2022 was once a 12 months of many firsts for Tina Rahimi. She was the primary feminine Muslim boxer to constitute Australia at a multi-sport tournament when she participated within the Commonwealth Video games. It was once additionally the primary time a boxer was once sporting a hijab on the CWG.
Rahimi received the bronze medal within the 57kg class in Birmingham and in an instant left a trailblazing trail for younger Muslim girls the world over. Since then, a flurry of questions have come her approach relating to her spiritual alternatives, and she or he says that made her slightly extra aware than same old.
“I do get requested in regards to the hijab so much. I don’t thoughts when it comes from a spot of interest. I perceive I don’t appear to be a standard boxer,” Rahimi instructed The Indian Specific. “However some doubts do have a tendency to creep in that individuals would possibly pass judgement on me simply on how I glance. They may not like me as a result of how I get dressed. Once in a while, I’m afraid some judges would possibly now not like me as a result of how I glance, and selections would possibly now not move my approach as a result of that.”
Regardless of the doubts, Rahimi does consider that there hasn’t ever been any reason why for her to suppose that any one handled her another way because of her sporting a hijab. The Sydney-based boxer grew up in an Iranian circle of relatives, and her father was once a wrestler in Australia. Pursuing sports activities, then, was once all the time inspired at house, however few would have guessed she would take in boxing.
Rahimi was once a makeup artist ahead of choosing up boxing recreationally in 2017, and it went from being a pastime to a zeal the next 12 months, when she had her first beginner struggle. She certified for remaining 12 months’s International Championship, and later rose to status in Australia together with her CWG medal.
Expectancies and self-doubts
She says self-belief by no means got here naturally to her, so fairly than the pushback from the outdoor global, it was once more difficult coping with her personal self-doubts. “I had much more nerves when I used to be simply beginning out, a number of other forms of ideas entering my head about how other folks understand me. The larger fight was once getting out of my convenience zone when I used to be boxing within the hijab,” she mentioned.
Rahimi considers herself fortunate that she is supported again house, however admits that coping with the scrutiny and being within the public eye has now not been simple. “There was once by no means any unfavorable response once I began. However I do really feel that there are extra eyes on me. Definitely or negatively. I do really feel it once I lose; that those that are supporting my resolution need so badly for me to do neatly, and I’m permitting them to down just a little.”
The scrutiny will have intensified, however so has the sense of satisfaction. Rahimi hopes that after younger Muslim girls see her combating, they’d really feel that they can also do no matter it takes to apply their goals within the hijab.
“I’m pleased with representing my nation and neighborhood. That folks watch me struggle and will see that I’m a Muslim girl, that I will do what I really like and proceed to decorate the best way I need, for my faith,” she mentioned.
On the 2023 Ladies’s International Championships in Delhi, Rahimi was once knocked out of the match by means of house favorite Manisha Moun on Saturday. The larger struggle – to modify the general public belief of Muslim and hijab-wearing girls – continues.