Ibtihaj attended Duke University on a scholarship. She was invited to train under the Westbrook Foundation's Elite Athlete Program in New York City. In late 2002, Ibtihaj joined the prestigious Peter Westbrook Foundation, a program which utilizes the sport of fencing as a vehicle to develop life skills in young people from underserved communities. Her former coach Frank Mustilli had her switch weapons, from épée to sabre. Fencing career Īt Columbia High School, she joined the school fencing team at age 13. When growing up and pursuing a career in fencing, she thought keeping her hijab would inspire women and young girls around the world to break boundaries and pursue their desires even while wearing the hijab. Īccording to The Telegraph, Ibtihaj Muhammad started to wear the hijab at a very young age. She attended Duke University and graduated in 2007 with dual bachelor's degrees in international relations and African and African-American studies.

Ibtihaj attended Columbia High School, a public high school in Maplewood, graduating in 2003. In accordance with their Islamic beliefs, Ibtihaj's parents sought out a sport for her to participate in where she could maintain her hijab. Her father, Eugene Muhammad, is a retired Newark, New Jersey police officer, and her mother, Denise, was an elementary school special education teacher. Her parents were born in the United States, and converted to Islam. Ibtihaj Muhammad was born and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey, a suburb 25 miles (40 km) from Manhattan, and is of African American descent. She is known for being the first Muslim American woman to wear a headscarf while competing for the United States in the Olympics, as well as for winning an Olympic medal (bronze) wearing it. Ibtihaj Muhammad (born December 4, 1985) is an American sabre fencer and member of the United States fencing team.

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