Ibtihaj Muhammad will make Olympic history this summer before the games even begin. Muhammad, 30, will be the first U.S. Olympian to compete while wearing a hijab.
Muhammad, who currently ranks No. 7 among the top saber fencers in the world, won a bronze medal in Athens, Greece at the Women’s World Saber Cup on Jan. 30. While the Olympic team for 2016 will not be officially announced until April, this win gave Muhammad enough points to secure her spot on the team.
Muhammad began fencing at age 13 in high school. Fencing uniforms cover athletes’ heads, which is part of the reason Muhammad’s parents introduced her to the sport, the athlete recalled in an interview with BuzzFeed News.
