Meet the first US athlete who will participate in the Rio Olympics in a hijab
Ibtihaj Muhammed is a three-time US national fencing champion.
The United States is known for producing some great athletes and Ibtihaj Muhammad is no exception. But there's one way this 30-year old three time US National fencing champion is unique – she will be the first US athlete to represent the country at the upcoming Rio Olympics in a hijab.
Muhammad has achieved great success in fencing recently, winning a gold with the national team at the 2014 World Fencing Championships and bronze at several other events. She recently clinched a spot in the Rio Olympics and will be looking to continue her amazing journey in Brazil later in the year.
Interestingly, Muhammad got into fencing when she was looking for a sport where the entire body could be covered. When she was in school, her mother noticed that fencing athletes had to cover their entire bodies – this led to Muhammad's taking up fencing as an active sport.
Chase your dreams until your dreams become your reality #RoadtoRio #TeamUSA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/M8NbBUVPR5
— Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) November 29, 2015
In an interview with Buzzfeed, she also spoke about how the lack of diversity in the sport also motivated her: "Historically, it’s always been a white sport reserved for people with money."
Check out some of her moves in the video below: