Ghribi Tunisia’s First Female Medalist

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

File:  Habiba Ghribi, Tunisian Silver-Medalist

Tunisian middle and long distance runner Habiba Ghribi became her country’s first female medalist at the 2012 London Games. Ghribi finished second in the women’s 3000 meter steeplechase, garnering the silver medal.

Ghribi, who started her career as a cross country runner, represented Tunisia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finishing thirteenth in the first ever women’s Olympic steeplechase race. She was subsequently voted the Best Sportswoman of 2009 by the Arabic daily newspaper Assahafa.

However, radicals on social media networks have put a damper on the country’s celebrations by calling on the government to strip Ghribi of her nationality because her running gear was too revealing.
Tunisia’s only two other medals at the 2012 London Games were won by male swimmer Mellouli Oussama, who won the bronze medal in the men’s 1500 meter freestyle. But Oussama brought home the gold for Tunisia in the men’s 10km marathon.

14-34