Veiled athletes challenge stereotypes in Beijing

With a volley of wins, she broke down barriers to women in sport in Bahrain, where many still wear head-to-toe hijab.

At the Olympics, she hopes to help quash the perception among many in the West that the veil is akin to repression.

"We have women who are ambassadors, doctors, pilots," said the runner, who prays daily in her athletes' village bedroom but has a weakness for red nail varnish and shopping.

"I haven't been criticized at home, and at the Olympics race or religion is irrelevant, we're all just here to do sport."

(Editing by Alex Richardson)