RIO DE JANEIRO: Saudi Arabia will send four women to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, doubling its female participation after two women competed for the first time at the 2012 London Games.
Hosam Al-Qurashi, executive director of the Saudi Olympic Committee, told The Associated Press on Sunday that two of the women will participate in track and field, one in judo and one in fencing.
The track and field athletes are Sarah Attar, who competed in 2012, and Cariman Abu Al-Jadail. Judoka Wujud Fahmi and fencer Lubna Al-Omair are the other competitors.
Attar, Abu Al-Jadail and Fahmi have been training in the United States, where they are students. Al-Omair will be traveling to Rio from the eastern Saudi city of Khobar.
Al-Qurashi said a total of 11 Saudi athletes are competing in Rio, five of which were given wild card entries by the International Olympic Committee, including all four women.
The female athletes, Al-Qurashi said, will be participating in line with the kingdom’s social guidelines, meaning they will be adhering to the country’s traditional and religious requirements regarding their attire and the sports they participate in.
Al-Qurashi said the goal in this year’s Olympics is to have the players gain experience and exposure to an international sports competition. Looking ahead, he said the Saudi Olympic team does not intend to rely on wild card entries.
“The Saudi sports system is going through a major reformation,” he said. “Our strategy is we want to build athletes that qualify for the Olympics.
“We hope that one of them, God willing, will surprise us with unexpected results,” he added.
Saudi Arabia sends 4 female athletes to Rio
Saudi Arabia sends 4 female athletes to Rio
