Middle distance runner, first algerian athlete to win an olympic gold medal and first African women to win a wolrd title. 

Her success brought her not only positive consequences. She was, in fact, often attacked and threaten by islamic integralists in Algeria that blamed her of showing off her body while running. Boulmerka was so forced to move to Europe to continue training.

Despite this, she was considered one of the favourite for the gold medal in the Olympic Games in 1992 in Barcelona, where she was then able to impose herself against Ljudmila Rogačëva in the final, earning the gold medal - the first gold ever in the Olympic Games for Algeria.