she said.
Due to her busy schedule as a school student, Soraya had to choose only one sport to play. She did not think twice.
She joined the national basketball team at the earliest opportunity when she was 15, featuring in the U16 side that finished second at the Africa Cup, winning her first MVP in a continental tournament in the process.
She then added a second MVP to her cupboard at the U18 Africa Cup in 2012 when Egypt finished third.
"Back then, I didn't want anything else after joining the national team and winning MVPs, until collective and individual titles started to increase," Soraya added.
Secondary school in Egypt is notorious for being hectic, with most of students hardly finding leisure time. Cleopatra still managed to strike a balance between her studies and basketball, thanks mainly to her family's support.
Soraya finished secondary school with 88 percent, quite a high degree in Thanaweya Amma, before studying business at a private university.
"My family gave me their full support. They attended almost all the matches I played in Egypt even in cities other than Cairo," she said.
"Basketball wasn't just a sport for me. I wanted to keep playing, so I had to create for myself a schedule to preserve time for studying, sleeping, training, and even eating.
"I may have felt exhausted, but I've never felt that I was wasting my time in playing basketball. I even graduated with high grades."
After finishing high school at the age of 17, she received two athletic scholarships from the United States and Spain, but she opted to stay put.
"I was very young. I was a afraid. But I really regret that I didn't accept any of these opportunities; I'm pretty sure that if I have the chance to go back in time I would definitely accept one of those scholarships," Soraya, who joined Ahly last year, commented.
"Now I receive many offers to play with Arab teams from Tunisia, Morocco, and Jordan, but there is always something that prevents me [from accepting] because of my commitments with Ahly or the national team."
Rise to prominence
Being a successful athlete doesn't necessarily mean that she would fall behind in other aspects of her life, Soraya believes.
She still works at a bank, where her superiors offer support by allowing her to take some time off during tournaments and training camps.
Soraya rose to prominence with her feints during the 2019 FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup. "Now everybody in the streets knows me well," she says.
Having become famous now, Soraya aspires to achieve much more in the future.
"I hope to play at the Olympics and the World Cup, because I didn't have the chance to participate in any of them. And I hope to play in the WNBA. I still have time as I can play basketball for 10 more years," she said.
"I'm proud of my performance in the last two tournaments with the national team. I was the first Egyptian woman to win an individual title at the Africa Cup, and I hope to keep up that form."
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