In some ways, it can seem there’s a low bar to being classed as inspiring in a world where a well-worded tweet can be deemed brave. But, as with much of her life and work in the field of sports, when it comes to being inspiring, Nesrine Dally breaks the mould.
A mother-of-two, Nesrine (or Nes as she prefers) is a Muay Thai boxing, personal training, business-owning Nike trainer who – after enjoying a life of sport and all that it brings – is dedicated to inspiring others to incorporate movement into their own lives (but don’t panic… she’s not about to demand you drop and give her 20 burpees).
Roller-skating from the age of six, and then regularly training in swimming, Nes has always been surrounded by sport, but it was only as a near-adult, studying Sports Science at university, did she stumble on the sport that would change her life – Muay Thai boxing.
‘I just absolutely fell in love with it from the first session,’ she remembers. ‘It was probably the hardest thing that I've physically done, which for me was a very humbling experience having such a long-standing relationship with sport. I realized that physically and mentally, it was a really, really challenging sport. So I kind of wanted to like rise to the challenge.’
Nes and her husband were both keen Muay Thai boxers, and turned that passion into a business – but around the birth of her first daughter, she stepped slightly away from the sport, for various reasons, but including the fact she had started wearing the hijab. But when she was three, Nes’ daughter gave her a reason to make a change.
‘I just thought, you know, I don't want to live my life and regret and think I really could have been a great fighter, and I never gave myself the chance,’ she says. ‘I used to watch my husband fight and just think, “He's so amazing. He's growing with every fight.”
‘Ultimately, I thought I wouldn't want to tell my daughter the story, “Your mum used to do Muay Thai and she started wearing the hijab, and then she stopped fighting.” So I decided to just change that story. And off we went to Thailand, and we did our fight camp.’
While in Thailand, Nes became the first hijab-wearing woman to compete in a Muay Thai stadium in the country. ‘I really remember this young girl who came and spoke to me after the fight, and she was just in awe of a woman fighting in the ring,’ says Nes. ‘It was so beautiful. You could tell her mind was just blown. She's obviously mostly probably seen men fighting in the ring and never seen anyone like me before. So, I think it really made a big statement, more than I probably realized at the time.’
Back at home years on, Nes continues to be that inspiration to those who join her gym, Health Hub London.
‘Having had the experiences that I had, and not having anyone to look up to when I was going through the difficult times, it’s always reminded me of that saying, “You can't be what you can't see,”’ she says. ‘I like working on myself and achieving my goals, knowing that that can have a ripple effect on the wider community and people around me. We do classes with six, seven and eight year old girls and there's some girls that don't turn up unless I'm there. It just reminds me how important it is to have somebody in your life, where you can say, “If she's doing it, I'm going to do it.”’
Now, she has a wide range of loyal members including ‘mums coming in with their 14-year-old daughters’. She says: ‘Everyone can come and enjoy learning something new hitting the pads, it's a great sort of stress relief. When you're concentrating on learning the technique, the combinations and how to move your body, you're kind of just in almost like a meditation.’
Persuading everyone to try something new then, from her late and halting start to the sport that’s ultimately changed her life, is always part of Nes’ message. ‘I'm still learning today, she says. ‘And I've been doing it for 12 years learning every single session.’ She adds: ‘I think sport can have such a profound effect on your life. And I don't think it's too late to start when you're an adult. It really will change your life and give you confidence, like nothing else. I just believe sport is just the most powerful thing for what it can do to you and the lessons you can learn through it. Sport reminds you that actually there's a better version of you on the other side, you've just got to push through. I do believe it's for everyone.’
Nes’s latest challenge, then? Trying out tennis with her daughter at their local courts. ‘I try to be the best I can for my kids so, one day, they might tell their friends their mom's cool. I mean, I'm still hoping…’ she laughs.
No matter what your new challenge might be though, Nes says strength – despite everything she’s achieved – is truly in just showing up.
‘It’s showing up for yourself and being committed to the betterment of yourself, whatever that is, even if it’s “I'm going to wake up a little bit earlier, go for a walk and have some time to myself,”’ she says. ‘To me that’s strength, especially as a mum. We know what that feels like, to spend all of our time putting our wonderful children first. And I think it does take a lot of strength to say, “I need to look after myself as well. I need to do this for myself.”
‘Just start,’ she adds. ‘Remember that movement and play is life. It's not something that you have to add into your life, it is your life.’
Nike’s Play New invites everyone to discover sport in new ways – to find out more about the Power of Play click here