Sarah Attar

Sarah Attar made history as the first woman to compete for Saudi Arabia in a track & field event during the 2012 London Olympics. Despite finishing last in the women’s 800m heat, with more than half a minute of a gap to her nearest competitor, Sarah received a standing ovation from the hundreds of audience members, as she raced towards and past the finish line. Sarah’s determination to represent her country was a groundbreaking moment in history, one which sparks a light of hope in women all around the world, especially in Saudi Arabia.

Hailing from California, Sarah possesses a dual US-Saudi citizenship given that her mother is American, and her father is from Saudi Arabia. She was a student at the Pepperdine University where she was pursuing a BA in Studio Arts. During her tenure at the university, Sarah competed in at least 7 regular season meets, where she performed exceptionally. In 2012, she was one of the eight athletes from Pepperdine University to have been selected for the Summer Olympics. Sarah decided to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics because she knew that doing so would snowball into great things for women athletes in the country.

While it was customary that only men would participate in the Olympics, 2012 was the first time Saudi Arabia allowed women to included in the national team. Without qualifying, Sarah was invited by the International Olympic Committee just six weeks prior to the event, leaving her little time to train for a race format she had not participated in since her high school days. However, Sarah’s inclusion and performance spoke volumes for women in Saudi Arabia and ultimately, the world. She was not running to win the race, but something bigger, she was running for women’s equality. At 19 years of age, Sarah debuted as Saudi Arabia’s second female competitor in the Olympics, second only to a Saudi judoka who debuted five days earlier.

While she may have finished last in the race, running an 800m heat in 2 minutes and 44.95 seconds, Sarah has achieved her goals. She had represented her country, that is known for its conservativeness around the globe, in a way that few others had before. Sarah paved the way for several women in Saudi Arabia to be more involved in sports. Now available to hire as a speaker for events, Sarah is able to display the importance of mental resilience, exhibiting tenacity, overcoming adversity, diversity & inclusion and equality of women. A trailblazer in every respect, Sarah Attar is a speaker you should consider hiring to inspire your audience. Enquire now!