Ibtihaj Muhammad, an internationally-ranked saber fencer, has qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio last weekend making her the first US athlete to compete in the games while wearing the hijab ( islamic head covering).
The 30-year-old from New Jersey won a bronze medal at the Women’s Saber World Cup in Athens, Greece on Saturday. The points she earned make it impossible for any other American competitors to outdo her in the rankings ahead of the Olympics.
Muhammad started fencing when she was 13-years-old and was introduced to the sport by her family, according to BuzzFeed. “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 said, referring to the fact that a fencer’s uniform requires the body to be completely covered.
“Most parents tell their kids before matches to do their best, or to have fun,” Muhammad said. “My mom always said the same thing: ‘Don’t waste my money.’”
Muhammad credits her mother for supporting her financially and emotionally through her teens. Her mother often drove her from volleyball practice in Maplewood, New Jersey, to fencing training in New York City while she ate dinner in the car, she added.
However, after she graduated from university she decided to continue competing professionally.
She was partly motivated by the lack of diversity she noticed in the fencing community. “Historically, it’s always been a white sport reserved for people with money,” said Muhammad, who has four siblings. “I don’t think it’s a good representation of the US, or of society as a whole.”
Muhammad has collected many team and individual medals since her first world cup appearance at 23. Further, she accomplished her goal of ranking among the top 10 saber fencers in the world this year, currently ranking at number seven.
“I’ve been doing really well,” she said. “I felt excited to medal (at the World Cup in Athens), but I honestly didn’t think much about the Olympics.
“I’m a very goal-oriented person,” she said. “It’s been a trend throughout my athletic career: I set small goals, then once reached, I set a new one.”
The complete fencing team will be officially announced in April when the qualifying period ends. Muhammad added that her family will not talk much about Rio until then.
