Pakistani girl makes Olympic history
Rubab Raza has made waves in her country
Rubab Raza, 13, has become the first female to swim for Pakistan at an Olympic Games.
In Athens, women now represent more than 40% of the total number of athletes.
And not only is the number of women taking part rising but the percentage of Muslim women competing in Athens is a record.
Rubab Raza competed in the 50m freestyle event wearing a full length bodysuit to protect her modesty. She finished fifth.
In training in Pakistan members of her family are always in attendance.
Earlier this week, Friba Razayee became the first woman in history to compete for Afghanistan at the Olympics when she stepped onto the judo mat.
On equal terms
Doaa Moussa is also making history by becoming the first Egyptian woman to take part in the rowing competition.
She practices on the Nile river and wears long trousers and a hejab.
These women are part of an international Olympic committee drive towards its target of 50%.
There were no women at the first modern Olympics in 1896.
Swimming was included in 1912, and they had to wait until 1984 to have their own marathon.
New sports wanting a place on the Olympic programme must include women’s events, so the future of women’s sport seems secure.
bravo to musharaf for taking the modesty of pakistani women by allowing them to represent pakistan in short and skimpy clothes. and we dont even feel shame that some people on sports forum were saying that there is 2008? she will be what 17 then, and displaying her body in swimt suits does not bother any one? shame on the kafir state of pakistan and the people who believe that it is an islamic state.