Boosted by the love of her family, Saudi athlete Kariman Abuljadayel has learned to conquer her fears, try new sports, and keep pushing herself forward.

Thud, thud, thud. Pause. Thud, thud, thud . . . The sounds echoed down the hallway. There she goes again, thought Kariman’s siblings.

Growing up, Kariman could not find places to train. So she raced barefoot up and down a hallway in her house. Little did she know these 20-meter hallway sprints would lead her to the global stage. At the time, there wasn’t even a Saudi women’s national track team!

But her mother encouraged her to try out for the track team at Northeastern University in the United States. And in 2016, Kariman made history at the Rio Games, where she was the first Saudi woman to compete in the 100-meter sprint at this worldwide competition.

After the Rio Games, Kariman tried a new sport: rowing. The first time she climbed into the boat, she splashed into the water. But she tried again and felt right at home. It took Kariman more than two years to convince officials to establish a Saudi Rowing Federation, but she did it. What began as a group of four athletes is now a federation helping hundreds of kids of all ages experience the thrill of rowing. Whether she is running, rowing, or pushing boundaries, Kariman will always continue to challenge herself.

“Let go of your fear of losing, and you’ll be free.”