Pioneering athlete Ibtihaj Muhammad will visit Qatar Foundation (QF) this week, to join the National Sport Day celebrations and speak about the challenges she faced as a Muslim-American Olympian. 

Ibtihaj
Olympic medallist Ibtihaj Muhammad

Ibtihaj, a member of the United States fencing team, will participate in National Sport Day activities with QF Chairperson, HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, and QF Vice-Chair and CEO, HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, at Education City’s Ceremonial Green Spine and Oxygen Park on 12 February.

The following day, she will visit QF Headquarters, meet Qatar Academy Doha students, and participate in a moderated discussion and a question-and-answer session in the latest edition of QF Education City Speaker Series. The discussion is open to the public, and will take place at Qatar National Library on Wednesday, 13 February, 4 to 5 pm.

Ibtihaj made history twice at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, as the first American athlete to wear a hijab during competition and – as a member of the bronze medal-winning US saber fencing team – the first Muslim athlete from the US to become an Olympic medallist. The Team USA star inspired a global sportswear giant to design the first hijab for athletes.

Born in New Jersey, Ibtihaj graduated with a degree in international relations from Duke University. She joined her school fencing team at the age of 13, joining Team USA in 2010. At the age of 17, Ibtihaj was chosen by the prestigious Peter Westbrook Foundation, which selects young athletes from less privileged backgrounds and teaches them fencing as part of a holistic programme to develop life and academic skills. The foundation has developed numerous Olympic fencers for Team USA, with Ibtihaj being one of its first female stars.

Check out the Marhaba Listing for updates and details of various activities in Qatar for National Sport Day.