00:01Olympic medalist and trailblazer Ibtihaj Mohammed made history as the first American
00:06Muslim woman to wear a hijab in Olympic competition.
00:09Now in Doha with Qatar Foundation, she's helping young girls find confidence and purpose through
00:15fencing.
00:16I sat down with her to talk about that journey.
00:20Ibtihaj, you're teaming up with Qatar Foundation's Creating Pathways program.
00:28What excites you the most about introducing fencing to young girls in Qatar?
00:32I've grown up fencing my entire life and I love what sport teaches you and I'm excited
00:41for Qatari girls to be introduced to the sport of fencing because it's so uniquely accommodating
00:47to our faith as Muslims in terms of the modest dress but fencing in particular is a special
00:53sport because you incorporate speed, athleticism, agility with tough mental focus and strategy
01:03that you may not get in other sports.
01:05You said your faith gave you strength throughout your career.
01:07How do you hope your story inspires Muslim girls who may be hesitant to play sports?
01:12Throughout my own journey, I faced a lot of obstacles.
01:15As a kid who had brown skin in a predominantly white sport and a very visible, you know, Muslim
01:22wearing hijab.
01:24And I love that sport gave me the opportunity to like be myself and to discover this power
01:31that I had, you know, deep down inside that I had to find.
01:35I feel like it's something that the girls can also discover for themselves.
01:38You know, they're facing a lot of obstacles, you know, some internal where you have to discover
01:45this, this confidence and, you know, self-determination.
01:48And it's one of those things like once you unlock, you know, the sky's the limit.
01:53And I believe that sport helps kind of expedite that process for the younger generation.
02:00So now you're here in Doha.
02:01What role do you think Qatar and the Middle East can play in shaping the future of women's
02:06sports globally?
02:07I think it sets a very high precedent that Qatar is investing in its girls.
02:13They're investing in the future and the future is female.
02:18And we want to support and uplift and kind of mold the next generation to be leaders.
02:26And I think that sport is such a powerful tool and a powerful vehicle for change.
02:31Qatar Foundation is working not just to create athletes, but an entire ecosystem around women's
02:35sports, from coaches to leaders.
02:38What's the key to keeping this momentum going?
02:40Qatar Foundation is doing such a great job of, you know, piggybacking on all these amazing
02:45sporting events that are taking place in Qatar.
02:48Qatar is leading the region in hosting so many different events from a range of sports.
02:54And that momentum is in our favor, especially post-World Cup.
02:59When we think about, you know, our youth and their next stages and how they view sport, not
03:05everyone's going to the Olympics, you know, not everyone's competing professionally.
03:09But there's so many different lanes within sport, whether it be coaching or officiating or just
03:16being involved in sports from a local or like youth level that are essential parts of
03:25continuing, you know, this tradition of elevating sports, especially girls and their involvement
03:32in sports to empower the next generation.
03:34From Olympic medalist to mentor, how has your idea of success changed now that you're seeing
03:40young girls carrying the same saber that changed your life?
03:43You know, I'm a competitor, you know, down to my core.
03:47And I've always loved winning.
03:49And I like the thrill of being successful.
03:52And so I've just kind of redefined what success looks like.
03:55It's not always, you know, the trophy or the podium finish.
03:59It can be, you know, seeing these young girls be inspired and be inspired to try something
04:06new, to find confidence in being afraid, you know, may feel like they're going to be judged
04:12for trying a sport for the first time.
04:15And I just want them to be brave and to take up space where traditionally, you know, there
04:20wasn't space for women.
04:22There wasn't space for Muslim girls who wear hijab.
04:25And I just want them to know that they are deserving of every opportunity, especially
04:30in sport.
04:30And if they're willing to work hard, they can fulfill their dreams.
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