3 Emirati Women Conquering the Waters in Their Own Way

Whether diving deep into their field of expertise or going for gold, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to female trailblazers leaving their mark in every sector and on every terrain. In fact, some of the most remarkable women in the nation are conquering its waters, whether through deep sea diving, competing in water sports, or serving as captains at major sea ports. Here are three such Emirati women you should know about:

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Nada Al Bedwawi

By participating in Rio 2016 Olympics, Nada Al Bedwawi became the first Emirati woman to compete in the 50-meter freestyle event, and among the first to hold the UAE flag at the Parade of Nations. She was also the nation's first female swimmer at the Final World Championships. Her participation at the Olympics came at the time when the nation saw a wave of females blazing trails across UAE sporting fields.

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Hadia Al-Minhali

Hadia Al-Minhali is known for her love of deep diving and newly found appreciation for the environment. She grew up always wanting to dive into the sea and had to conquer her fears to achieve her dreams, becoming one of UAE's first female divers. Undergoing national and environmental missions were an added incentive to keep going, with one example involving raising environmental awareness through campaigns led by the 7 Emirates Diving Team.

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Sahar Al Rasti

Sahar Al Rasti is one of UAE's first female ship captains to work for Abu Dhabi Maritime Services Company (Sven), a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Ports. She began her career in 2015 working as administrative assistant for Abu Dhabi ports, before moving on to become coordinator of shipping services. This made her the first Emirati woman in the field. In fact, she was one of three women to graduate with a master's degree in 24-meter vessels at Abu Dhabi's Maritime Training Center. She is also the first Emirati woman to pass the International Law Course on Maritime Aid and Maneuvers Level I and II in the Middle East.