Saudi runner breaking barriers

Pioneer Saudi sportswoman Sarah al-Attar has already raced at the Olympics, but now her campaign will become a marathon as she uses the Rio Games to break down barriers in the conservative kingdom. Attar turned heads in the head-to-toe outfit she patched together with her mother to race in the 800 metres at the 2012 London Games, where she was one of the first Saudi women Olympians. This time Attar, now 23, will take on the grueling 42 kilometer (26 mile) marathon race in Rio, where four Saudi women will take part. The women and seven Saudi men arrived in Rio, but were kept away from prying media. Gender divisions are so sensitive that the Saudi Olympic Committee website did not name the women who will represent the country. Along with Attar, they are judoka Wujud Fahmi, fencer Lubna al-Omair and 100m runner Cariman Abu al-Jadail.