Lina Al-Mutawakel

Yemeni athlete and advocate who broke cultural barriers to become the first Arab woman in Olympic weightlifting

Lina Al-Mutawakel (born 1993) is a trailblazing Yemeni weightlifter and human rights advocate who shattered cultural norms by becoming the first Arab woman to compete in Olympic weightlifting. Despite facing intense societal opposition in conservative Yemeni society, she trained secretly until 2012 when she publicly declared her athletic ambitions. Her participation in the 2016 Rio Olympics marked a historic moment for women's sports in the Arab world, inspiring a generation of young athletes. Al-Mutawakel's journey is particularly notable for its intersection with Yemen's ongoing conflict; she trained in makeshift facilities during the civil war and used her platform to advocate for children's education through sports.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Al-Mutawakel founded the Yemen for Youth initiative, which provides sports equipment and training to children displaced by conflict. She has spoken at the UN General Assembly about the importance of sports in peacebuilding and was awarded the International Olympic Committee's Women in Sport Award in 2020. Al-Mutawakel's autobiography Lifting Yemen: A Weightlifter's Journey for Peace (2021) details her struggles and vision for using sports to foster social change. Her work bridges athletic excellence with humanitarian efforts, demonstrating how individual courage can catalyze broader societal transformation.