14 Female Muslim Athletes Who Won Olympic Medals

Here’s a recap of Rio 2016 and all our badass Muslim girls who traded in adversities and prejudice for gold, silver, and bronze medals. Congrats, ladies!

1. Dalilah Muhammad

Country: USA
Sport: Track
GOLD (400m Hurdles)

“Thank you to all my supports!” Muhammad wrote on Instragram. “I have no doubt that my blessings are a reflection of your love.”

2. Majlinda Kelmendi

Country: Kosovo
Sport: Judo
GOLD (52kg)

“That means a lot. I just proved to them that even after the war, even after we survived a war, if they want something they can have it. If they want to be Olympic champions, they can be. Even if we come from a small country, poor country,” she told JudoInside.

3. Aliya Mustafina

Country: Russia
Sport: Gymnastics
GOLD (uneven bars), SILVER (team all-around), BRONZE (individual all around)

4. Ibtihaj Muhammad

Country: USA
Sport: Fencing
BRONZE (team sabre)

“I believe we are in a really peculiar time in our country, where people are comfortable saying things about particular groups, and they encourage fear, and they encourage violence, and I want to challenge those ideas,” she said in an interview with the Guardian.

5. Ines Boubakri

Country: Tunisia
Sport: Fencing
BRONZE (Individual Foil)

“I hope that this will be a message for all Tunisians, especially our youth,” Boubakri said. “A message which says that you must believe that women exist and they have their place in society.”

6. Zhazira Zhapparkul

Country: Kazakhstan
Sport: Weightlifting
SILVER (69kg)

7. Sri Wahyuni Agustiani

Country: Indonesia
Sport: Weightlifting
SILVER (48kg)

8. Sarah Ahmed

Country: Egypt
Sport: Weightlifting
BRONZE (255kg)

Ahmed hopes her story galvanizes other female Arab athletes into going after their dreams, she said in an interview with Al Arabiya.