These Muslim Women Athletes Picked Up Olympic Medals And Made History

“What I love about my experience is that I’m able to encourage other youth to pursue their dreams, to not let other people dictate their journey for them."

Dalilah Muhammad, USA, athletics: Gold

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Dalilah Muhammad, 26, won gold in the women's 400m hurdles on day 13 of the Rio Olympics. She has recorded three of the five best times in the world this year. She's from Jamaica, Queens, in New York, and in an interview with news website NY1 her parents Nadirah and Askia Muhammad said their daughter's Muslim faith, discipline, and talent had taken her all the way to Rio.

Majlinda Kelmendi, Kosovo, judo: Gold

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The 25-year-old made history by becoming the first athlete from Kosovo to win an Olympic medal, competing in the final of the women's 52kg judo. The gold medal adds to Kelmendi's impressive collection of two world titles and three European crown, all of which she's won since 2013. "To be honest, I came here for the gold medal, but it’s crazy," she said after her Rio success. "I’m so happy for me, for my coach, for all of my country."

Aliya Mustafina, Russia, gymnastics: Gold, silver, and bronze

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Mustafina, 21, picked up three medals at the Rio Olympics, including a gold medal in the women's uneven bars, a silver in the women's team all-around event, and bronze in the individual all-around event. She's of Muslim descent and Olympic medals run in the family – her father, Farhat Mustafin, an ethnic Tatar, was a bronze medalist at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Maria Stadnik, Azerbaijan, wrestling: Silver

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In the women's freestyle 48kg event, Maria Stadnik, 28, won her nation a silver medal.

Zhazira Zhapparkul, Kazakhstan, weightlifting: Silver

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In the women's 69kg final event, 22 year-old Zhazira picked up a silver medal. After she won, her father, Abdrakhman Kudaikulov, told reporters she would make gold in Tokyo. He added: "We are ecstatic that she won! She is not only our daughter now, but the daughter of the entire nation."

Sri Wahyuni Agustiani, Indonesia, weightlifting: Silver

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Indonesia's Sri Wahyuni Agustiani, 22, competing in the women's 48kg weightlifting competition, gained a silver medal for her nation.

Ibtihaj Muhammad, USA, fencing: Bronze

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Ibtihaj Muhammad, 30, won a bronze medal in the team sabre event. After winning she told CNN: "What I love about my experience here as a minority member of Team USA is that I'm able to encourage other youth to pursue their dreams, to not let other people dictate their journey for them."

Sara Ahmed, Egypt, weightlifting: Bronze

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The 18-year-old Egyptian athlete picked up a bronze medal after competing in the women's 69kg Group A weightlifting contest – lifting a combined weight of 255kg. Ahmed is the first Arab woman to win an Olympic weightlifting medal and the first Egyptian woman to win an Olympic medal.

Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin, Iran, taekwondo: Bronze

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Competing in the -57kg category in taekwondo, Alizadeh picked up a bronze medal, making the 18-year old the first Iranian woman to win an Olympic medal. "I am so happy for Iranian girls," she said, "because it is the first medal and I hope at the next Olympics we will get a gold."

Hedaya Wahba, Egypt, taekwondo: Bronze

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In the other bronze-medal semi-final in the -57kg category, Wahba, 23, won Egypt's third medal of the games, only the second-ever won by an Egyptian woman. On the final day of the Olympics, more Egyptian women than men had won medals in Rio.

Patimat Abakarova, Azerbaijan, taekwondo: Bronze

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Patimat Abakarova, 21, received her bronze medal on the podium after the women's taekwondo event in the -49kg category.

Ines Boubakri, Tunisia, fencing: Bronze

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Tunisia's bronze medallist Ines Boubakri dedicated her individual foil award to Arab women. The 27-year-old said when she won: “This medal, it’s historic for Tunisia. It’s incredible. I hope that this will be a message for all Tunisians, especially our youth, all Tunisian women, the Arab woman. A message which says that you must believe that women exist and they have their place in society.”

Marwa Amri, Tunisia, wrestling: Bronze

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Marwa Amri, 27, won the bronze medal in under-58kg women’s wrestling for Tunisia.

Nur Tatar, Turkey, taekwondo: Bronze

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Nur Tatar, 24, won the women's taekwondo -67kg bronze medal contests against Chia-Chia Chuang of Chinese Taipei on day 14. She won her first medal at the age of 15.