Which country had their first-ever female competitor in the 2012 Summer Olympics?

Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani (born 1 February 1996 in Mecca) is a Saudi judo competitor who was one of two women selected to represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Her inclusion in the games came after the International Olympic Committee put pressure on the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee to include women on their team. The Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee imposed special rules on Shaherkhani related to how to behave while representing Saudi Arabia at the 2012 Games. At the time of the competition, she had only attained a blue belt, having practised judo for just two years.

Her first match was in the Round of 32, which was an elimination round, on 3 August, the seventh day of competition at the Olympics. Wearing white, she lost to Puerto Rican Melissa Mojica in 82 seconds

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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34 Comments

Rob Farr

Good on her .... I wish her well in the future.

George Oliver Prince

Been to Saudi, hope this is a step in the right direction, but I've got my doubts

Mark Snyder

Wendy Wilkins Valdez, don't get sexist on us. Biop said she only had the time to train for 2 yrs. Women in the Arab countries are considered 2nd class citizens.

Joseph A. Robitaille

A major step in the right direction. Good of the Olympic the committee to do this.

Marian Spitzig

Qatar and Brunei also sent their first female competitors in 2012.

Player

Well... it's something.

Did she have to compete in a burka? :-)

M.C.F

Well it’s a very slow start ..let’s hope it maybe the beginning of more women being able to compete

Andy the educated troglodyte

Louella Wilson, yes....Qatar had a female competitor in swimming if I recall...

usha

Usually this country

Susannah Landis

Repression of women in Saudi Arabia is worse than in most other places. I'm curious to know if we'll see more women competing from Saudi Arabia in the next Olympics.

Kuorosh Farrokh

😞

Karin Johansson

It would have come earlier if it had only been up to the Royal family. But sadly the extremist Islamists have too much to say about things there.

Karin Johansson

krkyates, no not Muslim. That is not what most Muslim women have to do. In Saudi extremists are having too much influence. You should learn more about Islam. Also read about the history of Saudi. You are going to be surprised.

Karin Johansson

George Oliver Prince, did you know that before the religious fundamentalists got so much influence women had a very normal life there. It is sad that it did take that turn.