Full Name: Nawal El Moutawakel
Date of Birth: 15 th April, 1962
Country: Morocco
Sport involved in: Athletics
Achievements made:
• Winner of gold medal in the 400 meter hurdle event at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games
• Council member of the International Amateur Athletic Federation in 1995
• Member of the International Olympic Committee in 1998
• President of the International Olympic Committee's evaluation commission for the selection of host of 2012 Olympics
• Member of International Olympic Committee's coordination commission for 2012 London Summer Games
- Inducted into the Women's Sports Foundation International Women's Hall of Fame in 2006
Career: Nawal El Moutawakel is the first Muslim and African female Olympic champion. She won the Olympic title in the 400 meter hurdle event in the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games . Her achievement in the Olympics was a breakthrough for women of Morocco and other Muslim countries, who were interested in sports. El Moutawakel became a council member of the International Amateur Athletic Federation in 1995. in 1998, she became a member of the International Olympic Committee. El Moutawakel was president of the International Olympic Committee's evaluation commission for the selection of the host city of 2012 Summer Games. She is also a member of International Olympic Committee's coordination commission for 2012 London Summer Games . In 2006, El Moutawakel was inducted into the Women's Sports Foundation International Women's Hall of Fame. She was one of the flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Turin Winter Summer Games .
Performance at the Olympics: The event of 400 meter hurdle was included in the Olympics' schedule for the first time in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics . El Moutawakel won gold medal in the 400meter hurdle race in the Games. She became the first woman from an Islamic nation to win an Olympic title. She was also the first Moroccan athlete to win a gold medal. The victory of El Moutawakel in the event shocked the whole world. El Moutawakel won the competition by almost ten metres in 54.61 seconds.
