TOLEDO, Ohio — A week after being disqualified over her hijab, a high school runner in Ohio came back with her best race ever.
Sixteen-year-old Noor Abukaram finished the cross country season Saturday by posting her personal best time.
Abukaram said she had been embarrassed a week ago after she was disqualified because she didn’t have a waiver to wear the hijab.
But she got the waiver this past week and ran again, finishing in just under 22 minutes as friends cheered and held signs saying “Let Noor Run.”
Her coach says she has been an inspiration and did a great job handling the distractions leading up to the race.
The association that oversees high school sports in Ohio now says it’s looking at dropping the rule requiring waivers for religious head coverings.
