If you are a Moroccan woman turning 40 years old today, you are almost certainly named Nawal. This is because her victory on 8 August 1984 at the LA Olympics meant so much for the Moroccan King Hassan II that he declared that all girls born on that day should be named after her.
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Her victory was a watershed moment for Arab athletics as she became the first Arab woman to win a gold medal. She didn’t just become the first woman to win the 400m hurdles - the race being held for the first time - but she also became the first Moroccan to ever win a gold medal at the Olympics. Indeed, she was the only Moroccan woman there at all.