First American athlete to compete in the Olympics wearing hijab

Fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad on Monday, August 8 became the first American to compete in the Olympics wearing a hijab.

Muhammad wore a plain black Muslim head scarf under a red, white and blue mask as she won her opening bout in the women's sabre tournament, beating Olena Kravatska of Ukraine 15-13.

The world number eight will nextface Cecilia Berder of France who is in ninth place.

Before the Games, Muhammad was encouraged by American president, Barack Obama to win gold in the Games.

"I told her to bring home the gold. Not to put any pressure," joked Obama in February, during his visit to a U.S. mosque.

Muhammad was born in New Jersey and raised by a poor single mother in the 1980s.