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This Fencer Will Be The First U.S. Athlete To Compete In Hijab At The Olympics

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Ibtihaj Muhammad, an internationally-ranked saber fencer from New Jersey, qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio last weekend, which will make her the first U.S. athlete to compete in the games in hijab.

The points she earned after winning a bronze medal at the Women’s Saber World Cup in Athens, Greece on Saturday have made it mathematically impossible for any other American competitors to surpass her in the rankings ahead of the Olympics.

Muhammad, 30, told BuzzFeed News she started fencing at age 13 in high school and was initially introduced to the sport by her family.