Stereotypes around what women wear define them across the globe, and it has also shaped the perceptions about the Middle East. But marathoner and mountaineer Manal Rostom broke the glass ceiling and became the first Egyptian woman to reach Mount Everest’s summit in 2022.

She was the first Egyptian woman to run the Great Wall of China. She has climbed seven high-altitude mountains, including Kilimanjaro and Elbrus, and has run 13 marathons, including NYC and the London Marathon. She’s also a Nike Running Ambassador and the founder of a social media collective of 800,000 women called Surviving Hijab, empowering women who want to pursue their dreams wearing hijab. She is the first woman to model for Nike in a hijab.