Nawal El Moutawakel (Amazigh: ⵏⴰⵡⴰⵍ ⵍⵎⵓⵜⴰⵡⴰⵇⵇⵍ; ; born 15 April 1962) 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.Nawal El Moutawakel Wise Muslim Women. Retrieved 9 April 2011 She is currently a vice president of the International Olympic Committee.Ms Nawal EL MOUTAWAKEL, IOC site. In August 2024, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) voted her as the fourth best female athlete of the past 100 years after Serena Williams, Nadia Comăneci and Simone Biles. In 2007, El Moutawakel was named the Minister of Sports in the upcoming cabinet of Morocco.
Life El Moutawakel was born in Casablanca, and was studying at Iowa State University when she won her Olympic title, which came as a surprise in her home country. King Hassan II of Morocco telephoned her to give his congratulations, and he declared that all girls born the day of her victory were to be named in her honor.Olympic report Her medal also meant the breakthrough for sporting women in Morocco and other mostly Muslim countries.
She was a pioneer for Muslim and African athletes in that she confounded long-held beliefs that women of such backgrounds could not succeed in athletics.Benchrif, Mohamed (11 March 1999). Nawal El Moutawakel – Pioneer and militant for Progress . IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-31.
In 1993 she started running for fun, a 5 km run for women in Casablanca that has since become the biggest women's race held in a Muslim majority country, with up to 30,000 who came to run.
In 1995, El Moutawakel became a council member of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now known as World Athletics, and in 1998 she became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
El Moutawakel is a member of the International Olympic Committee, and she was the president of the evaluation commissions for the selection of the host city for the Summer Olympics of 2012 and 2016.IOC Announces 2016 Summer Games Evaluation Commission She was elected as a vice-president of the IOC in 2016 for a period of four years and re-elected in 2024.
In 2006, El Moutawakel was one of the eight honored to bear the Olympic flag at the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy. On 26 July 2012, she carried the London Olympics torch through Westminster.
El Moutawakel was one of the ambassadors of the Morocco 2026 FIFA World Cup bid.
International competitions 1979Mediterranean GamesSplit, Yugoslavia6th100 m12.135th200 m24.641981UniversiadeBucharest, Romania15th (sf)100 m12.1816th (h)200 m24.23Arab ChampionshipsTunis, Tunisia1st100 m11.861st200 m24.30World CupRome, Italy8th100 m11.9217th4 × 100 m relay46.1511982African ChampionshipsCairo, Egypt2nd100 m11.71st100 m hurdles13.81st400 m hurdles58.423rd relay3:47.401983UniversiadeEdmonton, Alberta –400 m hurdlesDQMaghreb ChampionshipsCasablanca, Morocco1st200 m24.01st100 m hurdles13.41st400 m hurdles58.5World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland33rd (h)100 m hurdles14.8512th (sf)400 m hurdles57.10Mediterranean GamesCasablanca, Morocco1st400 m hurdles56.593rd relay46.694th relay3:38.871984African ChampionshipsRabat, Morocco1st200 m23.931st400 m hurdles56.013rd relay3:54.41Olympic GamesLos Angeles, United States1st400 m hurdles54.611985African ChampionshipsCairo, Egypt1st400 m hurdles56.00UniversiadeKobe, Japan3rd400 m hurdles55.59World CupCanberra, Australia4th400 m hurdles56.0517th4 × 400 m relay3:36.8611987Arab ChampionshipsAlgiers, Algeria1st200 m24.331st400 m54.281st400 m hurdles59.93UniversiadeZagreb, Yugoslavia1st400 m hurdles55.21World ChampionshipsRome, Italy18th (h)400 m hurdles57.21Mediterranean GamesLatakia, Syria1st400 m hurdles56.28 1Representing Africa
See also Politics of Morocco Sport in Morocco
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