Raising The Bar: Nike Features Emirati Weightlifter, Amna Al Haddad

As part of Inner Strength, a documentary series that captures the inspiration and motivation that drive Nike athletes in their training, the company featured Amna Al Haddad, a journalist turned female weightlifter from the United Arab Emirates who hopes to qualify for Rio 2016.

Her story is inspiring for a few reasons. She made history by being the first Emirati and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) national to compete in the Asia Regionals and the first and only Muslim woman to do so in a headscarf.

Al Haddad participated in her first competition in in 2011, and her journey has taken her to several locations around the world, where she actively competes and continues to pave?the way for other Arab women. She describes what her life was like before she actively pursued professional sports.

A depressed and overweight journalist, Al Haddad made a decision to go for a walk that changed her life. “From there, I started going to the gym normally and then I got into CrossFit, which changed my view of strength sports for women, and I just fell in love with weightlifting,? she shared with Nike.

In the video above she describes her journey and?how what she does not only shatters stereotypes, but impacts the lives of other young women like her.

Image: Nike

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