Maplewood Fencer, Muslim Named To Time's '100 Most Influential' List

Maplewood, NJ – Future U.S. Olympian and Maplewood native Ibtihaj Muhammad has been named as one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” for 2016.

“Today, Ibtihaj is one of the best fencers in the world—and an observant Muslim woman,” Time wrote. “This summer, she will represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. And when she competes for her country, representing all of us, she will be the first American Olympian to do so while wearing the hijab. Ibtihaj embraced what made her stand out, and she’s an Olympian because of it.”

• See related article: Maplewood Muslim Fencer Asked To Remove Hijab For ID Photo: South By Southwest

“I think my motto is that sports is something you can do in hijab, and you shouldn’t let your faith compromise how athletically gifted you become,” the future Olympian told Patch in 2011.“Just like race or gender, religion should not hinder you from achieving your goals.”

• See related article: In Fencer’s Hijab...Struggle and Inspiration

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