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Saudi Woman Makes History in 82 Seconds

Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani exits with head held high

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 3, 2012 8:38 AM CDT

(Newser) – There was never any chance that Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani was going to win her judo match at the Olympics. In a competition of all black belts, Shahrkhani has only achieved blue. But the crowd gave her a roaring ovation anyway after Melissa Mojica of Puerto Rico dispatched her in just 82 seconds, the AP reports, because that on-mat defeat represents a real-world victory for Saudi women: It marked the first time a Saudi Arabian female has competed at the Games.

"I am happy to be at the Olympics," Shahrkhani told reporters. "We did not win a medal, but in the future we will and I will be a star for women's participation." Shahrkhani competed wearing a modified hijab, and after she hit the mat her hand went to her head to ensure it was still on. "There was no problem at all with the hijab," Mojica said. "I think everyone has a right to their religion."

Saudi Arabia's Wojdan Shahrkani and Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica compete during the women's 78-kg judo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, in London.
Saudi Arabia's Wojdan Shahrkani and Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica compete during the women's 78-kg judo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, in London.   (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Saudi Arabia's Wojdan Shahrkani and Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica compete during the women's 78-kg judo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, in London.
Saudi Arabia's Wojdan Shahrkani and Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica compete during the women's 78-kg judo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, in London.   (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
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I'll walk out later with the Saudi flag around my neck & my head up high as if we won the biggest gold medal in the history of the Olympics. - The writer of the blog Saudi Root

She will definitely face difficulties (back home).
The society here will look at her negatively. - Hashem Abdo Hashem, editor-in-chief of Saudi's Arabic daily newspaper Okaz

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 56 comments
Sphinx
Aug 4, 2012 4:08 PM CDT
Good for her. I don't expect this to herald any great progress in Saudi Arabia, but at least this shows that the country CARES that the rest of the world thinks it's backward. That's SOME progress.
right2dave
Aug 4, 2012 7:08 AM CDT
Are yousure she was a women?
SilenceDogood
Aug 3, 2012 6:57 PM CDT
I appreciate her courage, to walk into a fight you cannot win but attend your own failure is courageous. I have always found it interesting that children of abusive parents will defend their parents, I think there is a parallel here; women in Islam are subjugated by the males, yet they defend Islam?

 
Saudi Arabia • 2012 London Olympics • judo

 
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