The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are officially here, and the list of inspirational Arab women is continuously growing, taking this year by storm. There are seventeen Middle Eastern countries competing in the Olympic Games, and fourteen of these are women with ages ranging from 12 – 35. The talent is beyond impressive, and this year we’re seeing a wide selection of Middle Eastern talent competing in various sports, from shooting to rowing, swimming and beyond.
Ahead, find 7 Arab women participating in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Yusra Mardini
Born in Syria, the 25-Year-old made headlines back when she appeared in Rio competing as part of the first-ever IOC Refugee Olympics Team in 2016. Yusra became a UNHCR goodwill ambassador and worked with refugees worldwide, inspiring others with her story.
Yasmeen Al Dabbagh
Saudi Arabia’s fasted women will be running a 100-meter race on the 30th of July, and we can not wait to tune in. Yasmeen Al Dabbagh’s fast feet earned her a ‘universality place’ in Tokyo 2020 after breaking the record for the national female 100-meter race.
Lara Dashti
This young Olympian became Kuwait’s first-ever woman to lift her country’s flag at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics. Lara will represent her country in swimming and will be competing in the Women’s 50m freestyle.
Hedaya Wahba
Egyptian taekwondo practitioner Hedaya Wahba brings home bronze at Tokyo’s 2020 Olympic games.
Ray Bassil
32-year-old trap shooter Ray Bassil started learning the sport when she was only eight years old and, since then, has gone on to win gold at the 2016 ISSF World Cup in Nicosia and the 2019 Asian Shooting Championships in Doha.
Tala Abujbara
Qatar’s rowing sensation Tala Abujbara already bagged herself a bronze earlier this year at the 12th Arab Championships in Tunisia. We look forward to seeing her grow in the women’s single scull event in Tokyo 2020.
Amel Melih
Representing Algeria in the women’s 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle is 27-year-old swimmer Amel Melih.
