If you’re someone who is into wellness, motivation and women’s rights, there’s a good chance that Manal Rostom, 45, is already on your radar. The clinical pharmacist turned fitness fanatic, moved to the UAE in 2011, and it’s here, that the Egyptian runner found her feet and left the lab behind to become a fitness instructor and explorer.

Soon, she was clocking up accolades, the first Hijabi woman to model in a Nike Running campaign in 2015, the first Egyptian woman to run The Great Wall of China Marathon in 2016, climb Mt Kosciusko in Australia, Island  Peak and Louche in the Himalayas, Mont Blanc, and also Mount Everest in 2022, she is also the first Egyptian woman to complete the six World Marathon Majors. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manal Rostom | منال رستم (@manirostom)

Rostom uses social media to inspire her legions of followers online, as well as providing support for the women she trains in the UAE. "I’m passionate about inspiring women to see their full potential, whether it’s to run their first marathon or climb their first mountain,” she explains. “I want them to see the girl next door do it bravely, and then trust and have faith that they can achieve so much more.” Rostom is also the founder of Surviving Hijab, a million-strong online community that helps defy stereotypes and empower women who wish to wear the hijab.

For more information visit manalrostom.com