Rubab Raza (; born January 15, 1991) is a national-record-holding swimmer from
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
. She became Pakistan's first female Olympic swimmer when she swam at the
2004 Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece.
The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...
.
At the
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece.
The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...
, she swam the 50m Freestyle. She did not progress to the first round. She became the third Pakistani female to compete at the Olympics—following
Shabana Akhtar
Shabana Akhtar (born April 5, 1972) from the
at the
1996 Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
2000 Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...
—shortly before the country's fourth female competitor, Sumaira Zahoor, who ran the 1500m at the 2004 Games a few days after Raza swam. At the age of 13 at the time of her Olympic swim, Raza was the youngest Pakistani female to compete at an Olympics.
The Pakistani Swimming Federation funded her with only $30 a month, but she was fortunate to have support from her father who is a retired
army
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major
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* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
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* Major and minor in musi ...
and her mother who is a
doctor
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.
She has won a number of national titles, and has seen success at Asian swimming tournaments. She also won a gold medal in 50m freestyle at Islamic Women's Solidarity Games in Tehran, Iran.
She has also swum for Pakistan at the:
*
2006 South Asian Games
The 2006 South Asian Games (also known as the 10th South Asian Games) were held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 18 August to 28 August 2006, in the Sugathadasa Stadium with more than 2000 sportspersons competing in the record 20 disciplines of Sports. ...
*
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006, were an International sport, international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth held in Melbourne ...