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Ibtihaj Muhammad set to be first U.S. Olympian to compete in hijab

Ibtihaj Muhammad (Instagram)
Ibtihaj Muhammad (Instagram)

You could say it's been a pretty good week for fencing athlete Ibtihaj Muhammad.

The 30-year-old New Jersey native was recognized by President Barack Obama during his visit to a Baltimore mosque on Wednesday and asked to stand for a moment of recognition.

Muhammad's accomplishment? Well, she qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio over the weekend and will become what is believed to be the first U.S. woman to compete in a hijab, the headscarf worn by Muslim women.

"I told her to bring home the gold," Obama said in his remarks. "Not to put any pressure on [her]."

Muhammad qualified for her spot on Saturday after winning bronze at the Athens world cup. The achievement locked her into the second spot in the rankings behind two-time Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis. It was the culmination of a four-year quest that began when Muhammad tore a ligament in her hand while attempting to qualify for the 2012 Games in London.

Muhammad told Buzzfeed News earlier this week that she and her parents chose fencing when she was 13 because it did allow her to compete while wearing a hijab. Indeed, it fits comfortably inside the fencing helmet. (Muslim women have long looked for a good hijab to wear while playing sports. A British Olympian is attempting to bring her solution to the mass market.)

The hijab, of course, will stand out around the fencing area or on the medal podium and that's exactly how Muhammad wants it.

"I want to compete in the Olympics for the United States to prove that nothing should hinder anyone from reaching their goals — not race, religion or gender," Muhammad says in her USA Fencing bio. "I want to set an example that anything is possible with perserverance."

You can follow Muhammad's journey to Rio on her Twitter or Instagram account. She also runs her own clothing line at LouellaShop.com.

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Kevin Kaduk is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at kevinkaduk@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!