Saudi Arabia hosts first-ever race for women
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Saudi Arabia hosted its first-ever race for women on Saturday as the Middle Eastern country slowly expands the rights of its female citizens.
More than 1,500 women took part in the nearly 2 mile marathon, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya network reported.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Women from “professional” and “amateur” backgrounds, as well as those “old and young,” participated in the event, titled “al-Ahsa Runs,” which took place in the eastern province of Al-Ahsa, according to Anadolu Agency.
Mizna al-Nassar, 28, won the event in 15 minutes, and announced her plans to hopefully compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on behalf of Saudi Arabia.
A graphic designer, al-Nassar told Al Arabiya she has a “regimented food program and training schedule supervised by professional trainer and I have participated in the Islamic Sport Games in Baku Azerbaijan in 2017 and in the Ladies Sport Games in Sharjah in 2018.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to the news outlet, Sharia law was enforced as many competitors wore hijabs and abayas during the run.
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The event came months after a decades-old law forbidding women to drive cars was revoked in the country.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was also recently reported that Saudi Arabia is opening soldier rank positions to men for the first time ever in regions including Riyadh, Mecca and Medina.