Mustafa Wakili Refuses to Give Up on Jujitsu
Afghan jujitsu athlete Mustafa Wakili works long days at a Kabul bakery while continuing to train for competition. The 25-year-old medalist says financial hardship and limited facilities will not force him to abandon his sporting ambitions.
For Mustafa Wakili, pursuing a career in jujitsu means balancing elite sporting ambitions with the everyday responsibility of earning a living.
The 25-year-old Afghan athlete works at a bakery in Kabul to help support himself and his family while continuing to train and compete, according to a profile published by Pajhwok Afghan News on Wednesday.
Originally from Shewa district in Bamyan province, Wakili has practiced jujitsu for around nine years. He began the sport in 2017 after being inspired by his elder brother, Mehdi Wakili, who was also involved in jujitsu.
Financial difficulties interrupted Wakili’s education and eventually led him into work. He now spends much of his day at a bakery before turning his attention back to sport.
Despite those pressures, his career has taken him beyond Afghanistan.
Wakili told Pajhwok that he won bronze in competition in Russia and later earned another bronze medal at an international event in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where athletes from 28 countries participated. He also competed in China in 2022.
He currently competes at 56kg and says the medals represent far more than podium finishes because of the difficult circumstances surrounding his preparation.
His story highlights a wider challenge facing Afghan athletes who try to remain competitive despite limited financial resources and training infrastructure.
Wakili nevertheless remains determined to continue.
His ambitions have not disappeared behind the bakery counter. Instead, work and sport have become parallel parts of a routine he hopes will eventually lead to greater international success.
