Nawal El Moutawakel
- Born
- Apr 15, 1962 (64 years old)
- Birthplace
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Events
- 400 m hurdles · 400 m
- Height
- 1.62 m
Nawal El Moutawakel (Amazigh: ⵏⴰⵡⴰⵍ ⵍⵎⵓⵜⴰⵡⴰⵇⵇⵍ; Arabic: نوال المتوكل; born 15 April 1962) is a Moroccan former hurdler, who won the inaugural women's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and is the first Moroccan, Arab, African, and Muslim woman to win an Olympic gold.
She is currently a vice president of the International Olympic Committee In August 2024, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) voted her as the fourth best female athlete of the past 100 years after Serena Williams, Nadia Comăneci and Simone Biles.
In August 2024, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) voted her as the fourth best female athlete of the past 100 years after Serena Williams, Nadia Comăneci and Simone Biles In 2007, El Moutawakel was named the Minister of Sports in the upcoming cabinet of Morocco.
As of Nov 13, 2026: 400 m hurdles 54.61 (#159 all-time), 400 m 51.70 (#802 all-time), 2022 season best 59.23 (Jun 26, 2022, Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat (MAR)) · Olympic Games: 1 gold · 64 years old
Personal bests
WA points calculator →Medals
| Competitions | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 1 | – | – | 1 |
Progression
| Season | Discipline | Result | Wind | Date | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 400m | 59.23 | – | Jun 26, 2022 | Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat (MAR) |
| 1987 | 400m | 51.70 | – | Apr 25, 1987 | Des Moines, IA (USA) |
| 1987 | 400mH | 55.21 | – | Jul 14, 1987 | Zagreb (CRO) |
| 1986 | 500m-short-track | 1:11.2h | – | Jan 25, 1986 | – |
| 1986 | 500Metres Indoor | 1:11.2h | – | Jan 25, 1986 | Minneapolis, MN (USA) (i) |
| 1986 | 500m-short-track Indoor | 1:11.2h | – | Jan 25, 1986 | Minneapolis, MN (USA) (i) |
| 1985 | 400mH | 55.59 | – | Sep 2, 1985 | Kobe (JPN) |
| 1985 | 4x400m | 3:36.86 | – | Oct 4, 1985 | Bruce Stadium, Canberra (AUS) |