Muslim woman creates inclusive space for runners in Sydney

Jasmine Al-Zoubi’s club provides safe space for women to pursue fitness goals, challenge stereotypes

SYDNEY, Australia (MNTV) —  Around the world, Muslim women often face unique barriers when taking up running — from feeling self-conscious in a hijab to concerns about safety and unfamiliar routes. 

For Jasmine Al-Zoubi, a runner in the Australian city of Sydney, these challenges were all too real. 

But instead of stepping back, she stepped up. Through her Sydney Muslim Run Club, Al-Zoubi is creating a supportive space where Muslim women can reclaim public spaces, build confidence, and run without fear — together.

“You do stick out like a sore thumb because you’re the only one in a hijab for the majority of the time,” she says. “They would ask us to go for a short run, just 100 to 200 meters. I don’t think I could even make 20 meters before I was puffed out and couldn’t breathe,” she recalls. 

Al-Zoubi realized that many Muslim women faced similar barriers to exercise and sports. She decided to create a safe and inclusive space for them to pursue their fitness goals. 

The Sydney Muslim Run Club, launched in January, offers various runs catering to different needs and preferences, including women-only runs and kid-friendly events. 

Al-Zoubi’s vision is to make running more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their background or fitness level. “I want people to feel like they’ve walked away more confident in themselves for whatever reason. Whether that’s because they’ve made more friends now, met other people like them, or suddenly realized that they can actually run,” she says.

“Running is an individual sport, but it doesn’t have to be,’’ says Al-Zoubi. ‘‘Having a community around you when you’re running takes out the boring part of it.” 

Al-Zoubi states that the club strives to make running accessible to everyone by offering a range of sessions tailored to different preferences and schedules. ‘‘For women who prefer to run in a female-only environment, we provide dedicated women’s runs on Wednesday mornings at 6am and Thursday afternoons at 11am.

These sessions are designed to be comfortable and inclusive, allowing participants to focus on their running without distraction,’’ she says. 

She rejects the impression that the aim of the club is to exclude non-Muslims. ‘‘We’ve run with non-Muslims at our run club, we’ve run with everybody at our run club. It’s not meant to exclude anyone.”