Muslim Olympian Boxer from Australia

Tina Rahimi never set out to become a trailblazing Olympic athlete when she first took up boxing.

At 28, she started the sport with a friend in 2017, aiming to improve her fitness.

She quickly discovered her natural aptitude for boxing and shifted her focus from exercise to competition.

"I remember hitting the bags for the first time and thinking, 'Wow, this feels amazing.' I fell in love," Rahimi recalls in her bio on the Australian Olympic Team website.

Seven years after that initial sparring session, Rahimi is set to make history as Australia's first Muslim female boxer at the Olympics when she steps into the ring at Paris 2024.

Rahimi already holds the same distinction for the Commonwealth Games, having won a bronze medal in Birmingham two years ago, which sparked her Olympic aspirations.

"My Olympic dream isn't like most people's. I didn't grow up dreaming of being an Olympian. I hadn't even watched an Olympic event until Tokyo 2020," she shared on Instagram.

"It was after the 2022 Commonwealth Games that I set my sights on the Olympics. I lost in the semi-finals, secured a bronze medal, and knew I had more to achieve."

Hailing from Bankstown, Rahimi defies the typical image of a boxer.

A former makeup artist, she often competes wearing makeup, along with tights, long sleeves, and a hijab.

This blend of glamour with a traditionally tough sport has quickly garnered her a following on TikTok and Instagram.

By sharing her passion for fashion and beauty alongside her training insights, Rahimi is making boxing more accessible to a new generation and encouraging women to take an interest in the sport.

She is especially dedicated to being a role model for the Muslim community, where her faith plays a significant role in her life.

Rahimi has also spoken out about France's hijab ban, which prevents French athletes from wearing religious headscarves during Paris 2024.

"This doesn't affect me personally because I'm not a French athlete; I'm an Australian athlete.

Fortunately, I can still compete in my hijab, and I'm grateful for that. But it's unfortunate for athletes in France.

It has nothing to do with performance and shouldn't interfere with being an athlete," she expressed in an Instagram reel.

Rahimi's commitment to both her faith and training saw her fasting during Ramadan in the lead-up to the Olympics.

"I had to do my running before sunrise to maintain my training and hydration," she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I could only manage one session a day. I felt very fatigued and drained. But my religion is important to me, so I persevered."

These challenges have been part of her journey, preparing her for the Olympics in unexpected ways.

"I know that if I can do that, I can literally do anything," she told Vogue.

Source: honey

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