MAPLEWOOD, NJ — On Saturday, Sept. 10, Maplewood held a motorcade, parade and meet-and-greet to celebrate hometown hero Ibtihaj Muhammad, who earned a bronze medal for fencing as a member of Team USA’s Sabre Team at the 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Muhammad, who earned national recognition for being the first Muslim-American woman to compete for the United States while wearing a hijab, or head scarf, is a graduate of Columbia High School.
“Being a member of Team USA was a really hard, arduous journey and, honestly, I’ve felt triple-blessed even to have qualified and to come home with the medal is just icing on the cake,” Muhammad said during an interview at the parade. “To have so many athletes there for the same reason, everyone vying for some hardware and to leave with a medal — the lucky few get the opportunity to do that.
“I didn’t expect to come home with the medal.”
But she did and the Maplewood community could not be more proud.
Photos and video by Steve Ellmore
Ibtihaj Muhammad is celebrated by township added by Editor on
View all posts by Editor →