Nawal El Moutawakel

thumb|Nawal El Moutawakel Nawal El Moutawakel was born on 15 April 1962 and is a Moroccan former hurdler, who won the inaugural women's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and is the first Moroccan, Arab, African, and Muslim woman to win an Olympic gold. Quotes I started at 100 and 200 meters. My coach was thinking about moving me to 400 meters or switching totally to 400-meter hurdles. I’m 5-feet, 1-inch. Nawal responding to a question about her journey into hurdling The 400-meter hurdles is a highly technical event which at the international level was only a men’s event. In Africa, there were few women competing in that event. I knew I had to go where there was more competition, better competition. Nawal response to leaving Africa because of low competition for women in hurdling I remember in 1984, when I was the only woman in the team, and I was wondering then why there were no women journalists, in my Moroccan team. Why were there no women coaches, referees, or a woman as a leader in the team? Nawal wonders why there were no women in her team I used this as a force, saying to myself in the mirror, you should win for your father because he let you leave, because he believed in you Nawal's determination to win in the olympics after the death of her father The biggest achievement is to see that all IFs [International Federations] are presenting women in their sport. Nawal's speaks on the achievement When I see how far we came from in 1984, when for the very first time, I competed in an event that was not allowed for women, which is the 400m hurdles, and all of a sudden now we see women running marathons like men, competing in boxing, in wrestling …we will witness a fantastic summer Olympic Games in Paris. Nawal's words about the now involvement of women in sports We will witness for the first time now in Paris 2024, almost, equal opportunities for women in every field. I'm so glad to see this happening.” https://olympics.com/en/news/nawal-el-moutawakel-gender-parity-paris-2024-achievement-interview This is the happiest moment for me https://olympics.com/en/news/nawal-el-moutawakel-gender-parity-paris-2024-achievement-interview Reference Links Biography of Nawal