Commonwealth Games 2022: Taha Ahmad’s journey from school fights to Australian team

When Taha Ahmad was 13 he started getting into a bit of strife. Sport helped put him back on track - and unexpectedly on the road to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later this year.

Taha Ahmad will make his Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham.

Taha Ahmad remembers what it was like to be a 13-year-old with way too much energy and driving “everyone crazy“.

He also knows that if he hadn’t got into sport his life might be vastly different from the way it is now.

The 21-year-old, who grew up in Punchbowl and Bankstown and now lives in Regent’s Park with his family, is thrilled at what lays ahead after moving from kickboxing into boxing two years ago and then surprising - rivals at least - by winning Commonwealth Games selection.

BOXER CHANGING FACE OF HER SPORT

QUIRKY REASON THIS GAMES ATHLETE CHOSE HER SPORT

Taha Ahmad, Tina Rahimi and Alex Winwood pose during the Australian 2022 Commonwealth Games Boxing Team announcement at Brotherhood Boxn Gym. Pic: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“When I was 13 I didn’t know how to channel my energy. I had too much of it and I was driving everyone crazy,” Ahmad said.

“I got into a little trouble, a few fights at school and after school. It was enough to realise I didn’t want to go that way.’’

It was then he took up kickboxing. A year later he left school at 14 and started an electrician trade and at 15 his father Mohammad, who had encouraged him to sport, passed away.

Taha Ahmad, Tina Rahimi and Alex Winwood are all from NSW.

“It became hard when he passed away and I started to really buckle down,” said Ahmad, who won two national titles in kickboxing at age 17 and 18 before swapping to boxing.

“Growing up in the western suburbs can be hard, there are distractions.

“People have beef with each other. It can be easy to get caught in between something.’’

But Ahmad, who trains with former boxer Mick Akkawa, is letting nothing deter him from his goals in life - making his mother, siblings and half siblings proud and becoming a world champion in boxing in the future

“ I want to do my family proud. I want to be a role model to the younger ones. I want to take my mum places,” he said.

Boxer Taha Ahmad, here with his family, is going to Birmingham

The young boxer, selected onto his first Commonwealth Games team for Birmingham, also wants to continue surprising others in his sport.

With just 11 fights under his belt prior to Commonwealth Games selection trials, Ahmad beat vastly more experienced fighters on his way to securing the light middleweight selection.

“I wasn’t the favourite to win, a lot of people doubted me,” he said.

“Growing up I just try and an hour or so as a day as a hobby. But when I was 18 I started taking it seriously and that’s when I started to dream of being a world champion.

“I dream about it as I go to sleep every night. I think about it all the time, when I’m eating, walking sitting on the couch with my family, buying shoes.’’

North Shore boxer Kaye Scott has also been named on the team heading to Birmingham along with fellow NSW boxer Tina Rahimi. Pic: Troy Snook

And with him for the ride will be his father Mohammed and his grandfather who passed four months ago.

“It a way to think about him and honour him. Everything is for him (his father) and my grandfather,’’ he said.

BIRMINGHAM 2022 BOXING TEAM

Kristy Harris, Women’s 50kg, 29, 2nd Games, Vic

Caitlin Parker, Women’s 75kg. 26, 2nd Games, Dromana VIC

Tina Rahimi, Women’s 57kg, 26, Debut, Bass Hill NSW

Kaye Scott, Women’s 69kg, 37, 3rd Games Turramurra

Taha Ahmad, Men’s 69kg, 21, Debut, Regents Park NSW

Edgard Coumi, Men’s 91kg, 26, Debut, Salisbury East SA

Billy McAllister, Men’s 81kg, 22, Debut, Enoggera, NSW

Callum Peters, Men’s 75kg, 19, Debut, Davoren Park SA

Billy Polkinghorn, Men’s 64kg, 25, Debut, Redcliffe WA

Charlie Senior, Men’s 56kg, 20, Debut, Butler WA 6036

Alex Winwood, Men’s 52kg, 24, Debut, Miami QLD

MORE from Amanda Lulham HERE