A Muslim woman from New Jersey will become the first person to represent the U.S. at the Olympics while wearing a hijab.
Iftihaj Muhammad, from Maplewood, is now assured a chance to fence at the games in Rio after earning bronze at a Women's World Cup event in Greece on Saturday.
The 30-year-old Duke graduate first began fencing when she was 13, when her family recommended the sport because its body-covering equipment wouldn't require her to get a different uniform to everyone else.
"My parents were looking for a sport for me to play where I wouldn't have to alter the uniform as a Muslim woman," she told Buzzfeed[1].
Muhammad is now ranked seventh in the world in sabre, the swashbuckling style in which she specializes, after a series of podium finishes.
She will be accompanied to Brazil by fellow sabre dueler Mariel Zagunis, who won the gold medal at both the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing games.
The trailblazing talent has also made headlines for her fashion line, Louella, which she promotes as both affordable and modest.
She told USA Today[2] about the connections between her sport and her sartorial pursuits.
"You do have to be super decisive, you have to know your action and do it 100%."
Muhammad regularly encourages those whose cultures are not well represented in sports such as fencing to pursue their dreams and regularly shares inspirational quotes to her 54,000 Facebook followers.
"Never let another person's misconceptions about your race, gender or religion hinder you from reaching your goals," she said while pursuing her Olympic qualification in December.
The opening ceremony for the 2016 Olympics in Rio is scheduled for Aug. 5.
Follow on Twitter @CKozalBrennan[3]
References
- ^ Buzzfeed (www.buzzfeed.com)
- ^ USA Today (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ @CKozalBrennan (twitter.com)
- ^ cbrennan@nydailynews.com (www.nydailynews.com)
