On Sunday, Saudi dignitaries praised the performance of Mashael Alayed, the first female swimmer from the kingdom to compete in the Olympics. The 17-year-old, who is the only female swimmer in the delegation, achieved sixth place out of seven in her 200 meters freestyle heat, surpassing her personal best. For many years, female athletes in the Islamic state were a largely untapped source of talent, with girls prohibited from participating in sports at public schools until 2017 and women barred from entering sports stadiums until the following year.
Princess Reema bint Bandar bint Sultan, a prominent member of the Saudi Olympic committee and the kingdom's ambassador to Washington, who has spearheaded efforts to integrate Saudi women into sports, expressed her pride on X, saying, "Proud to cheer on this young woman! Breaking boundaries! Mashael Alayed." Although Alayed did not advance to the semi-finals, she recorded a time of two minutes 19.61 seconds at the Aquatic Complex in Paris' La Défense Arena, besting her previous record of 2:21.04 seconds. Her performance, which came in her fourth major championship since joining the elite development program in the kingdom, was 23.82 seconds behind the fastest qualifier, Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan.
Ahmed Alqadamani, president of the Saudi swimming federation, told Reuters that Alayed's participation was "a testament to the potential and aspirations of Saudi sports, thanks to the tremendous support for young athletes to represent their country to the best of their abilities." He added, "I believe Mashael today is not the same as Mashael yesterday; the Olympics experience and interaction with top swimmers from around the world significantly refine and develop her talent." Most importantly, he noted, her participation could inspire future generations of female athletes.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, the sports minister, chairman of the Saudi Olympic Committee, and head of the kingdom's delegation in Paris, expressed his well-wishes on X, stating, "Mashael Alayed has a bright future ahead, all the best." Alayed, who competes for Ettifaq club, secured a gold medal and two silvers in the inaugural Gulf games in the UAE in April 2024. She also earned three bronzes and a silver medal at the Saudi Arabian Games.
