Sport has no gender

My name is Esmeralda Novruzaj, the girl from Radhima who stepped into the ring when everyone said “boxing is not for girls,” and who is still waiting for the support of her own country.

Imagine a 10-year-old girl in Radhima running along the coastal road toward the gym, a small bag on her back. Behind her, her father’s car follows slowly, not to stop her, but out of pride and passion for sport. That girl was me. My sister was running ahead of me. We were the first two girls in the history of Albania to start kickboxing, back in 2008.

Our first official match took place in Shkodra in 2010, against each other. Two little girls, in the Shkodra ring, facing one another, wearing gloves bigger than our hands and carrying emotions we still didn’t know how to control. It was the first time two Albanian girls officially faced each other in the ring. The match ended in a draw. But that day was not about the result. It was the moment when a path began - one that until then had been closed to girls. That is how I became a pioneer of women’s kickboxing in Albania (2008–2015).

Today I am 24 years old, the first national champion in women’s boxing in Albania, and a bronze medalist at the European Championship. Let me connect this to a broader perspective. According to the U-Report Albania 2024 survey, 91% believe that physical activity is the best medicine for mental health. I am part of that 91%. This is my story, not only about medals, but about every Albanian girl who dreams of throwing a punch without her hand trembling from prejudice.

For decades, boxing for girls was a concept that did not exist in the Albanian sports vocabulary. “Don’t damage your face,” “go play volleyball,” “this is for boys” - these were the answers parents received when they asked about boxing for girls. Even after the 1990s, when contact sports were allowed, girls were left out. There were no official competitions, no selectors for female boxers, no role models.

My sister and I changed this in 2010: we entered the ring and officially fought in kickboxing even against each other. In 2015, I switched to boxing, and in 2023 I became the first girl in the history of Albania to compete in an official National Championship match, where I won the national champion title and the award “Best Female Boxer of the Year.”

Later, I won a bronze medal at the European U23 Championship (2024)the only medal Albania earned in that entire competition, among the whole team, in Sofia, Bulgaria. I also participated in the World Championship (Liverpool 2025) and other international tournaments, and I am the only girl on the Albanian national team who boxes regularly both inside and outside the country.

Society is changing slowly. Today there are girls training in gyms in Tirana, Durrës, Fier, Shkodra, and Vlorë. Media and social networks are giving us a voice. But stereotypes still exist: “You’ll become too muscular,” “Even a girl can beat you,” “What will people say?”

For me, sport is peace of mind and soul. This is also supported by U-Report data: according to the 2024 survey, 1 in 4 Albanian young people often feel stressed or hopeless. In that case, sport becomes not only a passion, but a vital necessity.

Every day I wake up early in the morning, run, train 2–3 times a day, and follow a strict nutrition regime. For months at a time, I don’t see my family and I don’t go out with friends. I have sacrificed everything. Boxing has become my identity, not just a sport, but a way of life. When I hit the punching bag, I don’t only hear the sound, I hear anxiety leaving my body. When I run along the coast of Radhima, I feel my heart and mind thanking me.

I graduated in Medical Physiotherapy because I have always loved knowledge as much as the punch. As a physiotherapist, I scientifically understand what sport does to the body: it lowers cortisol, increases endorphins, strengthens the heart. But as a boxer, I know it with my soul: boxing saved me from doubt, gave me self-confidence, and gave me a reason to stay strong every day.

In most cases, competitions, including the European Championship where I won the bronze medal have been financed by my family, which has been my only and unconditional support. Meanwhile, I have not received the necessary financial and material support from the relevant institutions that is usually guaranteed to elite athletes. My path has been marked by a lack of infrastructure and funding, forcing me to personally cover expenses for competitions, equipment, and training camps. At the same time, I have faced gender stereotypes and social pressure, which make it even harder for a girl who chooses boxing to balance studies, sport, and personal life.

My inspiration is Donjeta Sadiku the only Albanian boxer (female or male) who has qualified twice for the Olympic Games. When I see her, I understand that my Olympic dream is not madness. It is possible.

My impact? Every day I receive messages from girls, boys, and parents: “Thank you for representing us. Now I want to start too.” Social media and the press are giving us a voice. In five years, I see myself at the Olympic Games with the Albanian flag on my chest—and hundreds of girls training in modern gyms in every city.

My inspirational message to every Albanian girl: if today you are a 10-year-old girl reading this and thinking,
“I like boxing, but I’m afraid of what others will say,” listen:

I was you.
I cried at night.
I paid for everything myself.
I got up every morning even when no one believed in me.

And now I am here, representing Albania in the world. You don’t need permission from anyone to be strong. You don’t need support to start. You only need a pair of gloves and a heart that never gives up.

One day, you will be the one who opens the road for the girls who come after you. And when you stand on the podium, you will understand that every tear, every sacrifice, every “you can’t” they told you - it was all worth it.

And you will be just as proud as I am—because you are our future.

So, what is the conclusion?

Sport has no gender.
Our talent does not deserve to wait for empty promises.
The mental health of our youth (1 in 4 feeling stressed) cannot wait.

Institutions, Federations, Ministry, Olympic Committee -invest for real: funds for training camps, immediate rewards, physiotherapists, modern gyms. Parents, let your daughters be strong - like my father, who followed us in his car.

The Albanian flag will wave on the Olympic podium, and it will be an Albanian girl holding it high - with strong punches and an even stronger heart.