Their career began in Egypt, where Mohab took the advice of his father and started practicing Judo. Eager to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, and to protect himself from his brother's throws at home, Shady joined the local dojo just one week after Mohab. Although it was not love at first throw for either brother, Judo quickly proved to be much more than a casual hobby.
In 2012, at the ages of 14 and 12, Mohab and Shady moved from Egypt to Canada with their parents in search of better opportunities, both in life and in Judo. Despite the move, the brothers remain very culturally-attached to Egypt, and enjoy spending time with the Egyptian team on the World Judo Tour.
“Since I started representing Canada, I have fought three Egyptian guys who used to be my teammates,” Mohab shares. “It feels weird, but in a good way. I enjoy fighting them and we always have a special connection.”
Over the years, Mohab and Shady continued to grow together, developing their fighting styles and learning from each other in all areas of life. In fact, there was even a time when Mohab acted as Shady’s coach in Canada. Even now, Shady looks for Mohab in the stands at every competition, sometimes seeking his advice more than that of his own coach.
We can see the legacy of their close relationship in their Judo to this day. In fact, Shady explains that “At first I was a right-handed fighter, but I had to adapt to fighting Mohab, and I slowly became a left-handed fighter over time. So I guess I can thank my brother for the fact that I am a professional lefty now haha.”
Shady also describes how, despite the blood relation, they have opposite fighting styles. “We are completely different in how our brain works. I think Mohab’s mind is more intricate with Judo, whereas mine is very simple. We balance each other out because sometimes I can be too simple, and sometimes he is too complicated, so we learn from each other’s techniques to make each other better.”
It is clear that the brothers share a deep bond and friendship, with a relaxed and joking atmosphere between them.
“He's a very important part of my life and my judo,” Mohab says. “We are best friends, roommates, training partners, and we help each other with everything. My dream is that we can compete together at the Olympic Games next year.”
When asked about what they like to do together outside of Judo, Shady shared that when he isn't currently beating Mohab at Call of Duty, they enjoy long walks together and surprising each other with judo moves in their kitchen.
“It doesn't matter what we do together,” Shady says. “All that matters is the vibe.”
