Moroccan trailblazer Nawal El Moutawakel graces the cover of the July/August edition of Vogue Arabia along with taekwondo champion Dunya Aboutaleb.
Entitled “Olympic Glory,” the magazine celebrates and honors the achievements of the two sportswomen “whose influence extends far beyond the playing field.”
“While our cover stars inhabit different eras in their careers, they share a common distinction: one of pioneering new frontiers in their fields, and standing for female empowerment in fields traditionally dominated by men,” the magazine wrote.
Vogue Arabia said that Nawal El Moutawakel is “the first Arab woman to win an Olympic gold medal back in 1984.” “At the Los Angeles Olympics four decades ago, El Moutawakel’s historic win at the 400m hurdle event marked a breakthrough moment that gave Arab women the self-belief and courage to take up sports, which had at that point been regarded as the preserve of men.”
El Moutawakel told the magazine that “being the first, showed the entire planet that women from this part of the world are capable, they have dreams, and they have big goals in life.”
“I am so proud to have been able to open that door to so many young girls and to carry the Olympic torch, because that flame is going to be lit forever,” she added.