Adidas has launched a new campaign, titled Running Needs Nothing But You, showcasing three Arab athletes for the first time. The campaign features Qatari hurdler Mariam Farid, Egyptian runner Khadija Hegazy, and Egyptian football star Mo Salah. The brand’s objective is to demonstrate that everyone – regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or disabilities – can run. 

Farid is the first-ever hijabi Qatari sportswoman to land a deal with the brand. She is the latest addition to the growing list of regional female athletes and ambassadors to have signed with Adidas.

Thanking the brand for its continuous efforts in embracing inclusivity and unity in sports, Farid said: “I hope to inspire young girls to pursue their path in sports and beyond.” She is among the first hijabi female Qatari athletes to participate in the World Athletics Championships.

While the hijabi triathlete champion Hegazy, an advocate for Adidas’ Running Community, says being part of a running crew helps her to find people on the same journey. “You make lifetime friends. The energy is super powerful; it gives me the strength to go about my daily life.”

Talking about the importance of running, Salah, the Liverpool star and captain of the Egyptian national team, says, “Running is my personal story – it reminds me of early mornings in Egypt when I was 13, waking up at 5 am to pray and run.”

The football icon said it was around the same time he was scouted and began playing for an amateur club. “Running always reminds me of chasing my impossible goals and running after the future I had imagined for myself.”