Mohamad Khaled Almaliki: Professional shooter in life

    Mohamad Khaled Almaliki,  20, is from Damascus, Syria. He went for his other option: the business world. He arrived in Guangzhou last summer of 2014 to apply for Chinese Language course. He has transferred to GDUFS on his second year of college for a gap year to further his knowledge and experience in China, one of the world’s leading economic powers. Later he plans to complete his BA in England. 

Khaled Almaliki's portrait. By Student Union

After completing his BA and MBA, Khaled wishes to join a major company in the area of construction or import/export. For his dream is to follow his father’s path and successful example. Khaled’s father has always been a businessman: he owns several restaurants in Syria (Western & Arab style) as well as couple companies selling property and cars. 

Last summer, Khaled’s mother encouraged him to move from home to Guangzhou with his uncle who had being living here for two years. She wanted him to have a change of environment, at an international university where he could further his studies and work experience, and to take advantage of what he could learn in China. Here, at GDUFS, he didn’t expect to ever play basketball but since he first bumped into the campus’ basketball courts and saw other basketball players from diverse countries concentrated together, enjoying a friendly game, he couldn’t wait to be part of it. There were players from Germany, the Sudan, the Philippines, Russia, the States and, of course, Chinese.  

“GDUFS is way more international than any airport I’ve ever visited, like traveling around the world within inside the campus”.

Khaled’s real passion on the other hand, started to bloom when he was 12 while watching a basketball game with Michael Jordan dunging the basket, that moment was marked in his mind. Later on, was only by chance that a national basketball coach caught his talent and invited him to join his team ’Thawra’. 

“It was a hard start” -he admitted. It was Khaled’s first time playing on a national team-: “I felt quite humble and unconfident”.

George, his former coach, made him train every day in group and individually. George told him during one of Khaled’s first national games: “The time will come for you to find that you are destined to be, and you will be something great, There is some greatness inside you, but you need patience to find it.”

Khaled at a warming up friendly match before the tournament. By Mercedes Thomas

Since he’s being living and studying at GDUFS, playing basketball with other people who were better than him encouraged Khaled and gave him a real reason to become a better player and make his own team to be able to compete against others. 

"There is one important reason that is giving me more power to be a better player, and even more, to be a better person, a better student and a better worker: I had the privilege to met a young woman who I believe her to be special since we first met at midnight during last New Years. Someone who always reminds me how good I am already and how easily can I become better. Every time I fall down she pulls me up, makes me stronger and empowers me to work harder, to become a more successful basketball player and a future powerful businessman.”

International Students male team poster. Designed by GDUFS' Student Union

On this year’s spring/ summer semester, Khaled has achieved one of his first dreams and goals: he has founded the ‘International Students’ basketball team for the 2015 tournament being celebrated during this very moment throughout the month of April. His team is formed by a beautiful mix of nationalities and cultures, the players come from: Madagascar, Russia, China, Syria…

“My biggest goal would be to be able to introduce the world every good character, of each country, reflected through my actions and personal experience learnt from the great people I have met throughout my lifetime in Guangzhou and GDUFS: to help open mental frontiers that are current issues in society and slow down globalisation."