It seems like we would be running out of ‘firsts’ for women’s involvement in sports, but we haven’t. Marjan Kalhor, 21-years-old, will be the first women to represent Iran in an Olympic ski event. Marjan won her first junior national title at 11-years-old, and while her family has always been supportive, her community has not. She didn’t shrink from the comments or lack of support; it helped her flourish.
In an interview, Marjan said, “I will be very, very happy when I am there (at the start gate) and one of my targets is to tell Muslim women that there is no limitation for them, even with hijab they can do whatever they want and they can get here like me…People are different. Some people don’t know how precious it is to be a winner or competitor. I try not to listen to them but why they say so and why they advise women not to do that – it’s their problem.”
Marjan is not a podium threat, but she is a winner. She is a strong, amazing women, standing up to laws and traditions her heart can not understand.