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- Dubai 05:43 06:59 12:35 15:41 18:06 19:22
Saudi Arabia's Sarah Attar reacts after competing in a women's 800-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. Attar is the first Saudi woman to compete in athletics during the Olympics. (AP)
Saudi Olympian Sarah Attar says her participation in the 2012 Games is already having an effect back home, saying that some in the ultraconservative Arab monarchy were discussing ways to boost female athletics.
"Now that women participated in the Olympics, the doors open," she tells BBC radio. "There's been talk about private sports clubs and P.E. classes that will arise because of this."
The California-born 19-year-old, who has dual U.S. and Saudi citizenship, came in last at the women's 800 meters, finishing half a minute behind her nearest competitor.
But she said she'd be thrilled with the opportunity to compete in the next Olympic Games, perhaps in the marathon. "I would love to be able to run in Rio," she said. "That would be awesome."
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