"Changed the Game" is a Yahoo Sports series dedicated to the women who are often overlooked, under-appreciated or simply deserve more flowers for their contributions to women's sports history.
Nawal El Moutawakel entered the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1984 as a long shot and the only woman representing Morocco at the Olympic Games.
She left having made history and inspired a generation of women to pursue their athletic goals in the face of cultural and social headwinds.
In a mere 54.61 seconds on Aug. 8, El Moutawakel ran the race of her life on the biggest possible stage, changing the game for Arab and Muslim women with dreams of athletic achievement.