AP

One of the first women to compete for Saudi Arabia at the Olympics was born and raised in California.

The International Olympic Committee announced this week that Saudi Arabia, a Muslim monarchy that places heavy restrictions on women in daily life, would have women on its Olympic team for the first time at the London Games. The athletes are Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, who competes in judo, and Sarah Attar, a 19-year-old junior at Pepperdine University and a graduate of Escondido High School in California.

Attar, who trains in San Diego, has dual citizenship because her father is Saudi Arabian. She will compete in the 800 meters in London, although at Pepperdine she has primarily run longer events, including the 1,500 meters and the...

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Related Topics: Olympics 2012, Saudi Arabia