Sarah Attar finished last and more than a half-minute slower than her nearest competitor in the women's 800 metres. Yet hundreds rose to give her a standing ovation as she crossed the finish line.
For the first woman from Saudi Arabia to compete in track and field at the Olympics, the principle was more important than the performance Wednesday.
Covered in clothing from head to toe, except for her smiling face poking out from her hood, Attar made her debut five days after a Saudi judo athlete became the ultraconservative country's first female competitor at any Olympics.
"This is such a huge honour and an amazing experience, just to be representing the women," Attar said. "I know that this can make a huge difference."
The 19-year-old Attar ran 800 metres in 2 minutes, 44.95 seconds. To her, the time wasn't the point.
Her mother is American and her father is Saudi. She has dual citizenship, was born in California and runs track at Pepperdine University near Los Angeles.
Attar wanted to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics as a way of inspiring women.
"For women in Saudi Arabia, I think this can really spark something to get more involved in sports, to become more athletic," she said. "Maybe in the next Olympics, we can have a very strong team to come."
This year, under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, Saudi Arabia broke its practice of fielding male-only teams by entering Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani in judo and Attar in track and field.
Saudi Arabia is one of three Islamic countries, along with Qatar and Brunei, that brought female athletes for the first time, making this the first Olympics in which every national team includes a woman.
Shahrkhani's appearance at the London Games in a loss Friday raised the scorn of the kingdom's Islamic clerics, who said she dishonoured herself by fighting in front of men.
In Saudi Arabia, women are monitored by the kingdom's religious police, who enforce a rigid interpretation of Islamic Shariah law in public places.
Defending champion Pamela Jelimo of Kenya was pleased to see Attar in the race.
"If we have a talent, we should promote it. It's part of freedom."
