MEDFORD, Ore. – An Umpqua Community College student wrestler just won an ‘outstanding wrestler award’ in a national tournament for winning a title without dropping a single point; and she says she’s just getting started.
Zainab Ibrahim is a River Hawk Muslim wrestler, in her sophomore year. This past weekend she competed in the NJCAA National Championships, in Iowa.
She went head-to-head with other 130-pounders, none of which were able to take her down. She had a perfect run through her bracket with no match lasting more than two minutes. She’s been wrestling since middle school and though she said it’s been a hard journey, she’s glad of what she’s accomplished and hopes she can inspire others,
“There was like nobody that looked like me that wrestled and it was just… my mom… the way she explained it to me was like if you do this, you have to realize you’re also going to be the face for other Muslim girls, because since there is no woman who has a Hijab on that wrestles. Like, and you do it, you’re going to be the face, so you have to be mindful about that.”
Zainab says she wants to go to a four year to continue wrestling. One day she wants to be the first American Muslim woman wrestler to win Olympic gold.
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