This summer all eyes will be on Rio for the Summer Olympics and
our next guest is making headlines and history.
Time magazine is calling her the new face for team USA.
From Maplewood, New Jersey please welcome Ibtihaj Muhammad.
>> I am so obsessed with you.
>> [LAUGHTER] >> I'm so excited to be here.
You're such a role model.
Thank you so much for having me.
>> Thank you so much.
Well you're a role model.
This is incredible for you to be going to the Olympics.
So, let's tell everybody why you're making history.
>> So I'm a fencer and I will,
this summer be the first Muslim woman to
represent team USA while wearing the hijab.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> That is fantastic.
>> Thank you.
>> I mean do you know how important that is, and what is a hijab?
>> [LAUGH] >> First of all,
the hijab literally means to cover, in Arabic, and Muslim women who observe
it cover everything with the exception of their face and their hands.
>> Right, so what you're wearing now is a hijab.
>> Yes, this is a hijab.
>> And you are covered completely.
Is that one of the reasons you're doing this sport?
Is that what your parents wanted you to, cuz you're not gonna be a swimmer.
>> Right.
[LAUGHTER] >> So,
growing up, sports were always a big part of our household.
>> Mm-hm.
>> All of my siblings played sports, I tried-
>> What did they play?
>> My brother played football, I have sisters who played volleyball.
I tried all these different sports growing up, and with each sport,
my mom always had to alter the uniform for me.
By adding long sleeves or pants, and we were literally parked at a stop light,
my mom and I, when I was 12.
And she noticed in the local high school, the kids inside had on masks,
they had on long pants, they had on long sleeves, and she's like,
I don't know what that is, but when you get to high school, I want you to try it.
>> [LAUGH] >> It was always really important to my
mom to keep me active.
She saw how excited I was to be in sports and
she wanted me to do that while observing the hijab.
>> So thank you for being here, cause I know that you're very busy, so
thank you for being here.
>> Yeah. I mean training and
traveling all the time but I always find time for you.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> That's very sweet.
>> [APPLAUSE]
>> Okay, so I mean really it is very
difficult and you have to train constantly and.
So you're gonna fence with,
unfortunately, our poor Andy Zenor is the only guy we have around here.
Let's go over here, okay?
>> Yeah, I'm excited to show you.
>> Okay, I can't wait.
I really am excited about this.
Okay, Andy?
>> [LAUGH] >> Andy, have you ever done this?
>> Not once.
>> Shouldn't you have a cup on or something?
>> [LAUGH] >> I mean, I'm not even kidding.
You know, she's going to the Olympics.
>> [LAUGH] >> How many swords do you have?
>> In general?
>> Uh-huh. >> A bunch.
Do you want one?
>> [LAUGH] >> Yes.
>> Yes? [LAUGH]
>> [LAUGH]
>> [APPLAUSE] I do.
>> So, this is, I'm a saber fencer, and
our target area is from the waist up.
And my goal now is to score as many points as I can against our friend Andy.
>> That was just twice she hit you.
>> [LAUGH] >> So, when I hit Andy,
a red light will come on, and when Andy hits me, a green light will come on.
So, we're gonna go ahead and get started.
I'm gonna go full on here.
Are you ready?
>> [LAUGH] >> Yup.
>> All right.
[SOUND] Okay.
>> Just warming up.
Just warming up.
>> That's one.
Let's go.
Come on, come on, come on.
Let's see it.
>> Okay, still warming up.
Still warming up.
>> [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH].
It's not a point unless you make noise, right?
[LAUGH] >> They're real swords everybody.
They're not fake.
>> [SOUND] Okay, all right.
>> [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH]
>> [APPLAUSE]
>> [SOUND] Okay.
You're doing such a good job.
>> [SOUND] >> [LAUGH]
>> [LAUGH]
>> [SOUND]
>> [LAUGH]
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> [LAUGH]
>> It's draining Ellen,
it's very draining.
She's good.
That was so good.
You are awesome.
>> You got two points.
Listen, that's very impressive two points against someone who is going to
the Olympics and hopefully going to win the Olympics for us.
And >> [APPLAUSE] All
right I got something for you.
>> Yeah? >> It's a special Ellen uniform that
you can wear.
Boy, this is heavy!
>> So cute! >> So you're Team Ellen, okay?
[APPLAUSE] >> I love it!
>> And one more thing.
This is to distract, you know, see how he was doing that?
[LAUGH] This is going to distract your opponent.
>> Okay, that's the secret.
>> Yeah, I don't know if that is legal or
not but you're going to have that and you can wear that.
All right, [INAUDIBLE] you're awesome.