Rebel Girls Champions: 25 Tales of Unstoppable Athletes
4 Dear Rebels FOREWORD As a child my parents were eager to find a sport for me to play one with a modest uniform to accompany my hijab That's how we found fencing I loved everything about it from the speed and strength to the carefully planned strategy of the sport But sometimes it was lonely None of the other fencers looked like me There were few other Black or brown athletes on the fencing team and definitely no other Muslim girls in hijab But I didn't let that stop me What I loved most about fencing was the thrill of getting better After I graduated from Duke University I chased the dream of one day becoming the first woman of color to compete for the US National Team in sabre I started from the bottom with no experience on the senior level and certainly no experience on the World Cup circuit I challenged myself to get better and to change the sport I loved I went from being a young 20 something qualifying for my first US World Championship Team in Paris France to becoming one of the best fencers in the world As a five time world medalist and world champion the true peak of my career came in 2016 when I qualified for my first Olympic team I had a unique opportunity to change the narrative about the Muslim community and challenge the way people viewed us That summer at the Rio Olympic Games I became the first woman in hijab to represent the United States and the first Muslim American woman to win an Olympic medal I have proved the impossible is possible Now I hope that young kids who look like me kids with brown skin and who maybe wear hijab know that there is space for them in any sport they love And that's why I love books like this books that celebrate women in sports Rebel Girls Champions showcases women from all over the world
5 playing many different sports and each story gives readers examples of focus determination and sportsmanship Readers can enjoy stories about their favorite athletes like Sky Brown Chloe Kim and Serena Williams And they can meet new role models like Ishita Malaviya the first female surfer in India and Lina and Sanna El kott Helander who are happiest when testing their endurance running high up in the mountains Readers can also revel in the stories of Hidilyn Diaz and Ariarne Titmus just a couple of the women who made headlines during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 I know from experience the amount of hard work and commitment it takes to reach the top of your sport as an athlete And I know what it's like to use your platform for good and to fight for social justice and other causes you believe in Seeing athletes compete break records and achieve new heights is incredible And seeing them take a stand for their mental health and equal treatment is even better Simone Biles Megan Rapinoe Allyson Felix and other athletes are paving the way for a new generation of young women Athletes like the ones in this book inspire us and teach us lessons for success in sports and in life Whether you play sports just for fun or you are training hard for a competition know that you are always welcome in any sport you want to play Know that with practice you will get better You will get stronger You will become faster Know that your potential is limitless Carry that knowledge with you on and off the field It will change your life and help you as you serve others and speak up for the things you believe in Together we can make the world a more inclusive and equitable place Ibtihaj Muhammad
6 ALICE MILLIAT ROWER Once upon a time women weren't allowed to compete in the Olympic Games The president of the International Olympic Committee IOC declared that sports were too violent and inappropriate for ladies That's ridiculous thought Alice She knew that women were strong and fast and competitive too Born in France in 1884 Alice studied to become a teacher and translator But what really made her feel alive was playing sports Swimming hockey and rowing helped her body grow stronger and her mind grow sharper And she knew she wasn't the only one Sports were good for everybody In 1919 Alice asked the IOC to include women in the track and field program They said no So she started her own organization the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale FSFI Three years later they organized a big one day sporting event just for women Around 20,000 fans came to watch 11 events in a stadium near Paris Athletes from Czechoslovakia France Switzerland the United Kingdom and the United States ran jumped and threw shot puts and javelins By the end of the day 18 world records were broken Four years later Alice organized the games again calling it the Women's World Games They had a special opening ceremony with 3,000 carrier pigeons released into the sky The IOC wanted Alice to stop the games immediately This time it was her turn to say no She would not back down until women were allowed in the Olympics It took more than 70 years for Alice's dream to come true By that time Alice the FSFI and the Women's World Games were long gone But today every woman who steps into an Olympic arena has Alice to thank MAY 5 1884 oe MAY 19 1957 FRANCE
I CAME UP AGAINST A SOLID WALL OF REFUSAL WHICH LED DIRECTLY TO THE CREATION OF THE WOMEN'S OLYMPIC GAMES ALICE MILLIAT ILLUSTRATION BY JULIETTE LÉVEILLÉ
