The Mettleset Podcast (The Mettleset)

Today’s guest is playing a big role in the development of cycling in the UAE, particularly for women.  Melissa Moncada is the Head of Team  at UAE Team ADQ - that’s the UAE’s Women’s WorldTour Cycling Team.  She’s also Vice President at Colnago. 

As you’ll hear in this episode, UAE Team ADQ extends beyond a pro team, it's a movement. It features a pro team, a development team - the first of its kind in the Women’s WorldTour may we add, - as well as a grassroots movement, Women Moving Forward which provides pathways and opportunities for UAE residents to enjoy cycling. 

As two cyclists, we loved our chat with Melissa, learning about the inner workings of a women’s pro cycling team. In this episode you’ll learn about its structure, the team behind the team and how UAE Team ADQ is part of a bigger mission to inspire and enable a new generation of cyclists at every level.  

To listen to UAE Team ADQ cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh’s Episode (EP28), click here. 

For updates on UAE Team ADQ, visit www.uaeteamadq.com and follow @uaeteam_adq and  the team’s development team @uaedevo_team.  

To follow UAE Team ADQ’s work in encouraging more women to start cycling, follow @wmn_moving_fwd. 

To know more about Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Women’s WorldTour, visit uci.org . 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Happy New Year! After a much-needed break, we’re kicking off 2025 with a truly inspiring story. Host Dawn Barnable sits down with Jola Chudy, an ultra-runner and former luxury fashion editor who transformed her life to embrace adventure, resilience, and self-discovery. Jola’s journey—from the glamorous fashion industry to conquering one of the toughest foot races in the world, the Marathon des Sables—reminds us all that it’s never too late to pivot, dream big, and chase extraordinary goals.

In this episode, Jola shares:

👠 ➡️ 👟 How she transitioned from the high-paced fashion world to the rugged trails of ultra-endurance running.

🏜️ Her experience tackling the 252km Marathon des Sables, often called the toughest foot race on Earth.

💫 The lessons she’s learned about resilience, stepping outside her comfort zone, and embracing new challenges.

📖 Why any time is the right time to rewrite your narrative and embark on a fresh adventure.

Resources:

• Learn more about the Marathon des Sables: https://www.marathondessables.com/
• Connect with Jola Chudy: https://www.instagram.com/jolaruns/
• Follow The Mettleset: https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/

More from The Mettleset

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need a little inspiration to kickstart their new year.

Sign up for our newsletter: https://themettleset.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=605dd939a55794e8902a1c3a6&id=609df9d8c0

Hey Team, 

Happy New Year! It’s a whole new year for all of us, and for The Mettleset Podcast and what better way to start it than with a little reflection and all of the lessons that we’re taking with us into 2023. 

2022 was phenomenal for us - The Mettleset was born and with it, we shared stories from athletes from across the Middle East representing all sorts of sports. They’ve pushed boundaries, overcome challenges and fears, jumped into the deep end without a moment’s hesitation, found a flow that balances their sporting endeavours while caring for their mental wellbeing and have grown throughout their respective journeys. 

In this episode, we give you a quick recap of how 2022 shaped up for us and what we’ve got going on in 2023. More importantly, we discuss all the pearls of wisdom we took from each guest. Every conversation we had in 2022 was a goldmine of inspiration and advice. We walked away from each chat feeling hopeful and enriched and wanted to share some of the best nuggets with you in this episode in hopes it inspires you for the year ahead 

We’re so grateful to you for coming along with us as we unearth the untold stories of athletes from across the region. We have so much in store for you this year, and can’t wait to get right to it, so keep listening and, as always, we’d love to hear from you!

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

The UAE Tour Women is the Middle East’s first and only Women’s WorldTour event—where the best cyclists in the world battle it out across four days and 540km of intense racing in the UAE’s desert landscapes. In this special three-part series The Mettleset takes you behind the scenes of the race (Feb 6-9).

In Episode one of three,  I speak with journalist Emma Cole, who has been covering the race for Cycling News. Recorded just ahead of the final stage, we discuss Emma’s impressions of the event, the growth of women’s cycling, and her own podcast, The Passion Stories Podcast. 

🔗 Links discussed in this episode:   

📖 Read Dawn’s full race coverage in Arab News 

🎙️ Check out Emma’s podcast,The Passion Stories Podcast

🔗 Find Emma on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/emmasecole/ 

In the series 

🔹 Episode 2: A behind-the-scenes look inside the Human Powered Health support car  

🔹 Episode 3: Exclusive interviews with **UAE Team ADQ**, including Elisa Longo Borghini, after the team’s historic victory  

🔗 For  more stories on women in sport! Find us on @themettleset 🚴‍♀️✨

📩  Subscribe to The Mettleset newsletter for exclusive stories on MENA women’s sports, HERE 

Enjoy!

Dawn

In this episode, we dive deep into the incredible journey of Saudi Arabian freediver Nada Al Rasheed. Nada shares her passion for the ocean and her remarkable achievements in the sport of freediving, including her recent participation in the CMAS World Championship for Freediving Depth in Greece.

From her childhood experiences in Jeddah to becoming a multiple national record holder and Arab record holder, Nada discusses the various disciplines of freediving, the mental preparation required, and the personal growth she has experienced along the way. This episode is not just about athletic accomplishments; it’s about finding oneself and overcoming challenges.

Prepare to be inspired by Nada’s dedication and the lessons she has learned throughout her journey.

🧜‍♀️ Nada Al Rasheed: @nada_underwater

Don’t forget to follow @themettleset and please do leave us a review (five star only). 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn 

Ishtar Azzawi calls this her planting season.

It’s fitting because this jiu-jitsu champ, and our guest, who has represented her country Iraq in the sport while living abroad all her life had always felt that her true calling had gone unanswered. So, last year, she decided to pack her life in the UAE and head home to Baghdad. 

The planting season symbolises more than just a departure from the comfort of a privileged life and unrestricted access to resources in professional sport for her. It signifies a profound shift in purpose and towards embracing her roots, and marks the inception of a new chapter of sowing the seeds of social change in Iraq through another sport - skateboarding. 

Remarkably, venturing into unfamiliar territory as an amateur skateboarder herself, Azzawi founded Baghdad Skate Girls in December with the aim of bringing the transformative power of skateboarding to women in Iraq. 

The benefits of introducing the sport in war-torn and war-scarred countries is well-documented. Within that backdrop in Iraq, Baghdad Skate Girls has been fostering resilience, confidence and community, particularly for young women challenging societal norms. 

In Part 1 of this episode, Ishtar shares why she had to move to Iraq in search of fulfilment and her aspiration to build foundations for young athletes with Olympic dreams. We discuss how one Instagram post began a skateboarding movement in Baghdad, and how it has been received by society. And while the first steps to building a skateboarding community have been taken, Ishtar tells us about the challenges and resources needed to grow and flourish. 

Also, don’t forget to check out Part 2 next where she discusses her journey into jiu-jitsu and some pre-fight rituals. 

To find Ishtar on Instagram:  @ishtar_azzawi

Baghdad Skate Girls can be followed on @baghdadskategirls

To know more about Ishtar’s efforts with Forsah, the NGO supporting Iraq’s future Olympians, visit https://www.forsah.org/

For more information on other skating organisations working with young people around the world:

Skatistan, visit https://skateistan.org/

Skate Pal, visit: https://www.skatepal.co.uk/

Seven Hills, visit: https://www.7hillspark.com/

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

On to the show…enjoy!

Hi Guys, Afshan here,

You’ve probably listened to our FIFA special episode with UAE National Football Team player and Adidas athlete Areej Al Hammadi last week. And if you haven’t, click through to EP39: ⚽⚽⚽ and FIFA Women's World Cup: UAE National Team football player and Adidas athlete Areej Al Hammadi on the changing face of women's football in the region and globally to hear about how she carved her own path in this sport, and her insights on the ongoing Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

And here’s the fun spill over BONUS from that episode where we asked her some rapid fire questions because we wanted to get to the bottom of her quirky side.

We hope you enjoy!

To know more about Areej,  head to @areej.alhammadi13 and www.areejalhammadi.com

If you want to follow the FIFA Women's World Cup and all its happenings, visit fifa.com

For our episode with Georgia Adderley, the co-founder of Onyx FC, the UAE's first fully female-owned football club, head to EP11: GOALS: Onyx FC Co-Founder Georgia Adderley on community, inclusion and sharing the beautiful game

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Former Paralympian Jessica Smith joins us on the episode for a very honest discussion on diversity, and inclusion for people with disabilities. 

As an elite swimmer who represented  Australia in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Jessica isn’t a stranger to the pressures of performance and scrutiny. But when it comes to athletes with disabilities, this is compounded by the lack of  much-needed psychological, financial, and infrastructural support, as well. 

After retiring at the age of 22 to address her eating disorders and mental wellbeing, the athlete turned to being a loud and strong advocate for disability awareness, diversity and inclusion. She was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her outstanding achievement and service towards this cause. 

As a co-founder of Touch, a talent management and inclusivity consultancy, which she set up after moving to Dubai in 2019, Jessica works with her team to provide opportunities for  athletes with disabilities, and leads the conversation around effective inclusion and diversity.

In the episode, Jessica takes us into conversations on inclusion that are rarely spoken about. She opens up about finding and losing her identity to swimming, and then regaining it once she moved away. She also shares her thoughts on what more can be done to diversify the sporting ecosystem and how to start the conversation around inclusivity and community integration. 

To follow Jessica, find her on instagram at @jessicasmith27  and www.jessicasmith.com.au

To learn about Touch Dubai, visit  www.touch-dubai.com/

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences.

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

 Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Welcome to The Mettleset Podcast! This is Episode 2 of our special three-part series taking you behind the scenes at the UAE Tour Women—the Middle East’s first and only Women’s WorldTour race, held from February 6-9, 2025.  

I go BTS in Human Powered Health  team’s support car during Stage *, the final stage of the race. Riding alongside Communications Director Oscar Skarsbrook and Soigneur Jose Leite—also known as a swanny,the ultimate Swiss Army knife of a cycling team—I get an exclusive look at the inner workings of a pro cycling team on race day.  

In our support van chat, we discuss: 

• 🚲 The role of a support team in pro cycling  
• 🚲 The dynamics of race-day logistics  
• 🚲 Human Powered Health’s mission and team culture  
• 🚲 The importance of soigneurs in keeping a team on the road  
• 🚲 The Embrace Every Moment  series by Wahoo  

A huge thank you to Oscar, Jose, and the entire Human Powered Health team for this unforgettable experience.  

🔗 More on what was discussed in this episode:   

• 🚲 Learn more about Human Powered Health: https://www.instagram.com/hphcycling/ 
• 🚲 Watch Wahoo’s Embrace Every Moment series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOA289t6dxQ 
• 🚲 For more stories on women in sport! Find us on @themettleset ✨
• 📩  Subscribe to The Mettleset newsletter for exclusive stories on MENA women’s sports, HERE

Enjoy!

Dawn

Thanks for listening. As we mentioned, here are some resources and information below. 

Remember, your voice matters!

🇵🇸 Relief Efforts 

• Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF)- https://www.pcrf.net
• Emirates Red Crescent - https://www.emiratesrc.ae
• International Committee of the Red Cross - https://www.icrc.org/en 

Share Your voice, If you live in Canada, Australia, the UK or the US, please find below links to help contact your elected representatives: 

• 🇨🇦 📝Canada -  Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) 
• 🇦🇺 📝Australia - Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN)  
• 🇺🇸 📝United States - Jewish Voices for Peace 
• 🇬🇧 📝United Kingdom - Muslim Council of Britain 

🇵🇸 Independent Journalists on the ground in Gaza: 

• Motaz Azisza - @Motaz_Azisza  
• Plestia Alaqad -@ByPlestia
• Wissam Nassar @WissamGaza 
• Ahmed Eldin @ahmedeldin

Independent News Organisations & NGOs to follow: 

• @theimeu
• @middleeasteye
• @jewishvoiceforpeace
• The Ireland Palestine Alliance 

🎙️ Podcast: 

•  The Inside Story Podcast by Al Jazeera
•  This is Palestine - The Institute of Middle East Understanding 

Sports Organisations & Groups: 

• The Gaza Sunbirds (@GazaSunBirds) - a paracycling team from the Gaza Strip 
• Gaza Skate Team (@gaza_skate_team) - a skateboarding team from Gaza City 
• Skate Pal (@skate_pal) - a charity organisation supporting young people in Palestine through...

In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome Noemi Romero, Spain’s champion trampoline gymnast and first-time Olympian who recently competed at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. 

Noemi’s story is a remarkable journey of resilience, hard work, and triumph.

From discovering her passion for trampoline gymnastics at just six years old to making history as one of the first Spanish trampoline gymnasts to qualify for the Olympics since the sport’s debut in 2000, Noemi shares her inspiring path. 

In our conversation, she opens up about the highs and lows of her nonlinear Olympic journey, the challenges of competing on the world stage, and what it truly feels like to soar through the air in a sport that requires both precision and mental strength.

If you're in the United Arab Emirates, don't miss the chance to meet Noemi and the Spanish National Trampoline team in person. Until 19 September, you can participate in a masterclass in trampoline gymnastics at BOUNCE locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. 

Head to BOUNCE's website to book your spot and experience the thrill of this incredible sport firsthand.

🔗 Meet Noemi Romero and the Spanish National Trampoline Team at BOUNCE: https://bounce.ae/bounce-olympians/ 

🔗 Follow Noemi Romero on Instagram: @noemiiromero 

Don’t forget to follow @themettleset and please do leave us a review (five star only). 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn

In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, we take you into the world of BASE jumping with two of the sport’s top athletes, Katie Hansen and Cornelia Mihai. Fresh off their participation in EXIT 139—a historic two-day event where 31 jumpers from 15 countries completed an astonishing 437 jumps from the Burj Khalifa—they share what it means to take that leap, both physically and mentally.

Beyond the spectacle, BASE jumping isn’t just about adrenaline—it’s about trust, presence, and embracing life at full intensity. In a short but sweet episode, Katie and Cornelia reflect on their experiences, the mindset behind the sport, and why it’s not about being reckless, but about truly living.

Links:

• 🔗 Read the full Arab News article: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2591124/sport
• 🔗 Follow The Mettleset on Instagram: @themettleset
• 🔗 Follow Katie Hansen on Instagram: @flywithkatie
• 🔗 Follow Cornelia Mihai on Instagram: @cornelia_mihai
• 🔗 Sign up for The Mettleset newsletter: sign up here 

Support the Show:

💬 Love the episode? Leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend!

-Dawn

Today’s guest is Safiya Al Sayegh, and if you don’t know that name yet - where have you been hiding? Remember it because this Emirati cyclist is the heroine we need! 

Safiya is the first Emirati and first Arab woman to join a WorldTour Pro Team, UAE Team ADQ. The 21-year-old athlete kicked off her cycling career in 2016 and turned pro last year, displaying remarkable growth under the guidance of UAE Team ADQ.

She closed 2022 with six medals from the Arab Track Championships, including two gold, three silver and one bronze.  And she has been seizing the day by securing a National title in both the Individual Time Trial and Road Race at the annual National Championship for the third time in 2023,  confirming her status as the UAE National Champion.

The pro is now gearing up for a number of international races, including the Asian Road Cycling Championships in June, the UCI World Championships in Glasgow in August, the Asian Games in China and the Arab Championships in Saudi - both in September.

In our chat with Safiya, we talk about her first bike, family support, getting dropped and downhills, picking herself back up after a tough mental battle to win an international title, her passion and purpose, and balancing it all with full time university studies. 

We also chat about Olympic aspirations and how she’s looking forward to the future as the first Emirati on the Women’s World Tour. 

We hope you enjoy!

To follow Safiya’s journey, head to @safiya.alsayegh

For updates on UAE Team ADQ, visit www.uaeteamadq.com and follow @uaeteam_adq and  the team’s development team @uaedevo_team.  

To follow UAE Team ADQ’s work in encouraging more women to start cycling, follow @wmn_moving_fwd. 

To know more about Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Women’s WorldTour, visit uci.org . 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Today, The Mettleset launches a new series of bonus episodes, which complement our regular Monday interviews with athletes from the region. Our bonus episodes will bring to you a range of trending and topical discussions around sporting news, races and events, along with our co-founders Dawn and Afshan’s own training and upcoming races.

Hi Listeners, Afshan here!

The first in our series of bonus episodes documents my road to the Beirut International Marathon, which is on November 13. This is my first ever marathon and I believe it is a good opportunity to discuss why I decided to sign up for this one in Beirut (there’s a special story behind the origins of this marathon), what goes into training for a marathon and, later on, stories and experiences from others participants while I’m actually there!

In this first bonus episode, I, without my partner in crime Dawn, connected with Francoise Nehme, the head of operations for the Beirut International Marathon, to talk about its origins - its birth from the determination of founder May El Khalil who coordinated its inception from a hospital bed in 2002 - and its growth, attracting more than 112 nationalities from all over the world now.  We also discuss its mission and message of peace and unity, with this year’s theme being “I am Beirut”.

Francoise also gives us a lowdown on the beautiful course, which takes you to historical sites and neighbourhoods, along with the pivotal role that the race has played and continues playing in unifying people and bringing hope during the country’s hard times. This isn’t the fastest or the oldest marathon, but we’re promised an energy and memories that will last with us forever.

The Beirut International Marathon was established in 2003 by May El-Khalil, the founder and president of the Beirut Marathon Association.

You can follow them on Instagram @beirutmarathon

The marathon is accredited as a ’Silver Label Road Race’ by World Athletics, the international governing body for the sports of athletics. This means that the race satisfies important criteria concerning the organisational standards, course measurements, safety, medical standards and media services.

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

This marathon stands for more than winning or achieving a personal best, and that’s why we’re excited to share its story with you. We hope you enjoy!

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

July 22, 2022 – On this day our guest, Nelly Attar, became the first Arab woman to summit K2.

This is historic for the Arab world. Not only is this the world’s second-highest peak after Mount Everest but is also one of the most dangerous mountains to climb. With its peak 8,611 meters high, located in the Karakoram Range in Pakistan, this is famously known as the Savage Mountain.

It was a challenge that the  33-year-old mountaineer took on to honour her late father, who was responsible for sparking that spirit of the outdoors and adventure in her. Unfazed by the facts and figures of the mountain’s challenging terrain,  and some of the most unforgiving conditions and weather on the planet, she went out and achieved her dream. 

In fact, Nelly tells us that she manifested and visualised her accent down to a T. How she’d climb, what she’d do when she got to the top, the fireball outfit that she’d wear, and of course, wanting to raise the flag of Lebanon high.

We go from the ground up to the summit with Nelly in this episode as she narrates her days adopting a tunnel vision as she prepared for this big push, the risk assessment that went into it, and turning to faith in the face of fear. 

Nelly has also seen and experienced the toll such expeditions take on the environment and tells us what mountaineers can do to reduce their impact when they take on such challenges.

 To follow Nelly, find her on instagram at @nellyattar  and www.nellyattar.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

This was a chat filled with lessons and laughter. We hope you enjoy it!

 Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hey guys, Afshan here!

The Mettleset is doing its first running race as a team…and it’s all for a good cause. 

Dawn and I have signed up for the amazing annual Wings for Life World Run, which supports the Wings for Life Foundation for spinal injury research. The race happens around the world on the same day and at the same time - this year being May 7. 

It’s exciting for us to join this year’s event because the race is celebrating its 10th year. In 2022 alone, the Wings for Life World Run generated about AED 19,084,170 (€4,700,000) in donations thanks to the 161,892 participants from 192 countries. 

The UAE edition is happening at 3PM at none other than the Expo City in Dubai. We’ll be at the start line with more than 270 or so residents, first-time runners and seasoned athletes who have already signed up the last time I checked.

It’s a unique race with no predetermined finish line and a Catcher car that you have to escape. The best part - you set your own goal. How’s that for being all inclusive? 

And by participating in this fun run, you will also be helping support crucial medical research as all sign-up proceeds and donations go to the Wings for Life Foundation. 

To find out more about the race, how to sign up and what to expect, I was joined by this year’s Wings for Life ambassador Gada Shaikli, an Obstacle Course Race athlete and long-time runner, who also won last year’s edition. 

Gada also shares tips on how to prepare for the race in this episode.

For Dawn, this will be a run after years of not putting those running shoes on and for me, well,  my running shoes are going to hit tarmac on a very balmy Sunday afternoon. We’re both looking forward to a challenge! 

To sign up, head to: www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/en/locations/dubai

For a team registration, you can create a team and get friends and family to join here:

www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/en/teams/create

You can also purchase vouchers and get a code to share with friends and family www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/en/vouchers/app/data 

To know more about the Wings  for Life Foundation, visit /www.wingsforlife.com/uk/

Come say hi if you spot us! 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello! Dawn here. 

So you want to be an ultra-cyclist? Well, maybe you do, maybe you are one already, or maybe you’re just curious to know how one can race distances that range from 700 km to up to over 7000 km, all self supported.  Well, today’s episode aims to share a good overview of the sport and how you can get involved as I speak with my coach, Niel Copeland, one of the world’s most experienced ultra-cycling coaches. 

I’m in full training mode for Race Around Rwanda, a 1000km self supported road and gravel cycling race taking place early February 2023. This will be my fourth ultra, and hopefully my third successful finish. For some background, don’t forget to listen to Episode 1, which details my first race or our last Bonus Episode with Simon DeSchutter, the man behind Race Around Rwanda. 

So, who is Niel and what do we chat about? Niel has 20 ultra-distance race finishes under his belt. He's podiumed in some of the biggest races in the world and as a coach, he helps people realize their dream of finishing an ultra cycling race.  

This year Niel and fellow world renowned ultra coach Jasmijn Muller got together to launch ultra-focused training camps to provide the next level of coaching to any athlete looking to step into this crazy world. 

In my chat with Niel, we discuss how to get started, training differences for women and men, the timeframe and considerations needed before you sign up for a race, training yourself mentally, race management, the beauty in the experience, race selection and we touch upon nutrition.  We only touch upon nutrition because we have a whole bonus episode on ultra-eating later this week.

I hope you find this episode informative, useful and also inspiring. Self-supported ultra-cycling changed my life and if I can help and encourage one person (maybe you?) to take it up, my job here is done.  

To follow Niel, check him out on IG @nielcopeland (feel free to slide into his DMs and also on YouTube at @turncycling. For info on his training camps visit https://dotbooster.my.canva.site/home or IG at @dotbooster.academy. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

I am just back from Race Around Rwanda and Afshan and I are busy working on a whole bunch of new episodes for you. Expect a full race debrief from me and other women on the race, as well as a host of new athletes, new sports, new stories and new perspectives. 

We’ll be back next Monday with a brand new episode but until then we wanted to reshare one of our first and favorites with Linda Krokenberger, the UAE’s first female camel jockey trainer. 

If you’re a new listener, we hope you enjoy and if you’re a long time listener, we hope you enjoy again! 

Please don’t forget to take the time to rate and review us wherever you’re listening to The Mettleset! 

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Camels are an integral part of the region’s heritage and the embodiment of the Bedouin way of life. But seeing a woman race a camel was uncommon until last year when we started seeing images of female jockeys racing camels to the finish line go viral on social media. 

Our guest Linda Krockenberger, UAE’s first female camel jockey trainer and the co-founder of the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre in Dubai, which is the first licensed camel riding school in the region, is to credit for this revolution in a sport that has traditionally been practised by men only.

Linda’s love for camels blossomed when she took a 14-day trek from Liwa in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi to Dubai on this friendly creature in 2019. She shifted her entire focus and career into building a riding centre with co-founder Obaid Al Falasi in 2021, where women felt welcome and encouraged to pursue it as a sport. The centre also established the first and only camel racing championship for female jockeys in the region last year. 

Now, with a majority of students at the centre being women, Linda sees the vast potential of growing the sport across the region and also leading the way in shaping the regulations around jockey safety, animal welfare and preservation of heritage in the sport. 

In this episode, we explore the camel racing scene in the UAE and get Linda to share memorable and pivotal moments in her journey, and the upcoming camel racing season for women, which begins on October 29. 

You can follow the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre on @adcrc.me , www.adcrc.me

The schedule for season two of the championship for women can be found on their Race Page . 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

Linda’s achievements prove that anything is possible when you are resolute in your mission. We hope it drives you to achieving yours. Enjoy! 

For more info, follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Today’s guest is the most successful female sailor in Olympic history, Hannah Mills, OBE. 

Among Hannah’s many accolades are a Silver in the 2012 London Olympics, a Gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics and another gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  That’s certainly not where it started or ended for Hannah with multiple gold, silver and bronze medals to her name from the World Championships, World Junior Championships, European Championships and European Junior Championships. 

In this episode, we chat through Hannah’s start in sport, her early ambitions - sparked by watching the Olympics as a child - and how they were both realised with her gold medal win in 2016 and also it led to a full circle moment with her newest endeavour, as a Strategist with team Emirates GBR in the relatively new, and undoubtedly riveting SailGP, also known as the world’s most exciting racing on water. 

Hannah also educates us on this amazing new sport format and its focus on both equality and sustainability - a particular passion point for Hannah who thanks to her work in this space has been recognised as a International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sustainability Ambassador. 

Catch Hannah on the socials on at @hannahmills_gbr and her team Emirates GBR at @emiratesgbrsailgp 

We discuss lots more but as promised, please find below some links and details including dates and how to purchase tickets for Sail GP. 

🗓️ Sail GP will be in Dubai on 9-10 December, and in Abu Dhabi on 13-14 January so please check it out!

🎟️ For information on Sail GP and to buy tickets or watch online, please visit https://sailgp.com. 

Also as promised, please find info on Hannah’s, and Sail GP’s programmes and initiatives to promote equality & sustainability:

• 🍃 The Big Plastic Pledge @big_plastic_pledge
• 🌎 Athletes of the World https://athletesoftheworld.org 
• 👩🏽 SailGP’s Women Pathway Program 
• ⛵ SailGP’s Impact League AKA the Podium for The Planet 
• 📰 And hot off the press is news that SailGP will Highlight its commitment to climate action with the first ever ‘Race for The Future’ Takeover in Dubai. Check it out HERE. 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and...

Hi guys, 

Our guest today is from Morocco, a country that was recently rocked by a devastating earthquake. We would like to take a moment to acknowledge the loss that Morocco has experienced and our thoughts are with its people during this difficult time. We’ve also linked some global aid initiatives that you can support below. 

Back to today’s guest and an honest unveiling of the hustle behind the glamour of professional golf. Moroccan golfer Maha Haddioui made headlines when she became the first Arab to gain playing privileges on the Ladies European Tour 10 years back. It’s an honour that has gone on to inspire many more women from the region to dream of a career in golf.

But beyond the headlines, getting there - and staying there  - is no easy feat.  Being one of the toughest individual sports, the odds of becoming a pro golfer are between 0.4% down to 0.006%. 

Add to that being a woman in the sport, and the challenges of fewer tournaments, a much smaller prize purse and pool of sponsors, and lack of visibility can make this a career that needs a Plan B. 

But Maha took a gamble on herself, getting the LET tour card and then going to the Olympics twice - in 2016 Brazil and 2021 Tokyo - the latter being the highlight of her career as she scored a hole-in-one. We found a clip of the EPIC shot HERE. 

In this episode, we discuss Maha’s journey into golf and the immense joy it brings her, but we also chat about the mental fortitude and discipline required to keep going in the game. 

We discuss strategies to keep your cool through frustrating shots and the power of visualisation for wins. Maha also shares her insights on the changing face of golf and major moves to elevate the women’s game by countries in the region. 

To follow Maha Haddioui, head to @mahahaddioui 

To know more about the Ladies European Tour, visit ladieseuropeantour.com

Follow updates from the Saudi Aramco Team Series by visiting aramcoteamseries.com 

To support aid Initiatives for Morocco, head to:

Moroccan Red Crescent Society

Global Giving 

Unicef 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of

What does it feel like to row across the Atlantic Ocean? 

What motivates you to do something like that? 

Toby Gregory, the Founder and Director of the Arabian Ocean Rowing team,  is here to tell us exactly what it felt like to row the first UAE-flagged boat across the Atlantic Ocean unsupported and unassisted. 

Interestingly, more people have been to space and climbed Mount Everest than actually taking on this 5,000 km journey from the coast of Africa to Antigua. 

So, having Toby share how he conceived the idea and what it took to go on this 40-day expedition with his teammates where they navigated everything from 40-foot waves, sleep deprivation and sea sickness was an amazing storm of astonishment, excitement and inspiration for us too! 

The journey was also undertaken to raise awareness of marine pollution  with the UN Environment Programme Clean Seas team. Toby has been continuing that work with talks and workshops in the UAE since his return.

During the conversation,  we also couldn’t help but take notes on being practitioners of experiencing joy, building an unwavering mindset for endurance and winning the day by focusing on achieving three things. 

Toby’s story of courage in motion has given us a lot of food for thought and hope it does for you too. Enjoy the show.

To follow updates from the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team,  head to @arabianoceanrowingteam

To know more about the UN Environment Programme Clean Seas initiative, visit www.cleanseas.org/

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Dara Sahab is a woman after our co-host Dawn’s own heart. Like her, our 29-year-old gutsy guest took up cycling as a sport only three months before doing her first ever race, and that too in the historic Saudi Games. The biggest national multi-sport, Olympic-style sporting event in Saudi, which took place from October 27 - November 7, was launched to draw out the Kingdom’s athletic talent and provide them an opportunity to grow in their sport. The games are part of the country’s wider ‘Vision 2030’ to diversify the economy and improve the quality of life of citizens. 

Dara represents a Saudi generation that has been waiting to prove that they have what it takes to get to the top in sports, both on home turf and internationally. We invited Dara on the show, not because she won, but because she embodies all the values we hold dearly at The Mettleset - she showed courage and mettle in abundance even when the odds were stacked against her right from the get go. 

Dara played sports growing up and took up CrossFit as an adult. Why she chose to compete as a cyclist just before the race, not having any background in it, and how she went into it with several unknowns, a climb that she wasn’t aware of or prepared for, and braving the Middle East heat is what we discuss in this episode. 

She also underscores what this opportunity means for her and athletes like her moving forward, along with how races can be better organised for a safe and uplifting experience for all.  

To know more about the Saudi Games, head to saudigames.sa

Find out more about Vision 2030 on vision2030.gov.sa

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We’ve got so much respect for Dara’s tenacity and achievements - and don’t doubt you’ll find this chat quite inspiring! Let’s get into it.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Can you win a boxing match with a dislocated shoulder? Our guest, Anisha Shetty, a two-time UAE Muay Thai Champion and three-time National Muay Thai champion for India, can and did!

The 26-year-old athlete with an unwavering dream of making Muay Thai a household name in the UAE went against her family’s wishes to pursue a career in mechanical engineering and learnt everything there is to know about the sport first in India and then in Thailand before moving to the UAE to become a coach. 

Anisha is ready to conquer the UAE’s professional Muay Thai scene, but also wants to share her knowledge and techniques with others and make the sport less intimidating, especially for women. 

An athlete on a mission, Anisha tells us about “not throwing in the towel” when faced by challenges and lessons learnt along the way, her mission to build this as an after-school activity for children and the goal to become the queen of the 50s weight categories in the championship.

Follow Anisha’s journey as she takes on the next Muay Thai championship on @anisha.shetty. 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

Anisha has convinced us into trying Muay Thai and we hope you get inspired too. Enjoy! 

For more info, visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello, it’s Afshan

We’re only days away from the 9th edition of the Fifa Women’s World Cup, which is held every four years.

There’s a palpable excitement in the air as women’s football has grown in stature, with an expanding fan base that is now being recognised by sports associations, brands, governments and the media.

This edition of the World Cup, which is being held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, is set to become the most attended standalone women’s sporting event in history.

 FIFA has sold over 1m tickets for the event.

 So, we had to get UAE National Team football player and Adidas athlete Areej Al Hammadi on the show for this episode to chat all about football… and the World Cup, of course.

 The 37-year-old Emirati footballer, whose obsession with the sport began by watching the World Cups with her brothers and playing with them as a child, had to carve her own path into playing at a national level at a time when there were very few avenues for women to go pro.

Now, a very well-recognised face, this 2-time Guinness World Record holder has become a role model for other girls and women who aspire to become footballers and make it a career.

Areej lays out the UAE and world football scene for us, with all its challenges and opportunities, and we talk about the Women’s World Cup and what the future holds.

And as FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino so rightly put it recently: “The future is women.” At The Mettleset we know - the NOW is too!

We hope you enjoy the episode!

To know more about Areej,  head to @areej.alhammadi13 and www.areejalhammadi.com

If you want to follow the FIFA Women's World Cup and all its happenings, visit fifa.com

For our episode with Georgia Adderley, the co-founder of Onyx FC, the UAE's first fully female-owned football club, head to EP11: GOALS: Onyx FC Co-Founder Georgia Adderley on community, inclusion and sharing the beautiful game

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

As you just heard, The Mettleset is launching a new podcast, The Just Bikes Podcast - hosted by Dawn and friends. 

As the name suggests, the podcast is all about bikes. From ultra- to adventure, the pain cave to the peloton and lots of type-two fun, The Just Bikes Podcast will feature a host of guests from all over the world to talk about all things cycling and cycling culture. 

Follow us on IG at @justbikesthepodcast.

Don’t forget to subscribe, like and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Five stars only!

The podcast is launching with the support of the @SpinneysDubai92, a cycle challenge for everyone, including host Dawn Barnable as this was her very first race.

Join one of three events, all starting & ending at Expo City Dubai this 24-25th February, 2024.  For more info on the Junior Rides, the 35 km TotalEnergies Outride, and the 92 km Main Event, hop on over to @spinneysdubai92 or visit cyclechallenge.ae. 

Wow, how is it June already!? So much has (and is happening) at The Mettleset that we decided to do a little mid-year check in to share what’s been happening in our world, and what new challenges we have in the works. 

We also give you a preview of our upcoming summer series. 

In what may need a spoiler alert if you’re reading this before listening, links to some of the events discussed are as follows:

• Challenge Roth  https://www.challenge-roth.com/en/ 
• The Ladakh Marathon - https://ladakhmarathon.com/
• The Sani2Sea MTB Race: https://sani2c.co.za 

To follow our personal adventures  this summer -  and in training -  follow us on @dawnable  and @afshahmed. 

Thanks for joining us in our journey so far this year. We look forward to sharing more adventures - and stories - with you in the next 6 months… and beyond! 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Emirati CrossFitter Shahad Budebs doesn’t shy away from telling women - “Let’s get bulky”.  Because getting swole is exactly what will get you to the top of the sport. The four-time Fittest in the UAE athlete sits down with us in-studio days before she dives into her intense training for the  CrossFit Games semi-finals in June.

The 28-year-old, who only began CrossFit in 2017 after being on the UAE National football team and the UAE athletics team, has had a meteoric rise in world rankings. In just five years, she went  from 34,506th worldwide and 90th in the UAE, to 257th worldwide, 7th in Asia and 1st in the UAE according to CrossFit. 

She tells us what it takes for an athlete to move up the ranks in the game and the support this requires from family and sponsors. Shahad talks about her drive to keep growing in the sport and why she’ll make every sacrifice to raise the flag of her country at the games. She also addresses common misconceptions that women have about the sport.

We, Dawn and Afshan, met in a CrossFit class, so this episode brought back fond and painful memories of squatting 20kg barbells and doing burpees over bars. We hope you enjoy!

To follow Shahad’s journey, head to @shahad.budebs

Find her rankings and all about the CrossFit Games on games.crossfit.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Dawn here! In late 2018, I decided to enter the world of self-supported ultra cycling with little more than a wish and a prayer, and signed up for my very first ultra race. At the time, I didn’t own a bike, had never owned a road bike and I had no racing (or real road cycling) experience at all. Three months later, in February 2019, I crossed the line at my first Ultracycling race, BikingMan Oman, having completed 1040km/7500m in 104 hours. I went on to compete in two further BikingMan races, one successfully and one, not so much.

In this episode, Afshan and I discuss how I managed to do this, the friends who helped me along the way and something that happened on the race that I have never spoken about publicly before. It’s a deeply personal episode for me but I hope it can inform, and encourage others to be fearless and accomplish whatever goal they set out to achieve, especially if it seems out of reach.

I’ve put more details on our website www.themettleset.com and if you'd like to follow my cycling journey as I revive my ultra cycling career in the next edition of Race Around Rwanda, please follow me on Instagram @dawnable.

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and free-dive experiences.

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Dawn & Afshan

@dawnable

@afshahmed

Hi all,

We hope you're having an amazing summer. We're working on some great new episodes at the moment. We're also having some new adventures that we can't wait to share with you all. In the meantime, we wanted to share once again the story of Nelly Attar, the first Arab women to summit K2.

We hope that it inspires you to reach new heights!

xDawn

*****

July 22, 2022 – On this day our guest, Nelly Attar, became the first Arab woman to summit K2.

This is historic for the Arab world. Not only is this the world’s second-highest peak after Mount Everest but is also one of the most dangerous mountains to climb. With its peak 8,611 meters high, located in the Karakoram Range in Pakistan, this is famously known as the Savage Mountain.

It was a challenge that the  33-year-old mountaineer took on to honour her late father, who was responsible for sparking that spirit of the outdoors and adventure in her. Unfazed by the facts and figures of the mountain’s challenging terrain,  and some of the most unforgiving conditions and weather on the planet, she went out and achieved her dream. 

In fact, Nelly tells us that she manifested and visualised her accent down to a T. How she’d climb, what she’d do when she got to the top, the fireball outfit that she’d wear, and of course, wanting to raise the flag of Lebanon high.

We go from the ground up to the summit with Nelly in this episode as she narrates her days adopting a tunnel vision as she prepared for this big push, the risk assessment that went into it, and turning to faith in the face of fear. 

Nelly has also seen and experienced the toll such expeditions take on the environment and tells us what mountaineers can do to reduce their impact when they take on such challenges.

To follow Nelly, find her on instagram at @nellyattar  and www.nellyattar.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

This was a chat filled with lessons and laughter. We hope you enjoy it!

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

In Part 2 of this special episode we continue exploring the transformative power of The Alpine Run Project (supported by Nike, JD Sports & Strava) and the incredible journeys it has enabled. 

In this episode, we hear firsthand from Eleana Matos and Nimrah Sohail,  two inspiring young women who went from inner-city life to the French Alps as part of this trail running initiative. Their stories offer a deep look into how sport and nature have helped them discover their potential, redefine their futures, and build a sense of belonging and purpose.

We’re also joined by Darren Davis, John McAvoy’s former prison officer, who shares his perspective on John’s transformation and how his support and mentorship helped shape the foundation of the Alpine Run Project. Darren’s unique role in John’s life shows the profound impact one person can have on another’s path to redemption and success.

If you missed Part 1 with John McAvoy, make sure to listen for a deeper dive into his remarkable personal story and the origins of this project.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about The Alpine Run Project: https://www.ybb.agency/alpine-run-project 
• Watch the ARP documentary on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Streets-Peaks-Andy-Ashworth/dp/B0D4YT7S9B 
• Follow John McAvoy on Instagram: @jonnymac83 
• Follow Eleana on Instagram: @eleana_runs

Don’t forget to follow @themettleset and please do leave us a review (five star only). 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn

The Mettleset is back, We have an amazing array of guests lined up, and kicking off this new era is a guest who is simply remarkable. 

Moroj Adil is Saudi Arabia’s first pro cyclist and you’d be forgiven for not knowing her name yet as she only started cycling two years ago. Yes, that is right, from not knowing how to ride a bike, to being on the Liv Alula Jayco Continental team, her story is one that needs to be heard and what’s most exciting is that it's just getting started. 

In this episode, we chat through 

• 🚲 How Moroj got started 
• 🚲 Her first race 
• 🚲 Her first mountain bike race, The Neom Titan Desert Race
• 🚲 The AlUla Tour
• 🚲 The Traka
• 🚲 Joining the Liv AlUla Jayco Continental Team 
• 🚲 Her Olympic aspirations 

Moroj’s story highlights what’s possible when you don’t put limits on yourself. It’s a story of taking - and making - opportunities, working hard and then letting the magic happen. It’s a story of heart, self-belief and the support you receive along the way. 

Find Moroj on Instagram at @moroj.adi 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn 

In this episode, we dive into the triathlon journey of Hana AlNabulsi, a trailblazing triathlete on the UAE National Team. Hana made history as the youngest Emirati woman to ever compete in and complete a 70.3 Ironman race. She’s also the first Emirati woman to qualify for the Asian Games in Triathlon.

We caught up with Hana at the T100 World Tour Press Conference in Dubai, just ahead of the Tour’s grand finale (16-17 Nov) During our conversation, Hana shares how a simple dare sparked her entry into the world of triathlon during the pandemic. She takes us through the unforgettable story of her first race, and with unexpected challenges and laser focus needed 

Hana also opens up about the mental resilience that drives her, her unwavering focus on her ultimate dream of representing the UAE in Triathlon at the next Olympics, and how she pushes herself to reach new heights in the sport. 

Follow Hana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trihanathon/ 

For more information on the T100 series: https://t100triathlon.com/ 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests.

Dawn

Hi Guys,

If you’ve arrived at Part 2 of our chat with Ishtar Azzawi, the founder of Baghdad Skate Girls, after listening to Part 1,  fabulous. We hope you enjoyed it! If not, we urge you to head to Part 1 of this episode to listen to the inspiring origin story of a skateboarding community exclusively for women in Iraq. 

This instalment dives into Ishtar’s professional sporting career in jiu-jitsu. Since starting the sport, after moving to the UAE in 2011, Ishtar has become a multi-national and international gold medallist competing under Commando Group UAE academy, and is part of the Iraqi National Team. Her recent and most recognised titles include World Pro Champion (April 2019) European Master Champion (May 2019) Grand Slam Champion (Jan 2019) and Asian Champion (2017).

Ishtar discusses what she has learnt from the sport that has made her the person she is today, and anecdotes from her time in the ring and off it. We also talk about the not-so-apparent connection between skateboarding and jiu-jitsu, which aren’t really at two ends of the sporting spectrum after all. 

To find Ishtar on Instagram:  @ishtar_azzawi

Baghdad Skate Girls can be followed on @baghdadskategirls

To know more about Ishtar’s efforts with Forsah, the NGO supporting Iraq’s future Olympians, visit https://www.forsah.org/

For more information about the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, visit https://events.uaejjf.org/en

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan

Hello Everyone,

Today's topic is a sport that some of you may or may not be familiar with: Pickleball.  And my guest is none other than one of the world’s top players, Megan Fudge. 

With roots in Europe, the American has had a meteoric rise in the sport, since she started it four years ago going from insurance advisor to now being ranked #1 in the world. 

I caught up with Megan in Dubai just prior to the Olympics at the launch of the Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), the PWR World Series and the PWR World Tour, which is an entirely new Pickleball ecosystem set to launch next year.  

In my chat with Megan, we discuss what Pickleball is and how it's not in competition with Padel, life as an elite Pickleball athlete, the expansion of the sport and who she’d most like to play with. 

About the Pickleball World Rankings -  https://pwr.global 

The new ecosystem comprises a few elements, each working together to promote excellence in the profession: 

Pickleball World Rankings: PWR is a unified global ranking system that allows a defined path for pickleball players to earn points and improve their rankings. It will enable players to accumulate points and qualify for the PWR World Series through the PWR World Tour in different regions. Different tiers of PWR events - PWR100, PWR 200, PWR 400, PWR700, PWR1000 and PWR2000 - are similar to ATP and WTA tournaments in tennis.

PWR World Series: Similar to the Grand Slam events in tennis, these marquee events will begin in March 2025, with six major tournaments, including one in the GCC region. In the first year, the PWR World Series will comprise 64 players in the individual format and six teams of four players  each, from the US and the rest of the world.

PWR World Tour: This consists of various tours worldwide where players compete to earn PWR points and qualify for the PWR World Series. Examples include the PWR CPA Pro Tour and the PWR China Collegiate Pickleball Tour. 

Find Pickleball in Dubai: 

• https://www.touchtennissportsclub.com/pickleball
• https://www.dubaisportsworld.ae/sports/pickleball/
• https://urbanplayground.ae/pickleball/

Find Megan Fudge Online: https://www.instagram.com/officialmeganfudge 

Don’t forget to follow @themettleset and please do leave us a review (five star only). 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn

Hi Dawn here, 

As you may know, I recently took part in the Race Around Rwanda, a 1000km self supported cycling race in early February. It was my fourth ultra cycling race in total, and my first since 2019. Spoiler alert, it was also my second scratch or DNF. 

I did make it 712 km along the route and I’m detailing my experience in an upcoming episode. 

But before that, I had the chance to speak to 9 women I raced with -  and alongside - to get their thoughts on the race to share with you across two episodes… think of it as a double dose of adventure. 

This Episode, (Part 2) features ultra women Cleo Jensen, Julie Melville, Hari Milburn and Isabel Riffel. 

Part 1, (EP24) is also live now (so do check it out), and features the amazing Mona Stockheal, Juliet Elliott, Juliana Veterano, Alina Kilian and Caz Buckland. 

As a reminder, the Race Around Rwanda 2023 was 1000km with approximately 17,000m of climbing. It’s also ‘30%’ ‘gravel’ and of course, self supported.  

All women were asked:

• ❔What was their ‘why’ or reason for doing the race? 
• 🤩 What was the highlight of the race for them? 
• 😞 What the lowlight was? 
• ℹ️ What advice would they give other women thinking of signing up?
• 💭 And, any additional thoughts. 

For more information on the race and also the final standings, visit www.theracearoundrwanda.com with full standings available here. 

To follow and support the women featured across the two episodes, please find their IG handles/websites and other info below: 

EP 25 - PT 2 

• 🇮🇪 Cleo Jensen - @cleojensen12
• 🇦🇺🇬🇧 Julie Melville - @macjelle 
• 🇬🇧 Hari Milburn - @hariannealice 
• 🇩🇪 Isabel Riffel - @isabel.alina

EP 24 - PT 1 

• 🇩🇪🇨🇭Mona Stockhecke  - @stockheckemona and @team_alphaadventure
• 🇬🇧 Juliet Elliott - @julietelliott. And don’t forget to check out Juliet’s YouTube series on the Race Around Rwanda for a real but also fun look at the race. Viewable here. 
• 🇧🇷 🇺🇸 Juliana Veterano - @this.is.juliana.v
• 🇵🇱 Alina Killian - @alamakola 
• 🇬🇧 Caz Buckland - @caz_travelling_artist

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

A big thank you to all the...

The Mettleset’s bonus episodes, which complement our regular Monday interviews with athletes from the region, are out on Fridays. Our bonus episodes will bring to you a range of trending and topical discussions around sporting news, races and events, along with our co-founders Dawn and Afshan’s own training and upcoming races.

Can anyone do a marathon? What is the benefit of doing a mix of aerobic, tempo and recovery runs in the lead up to a marathon? Can you overeat during a run? Should you train through pain? What should you be doing a week before your marathon? What are the common mistakes new runners make and can avoid? 

In our second bonus episode of my road to the Beirut International Marathon series, I sit down with my endurance coach Rob Foster to answer these crucial questions, which can help you get started if you too are considering your first marathon. 

My takeaway is that when you set an intention, do the work and trust the process, whether you achieve that desired pace or personal best time on race day or not becomes irrelevant. The journey is what matters more. And, there’s always the next one!

For more running tips and pointers, follow Rob Foster on @re_foster .

The Beirut International Marathon was established in 2003 by May El-Khalil, the founder and president of the Beirut Marathon Association.  You can follow them on Instagram @beirutmarathon 

The marathon is accredited as a ’Silver Label Road Race’ by World Athletics, the international governing body for the sports of athletics. This means that the race satisfies important criteria concerning the organisational standards, course measurements, safety, medical standards and media services.

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the show and keep listening for more updates from the Beirut International Marathon!

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

The UAE Tour Women (Feb 6-9) is the Middle East’s first and only Women’s WorldTour race, where the world’s best cyclists battle it out over four intense stages covering 540km across the UAE’s desert landscapes. In this special three-part series,

In Episode 3 of our three part BTS series  we celebrate UAE Team ADQ’s incredible victory, with insights from key figures who made it happen:

• 🚲 Melissa Moncada, Head of Team, on the significance of this win for UAE cycling and the growth of women’s cycling in the region.
• 🚲 Cherie Pridham, Head of Sport, a trailblazer as the first woman to hold a sport director role on a men’s WorldTour team before joining UAE Team ADQ, shares her thoughts on the team’s performance and success.
• 🚲 Silvia Persico, who finished second in the GC and was instrumental in Elisa Longo Borghini’s Stage 3 victory, reflects on her role and the team’s strategy.
• 🚲 Elisa Longo Borghini, fresh off her GC win, shares her experience of the race, her emotions after taking the overall victory, and a personal reflection on racing with her brother as a tour director.

🔗 Links discussed in this episode:

• 📖 Read Dawn’s full race coverage in Arab News
• 📸 Follow UAE Team ADQ on Instagram
• 🚲 For more stories on women in sport! Find us on @themettleset ✨
• 📩  Subscribe to The Mettleset newsletter for exclusive stories on MENA women’s sports, HERE

In this series:

• Episode 1: Inside the race with journalist Emma Cole
• Episode 2: A behind-the-scenes look inside the Human Powered Health support car

🚲 For more stories on women in sport! Find us on @themettleset ✨

📩  Subscribe to The Mettleset newsletter for exclusive stories on MENA women’s sports, HERE

— Dawn

Dubai-based mountaineer Tima Deryan joins us today, a month after she became the first Lebanese woman to ski the last degree of the South Pole and only a few months away from skiing the last degree of the North Pole. This will conclude her seven-year expedition to achieve the Explorers Grand Slam. It’s a mountaineering challenge that only about 73 people have completed of which fewer than 20 are women, according to the Explorers Grand Slam website. 

As part of the challenge, the 30-year-old has also summited the highest mountain on every continent, and became the youngest Arab to summit Mount Everest at the age of 26. She is also the first Arab woman to climb Ojos del Salado, the highest active volcano in the world.  

Tima has climbed more than 25 high mountains around the world, collecting life-changing experiences, fun memories and lasting friendships as she ascended and descending with lessons that have contributed to her growth mindset.

She is also the author of the Curly Adventures children’s book, founder of the slow fashion brand Feministiya  and a motivational speaker.

As she prepares for the final leg of the Explorers Grand Slam, she tells us why she wanted to do it, her most cherished and sometimes hair-raising memories, and her aim to represent the image of strong Arab women through her initiatives. She also discusses what went into planning and training for each climb and tips on how you can get into mountaineering.

To follow Tima, find her on instagram at @mountaingipsy  and timaderyan.com

To learn about the Explorers Grand Slam, visit explorersgrandslam.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello Dawn here, 

If you’ve been following along, you know I spend a lot of time on a bike. Particularly in the lead-up to a big race. Like many cyclists or athletes who absolutely love one particular sport, I sometimes ignore strength & mobility. Two areas of fitness I also love, but always seem to come second place to cycling. 

Enter Barre Effect in Dubai, which was recommended after a conversation with my coach about cross training. 

In this episode, I speak with Barre Effect Founder Nora Hameidani who shares just exactly what Barre is, her own athletic background, how she came to found Barre Effect and how Barre is not just great for cyclists but everyone who wants to build strength, balance and flexibility.  

We also chat through the challenges of opening a fitness studio in the middle of the global pandemic and how the studio - and its community - are thriving. 

To find Barre Effect online including their class schedule, visit www.barreeffectdxb.com or on IG, @barreeffectdxb. Highly highly recommend. 

To read more about Barre for cyclists, check out this article in Bicycling Magazine and GET TO THE BARRE!  

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Welcome to 2024 and perhaps one of our most important episodes. This is the story of the Gaza Sunbirds, a Palestinian para-cycling team located in Gaza, as told by Karim Ali, the team’s UK-based International Coordinator. While we wished that sharing this story would have been under better and peaceful circumstances, we’re here to tell you that this is a story of hope and true resilience. A story of Sumud, which is explained in the episode. 

Like so many across the world, we’ve found it truly difficult to make sense of what is happening in this little strip of land on the Mediterranean Sea. Like many also, we’ve spent the past three months, learning more historical context, hoping for peace and doing what we can to show the world that athletes - living in, and from the wider Middle East, Palestinians included  - want nothing more than what any of us want, to live in peace, security, & freedom and to experience all the joy that life offers. 

In this episode, we discuss the original mission and origins of the Gaza Sunbirds including the story of its founder Alaa al-Dali and the circumstances that saw him go from Olympic hopeful to amputee and then para-athlete in his new reality. We learn about members of the team, what life was like for this team of para-cyclists before October 7, how their mission has changed and what hopes they have for the future. 

As we mention in the episode, below are some resources and further information that we invite you to check out: 

• 🇵🇸 Athletes for Palestine @AthletesForPalestine -  https://linktr.ee/athletesforpalestine 
• 🚲 The Gaza Sunbirds (@GazaSunBirds) 
• First Flight - The Gaza Sunbirds in Rouleur from August, 2022

Some historical context: 

• Amnesty International - information first published February 2022 
• Amnesty International - information on The  Great March of Return first published  2019 

Palestinian Sport Teams & Accounts to Check Out: 

• 🛹  Skate Pal (@skate_pal) - a charity organisation supporting young people in Palestine through Skateboarding 
• 🚲 Cycling Palestine (@cyclingpalestine) a cycling group in the Occupied West Bank 
• 🧗🏾‍♀️ Wadi Climbing - (@wadi_cimbing) a palestinian climbing group in the Occupied West Bank 
• 🏄🏾‍♂️ Gaza Surf Club (@gazasurfclub) - a surf club in Gaza 

We hope you were touched by this episode as much as we were and thank you again for listening. 

Dawn &

Today’s episode features a real life mermaid. Nataliia Zharkova is a world record breaking freediver and five-time World Champion but she didn’t find freediving, freediving found her. 

Co-host Dawn first met Nataliia in 2021 when she worked with the team at Deep Dive Dubai and took an introductory freedive lesson with her. Yes, you too can train with this phenomenal athlete in Dubai! 

What struck Dawn about freediving at the time was the slow and graceful athleticism that freedivers need to be successful in their sport. 

As you’ll hear in Nataliia’s discussion with Dawn, her accomplishments in the freediving world came quite naturally. Among those accomplishments are five World Championships and six World Records. She is one of only two women in history to freedive the Arch of the Blue Hole in the Red Sea with only a monofin. She is also the 7th woman in the world to reach a depth of 100m in a single breath - 102m in fact. Her longest breath hold is a staggering 6 minutes and 23 seconds. 

In the context of hustle culture and what can sometimes be a toxic focus on achievement in sport, this discussion with Nataliia challenges perceptions on how it’s possible to reach your goals. 

We chat through her upbringing in the Ukraine, her start in swimming, the power of the mind in freediving, and what it takes to slow down, both in the water and outside of it. 

We also chat through how Nataliia sees freediving as a sport of hope and a sport of the future. 

To follow Nataliia, find her on instagram at @zharkova_freediver 

To take a freediving lesson with Nataliia, visit Deep Dive Dubai’s website www.deepdivedubai.com. 

To learn more about freediving in general, visit the International Association for the Development of Apnea (ADIA) at https://www.aidainternational.org

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

The date is Friday, 18 October 2024 and women’s sports news discussed on the podcast today include: 

⛰️ Two GCC women completed the Explorer’s Grand Slam this week: 

• 🇶🇦 @atalthani
• 🇵🇹 @mariatrugrit

🏉 Women’s Rugby: Spain took home the WXV3 Championship Title after defeating Fiji at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai last weekend:  https://www.world.rugby/wxv/  https://www.thesevensstadium.com 

🏁 The NEOM McLaren Formula E Team this week confirmed that Bianca Bustamante and Ella Lloyd  will drive for the team in the upcoming Women’s Test: https://www.mclaren.com/racing/formula-e/2024/bianca-bustamante-and-ella-lloyd-for-the-2024-25-formula-e-womens-test/ 

🥋@lailaa_sheriff takes double gold at an African Taekwondo Union match 

⭐ Historic moves by 🇵🇸  @mariam_b2009  and the UAE’s Hala Belsela & @almarjan.   

🚲 PLUS an Interview with Saudi Games Gold Medalist, Elisa Grassi (@greli_)

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/themettleset 

For news tips or inquiries, email us at: hello@themettleset.com

Dawn

Today’s guest is the youngest athlete I’ve had on the podcast. At just 8 years-old Zarah Ann Gladys was also the youngest competitor at the World Skateboarding Tour 2024 from Arada, which took place earlier this year in Dubai.  

The event, which covered  both park and street skateboarding disciplines, saw skateboarders from all over the world compete to improve their Olympic World Skate Ranking ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.  It was here that I caught up with Zarah - who is India’s highest ranked female skateboarder in the park discipline of the sport, as well as her mom Annie -  and her little sister Karen.

In my chat  with both Zarah and her mum I learned about the young athlete’s  intrinsic motivation for the sport, her very wise philosophy and approach to training and how her family, friends and school are enabling Zarah’s talent to flourish.  

🛹 To find Zarah online: @zarah_skater

🛹 To check out the AlJada Skateboard: @aljadaskatepark

🛹 To read more about Zarah from Olympics.com, click HERE 

Don’t forget to follow @themettleset and please do leave us a review (five ⭐ only). 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn

This is the third episode in a series to commemorate International Women’s Day because for us, every day is International Women’s Day, as we work to help create a more welcoming, equitable and just sports industry for all athletes.  

We’ve taken some of the best moments from the 50+ episodes that we’ve recorded to share with you tales of joy, mettle, courage  and wisdom from an amazing array of women in sport from across the region. 

If you haven’t checked out the first and second in the series, Episode 57 & 58, please go do that HERE and HERE. 

In this episode, you’ll hear stories from: 

• 🇩🇪 🐪 EP5 - Linda Krockenberger - the UAE’s first female camel jockey trainer 
• 🇦🇪 🚴🏽‍♀️  EP28 - Safiya Al Sayegh  - the first Emirati woman on the Women’s WorldTour and first Emirati woman set to compete in Cycling at the Summer Olympics
• 🇮🇷 🚵🏽‍♀️ EP20 - Faranak Partoatozar - an Iranian Mountain BIke champion, who recently became the first woman to podium in cycling  at the Asian games for Iran 
• 🇦🇪 🏋🏽‍♀️ EP3 - Amna Al Haddad - a barrier breaking Emirati powerlifter who’s many accomplishments paved the way for future generations of emirati athletes 
• 🇦🇺 🏊🏼‍♀️EP28 - Jessica Smith  - a UAE based Australian who uses her experience as a Paraolympian and personal story of  to drive home the importance diversity and inclusion 

This episode series is dedicated to the memory of Palestinian Karate Champion, Nagham Abu Samra (1999-2024). For more information on Nagham, please visit the following articles HERE and HERE. 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

Hi Afshan here,

In a new book by sports journalist Sally Jenkins called The Right Call - What sports teach us about work and life, she says that we are all a combination of light and electricity as much as tissue. Sports and exercise light us up like a swarm of fireflies. 

It sounds romantic but if I have to bring it to reality and layman terms, it’s that rush of joy I feel when I get off my bike after a ride or the sustained high after a run. 

It’s what makes sports not just for the elite and professionals but for everyone - you and me - community athletes. 

And it’s what Najla Hallit, our guest today, discusses with us as she takes on one of the biggest challenges in the triathlon universe and a race on every triathlete’s bucket list - Challenge Roth in Germany - on June 25. 

Najla only started sports in 2020, at the age of 36, and hasn’t looked back since. Challenge Roth, a long-distance triathlon, similar to the Ironman brand, with distances of 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run, is only her second full triathlon.

The long-distance Challenge Roth has been organised by the Challenge Family since 2002.

The  race sees more than 3,500 participants each year. There are more than  260,000 spectators on course cheering them on, along with 7.500 volunteers that keep it going. 

This makes it one of the biggest triathlon festivals on the calendar and a coveted one for every triathlete - pro or amateur. 

Like Jenkins book, this episode is more about what sports can teach you about navigating life from the lens of a community athlete who spent the last four months training for one of her biggest races. 

The discipline, commitment, balance and sacrifice that comes with it as you spend 12 to 16 hours training for an event while also balancing your daily life as a non-professional. We also talk about developing a strong physical and mental foundation to endure and finding a community to keep you going in your sport. 

We are also heading to Germany to cheer the Roth challengers on and soak in the energy of this electrifying race, so stay tuned for more coverage from the ground. 

Enjoy!

To follow Najla Hallit, head to @naj_hallit

To find out more about Challenge Roth, visit www.challenge-roth.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello Dawn here, 

Today we have a special bonus episode that’s a little different to our usual athlete interviews as we touch upon the business of sport and sport leadership here in the United Arab Emirates.  

As someone who’s worked in sports communications for over 11 years, I recently had the opportunity to go to the Leaders in Sport Business Summit in Abu Dhabi held on 1-2 March. This episode shares some observations and snippets from just one of the many thought-provoking panels that took place. 

If you’re unfamiliar with Leaders in Sport, among other things, they bring influential individuals within the sports industry together in a series of global events. The events are really a platform to foster discussion and debate about the state of the industry, explore trends and discuss ways to drive the industry forward.  

The panel you will hear in this episode includes the very inspirational Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri, Vice Chairwoman of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy ( FBMA), speaking live from the stage about the work of the FBMA and women’s sports in general.  She is joined by professional cyclist and pro rider for UAE Team ADQ, Safiya Al Sayegh, the first Emirati woman to race in the Women’s WorldTour on a panel moderated by Laura McQueen, Managing Director of Leaders in Sport. 

We wanted to share some insights from this very uplifting panel and Dr Omniyat in particular as a sports leader as she discusses the role of the FBMA in sport development for women in the UAE and what it means for athletes like Safiya. The panel chats about leadership, pathways into sport, how the UAE is fostering talent and also, how organizations like the FBMA are encouraging more diversity in the wider sporting ecosystem. Dr Ominyat also discusses the many opportunities that exist here in the UAE for sport, something that as a long-time resident, I can absolutely attest to. 

A big thank you again to the Leaders in Sport team who kindly provided this audio for us to use within the podcast. To find out more information about Leaders in Sport visit  https://leadersinsport.com. 

For more information on the work of the FBMA, visit https://www.fbma.ae and for more information on UAE Team ADQ, visit https://www.uaeteamadq.com/.

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

We couldn’t let the FIFA World Cup pass us by without a chat about football  

In this episode we chat with Georgia Adderley, one of the four Co-Founders of Onyx FC, the UAE’s first fully female owned football club. 

Despite being from the football-mad UK, Georgia didn’t take up football until moving to Dubai. It was in Dubai that she also found friendship, fun and community, as well as the three other founders of Onyx FC. 

In this episode, we discuss how Onyx FC came about, what football brought to her life, the achievements of the club since it started just one year ago and the growth of women’s football in the UAE and beyond. 

Georgia also shares her predictions for the World Cup!  We hope you enjoy the episode!  

To learn more about football in the UAE, visit the UAE Football Association at www.uaefa.ae. 

Find Onyx FC on Instagram at @onyxfc_ and Georgia at @georgia.add. Onyx FC’s website is www.onyx-fc.com 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy the episode!  

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Published on Friday, October 25, this is an episode packed with women’s sports news from the Middle East and beyond. No interview this week, but make sure to catch our last two episodes!

🚲 Episode 70: Interview with two-time Saudi Games Gold Medalist, cyclist Elisa Grassi.

🤿 Episode 71: Journey with Nada AlRasheed, who just set three national records and an Arab women’s record in freediving.

Follow us on social @themettleset for more women’s sports updates, and check the show notes for links to everything discussed on today’s show. Now, onto the news!

F1 Academy - Alpine’s Abbi Pulling dominated F1 Academy testing at UAE’s Yas Marina Circuit, topping all six sessions. Details here. 

Formula Woman Global Nations Cup - Fifty female drivers from 25 countries will compete at Dubai Autodrome on December 12, aiming to form an all-female team for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Details here. 

T20 Women’s World Cup - New Zealand’s White Ferns made history, winning their first T20 Women’s World Cup in Dubai. More info here. 

Amenah Al Muhairi - UAE snowboarder Amenah Al Muhari reached the podium at FIS Ski Dubai, prepping for the Asian Winter Games in February. Follow Amenah here. 

The Saudi Games 2024 - 9,000 athletes competed across 52 sports in Saudi Games 2024, a key part of Vision 2030’s athletic empowerment initiative.  Learn more info here. 

Thanks for tuning in! Follow us for more women’s sports coverage, and we’ll see you next week.

If you missed recent headlines about the first Afghan woman to complete the 70.3 Ironman Championship in Utah in the United States on October 28, we’re here to tell you - Zeinab made history. And it’s no surprise that getting there was far from straightforward.

Afghanistan is a country where people have been suffering for decades as a result of war and terror and women have been repressed and denied their rights in many areas of life. Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 made matters much worse for women who are now battling for their right to education and inclusion in public life. In fact, Taliban officials told reporters in 2021 that women’s sports was neither appropriate nor necessary. Afghan women wouldn’t be allowed to play “the kind of sports where they get exposed”.

Yet, women like Zeinab have continued to resist and grab every opportunity to break the shackles of fundamentalism. She was born as an Afghan refugee in Iran and returned to her homeland with her family at the age of nine. Her father was determined to send his daughters to school and university. Zeinab has completed a marathon and an ultra-marathon, all while training with many many challenges in Afghanistan. She then found the non-profit She Can Tri, which led her to her first 70.3 Ironman in Dubai and then the championship in the US.

Now a Fullbright scholar completing her Masters in social entrepreneurship at the Colorado State University College of Business, Zeinab connected with us from her campus to share what the win meant for her and how it represents more than a personal achievement. She tells us about her escape from Afghanistan in August 2021 and how she hopes her representation and

visibility through sports will bring the spotlight back onto the plight of women in Afghanistan and her people who had to seek asylum in other countries.

To know more about She Can Tri, head to shecantri.org

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

We were at a loss of words at the end of this chat and left with so much respect for Zeinab’s resolve. We hope this conversation provides food for thought to you too!

For more info, visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan

@dawnable

@afshahmed

This is a very special edition of The  Mettleset Podcast, the first of a series, with episodes going live daily next week as well. 

For us, everyday is International Women’s Day as we work to help create a more welcoming, equitable and just sports industry for all athletes.  Since our first episode went live in October 2022, we’ve had the opportunity to speak with an amazing array of wise women in sport  - from across the region, and beyond it  - who were kind enough to share their stories, their insights and advice and throughout it all, their strength. 

In honour of our many guests, we wanted to compile some moments to share with you these stories of mettle, friendship, fun, identity, purpose, new beginnings, and big accomplishments from athletes all across the region.

This episode features: 

• EP 19 Guest - Lebanese Mountaineer - Nelly Attar 
• EP 10 Guest -  Saudi Motorsport Star - Dania Akeel 
• EP 2 Guest - UAE-Based Endurance Athlete - Ivana Kolaric 
• EP 9 Guest -  Afghan Triathlete - Zeinab Rezai 
• EP 27 Guest -  Guest Emirati Crossfitter Shahad Budebs 

This episode series is dedicated to the memory of Palestinian Karate Champion, Nagham Abu Samra (1999-2024). For more information on Nagham, please visit the following articles HERE and HERE. 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan

Concussions, shoulder troubles, ACL tears, low bone density, Low Energy Availability, menopause …

Sports, and injuries from it, tend to impact female athletes in a different way to their male counterparts. 

Yet, it is only now that awareness and medical research has ramped up around the gender differences in sports medicine. 

Joining us on today’s show to discuss some of the most pressing issues in female athlete health is Dr Kate Jordan, a sports and exercise medicine physician at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai.

Dr Jordan has worked with elite athletes throughout her career. She’s been with international teams at the London 2021 Olympics, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games,  She has also been with the British Olympic team, Scottish Rugby and Football, and at the Scottish Institute of Sports.

Dr Jordan is currently working with British Swimming, for World Rugby as a tournament doctor and a medical educator, and in anti-doping. 

Having treated a wide range of illnesses and injuries in elite sports, Dr Jordan shares insights from her personal experiences with patients and current research around female health. She also demystifies female health concerns and talks about the need to look closely at the performance vs long-term health balance. 

This is the first or our two part interview with Dr Jordan where we explore common injuries in female athletes, Low Energy Availability, disordered eating and the right fuelling for performance and health. 

Tune in next week for Part 2 where we discuss training, the menstrual cycle, hormones and menopause, as well.

We would like to add that this is a general discussion on female athlete health and any information in this podcast is for educational purposes only, and does not intend to substitute a personal consultation with a physician, diagnosis or treatment if you have any health concerns. 

Enjoy!

 To know more about Dr. Kate Jordan, visit the Mediclinic Parkview Hospital 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Camels are an integral part of the region’s heritage and the embodiment of the Bedouin way of life. But seeing a woman race a camel was uncommon until last year when we started seeing images of female jockeys racing camels to the finish line go viral on social media. 

Our guest Linda Krockenberger, UAE’s first female camel jockey trainer and the co-founder of the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre in Dubai, which is the first licensed camel riding school in the region, is to credit for this revolution in a sport that has traditionally been practiced by men only.

Linda’s love for camels blossomed when she took a 14-day trek from Liwa in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi to Dubai on this friendly creature in 2019. She shifted her entire focus and career into building a riding centre with co-founder Obaid Al Falasi in 2021, where women felt welcome and encouraged to pursue it as a sport. The centre also established the first and only camel racing championship for female jockeys in the region last year. 

Now, with a majority of students at the centre being women, Linda sees the vast potential of growing the sport across the region and also leading the way in shaping the regulations around jockey safety, animal welfare and preservation of heritage in the sport. 

In this episode, we explore the camel racing scene in the UAE and get Linda to share memorable and pivotal moments in her journey, and the upcoming camel racing season for women, which begins on October 29. 

You can follow the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre on @adcrc.me ,  www.adcrc.me

The schedule for season two of the championship for women can be found on their Race Page . 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

Linda’s achievements prove that anything is possible when you are resolute in your mission. We hope it drives you to achieving yours. Enjoy! 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Get the latest on women’s sports in the Middle East and beyond! This week we discuss:

Egyptian Fencing Controversy - Egyptian Olympian Nada Hafez and her teammates speak out against age-based discrimination from the Egyptian Fencing Federation. More info: 

• Nada Hafez’s social media post 
• Egyptian Fencing Federation Response
• ECWR Statement on Discrimination

UAE Women's Jiu-Jitsu Triumph - UAE’s female Jiu-Jitsu athletes shine at the World Championships, securing podium spots.

Tennis - Ons Jabeur Returns! -The "Minister of Happiness" is back for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. Related Links: Get Tickets

WTA Finals Debut in Riyadh - Saudi Arabia hosts its first professional women’s tennis tournament, aiming to inspire the next generation.

Related Links: WTA Finals Tickets

Burj to Burj Half Marathon - Dubai’s iconic race approaches gender parity, with a goal of reaching 50/50 participation!

Related Links: http://burj2burj.com 

Be sure to follow us on @themettleset for more sports updates, culture, and conversation. Remember to like, follow, and subscribe. Got a news tip? Email us at hello@themettleset.com.

Hi Guys,

Remember the first time you heard about the sport dressage? Did you have to google it or are you reaching for your phone right now? You’re not alone! Even in a country where we are based - the UAE-  and a region where equestrian traditions date back centuries, dressage (and we’ve just dropped a hint here), is only just growing in popularity.

So, what do you find when you google dressage? A captivating equestrian art form, a meticulously orchestrated dance that unfolds gracefully between rider and horse—a true synergy of kindred spirits.

In the UAE, dressage is experiencing a surge in popularity, marked by a remarkable 120% increase in rider registrations over the past year, with 20% of them being Emirati participants. 

Today, we're joined by our guest, Natalie Lankester, an accomplished equestrian who proudly represented the UAE alongside her four-legged companion, Cash DXB, at the 19th Asian Games in September. Their performance took them all the way to the Freestyle Dressage qualifying round of the competition.

For Natalie, horse riding is a familial legacy, and upon moving to the UAE, dressage became everything from a competitive outlet to therapy.  In this sport, where proficiency deepens with age and experience, Natalie shares insights into her profound connection with her horses and their welfare in sports, the collaborative training journey, the honour of representing the UAE internationally, her remarkable performance at the Asian Games, and the promising trajectory of dressage in the Emirates.

For cyclists accustomed to only grappling with bike "mechanicals," this conversation offered us a unique perspective in the delicate partnership in equestrian sports.

To find Natalie on Instagram: @natalie_lankester_dressage and @dxbhorses

For more about equestrian sports in the UAE visit the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation: https://uaeerf.ae/en/

Natalie's sponsors include LeMieux (@lemieuxproductsofficial) and Saddle Box Spain (@saddleboxspain)

Natalie is represented by @wearedarkhorse.co and thank you to Hannah and team for organizing this interview!

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

In this episode, we sit down with Martine Grael, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, World Champion, and Pan-American Games champion, who is now making history as the first female driver in SailGP. Martine is also leading the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, the first-ever South American team to compete in the high-stakes SailGP Championship.

We caught up with Martine in the team hangar in Dubai, just days before the season opener. During our conversation, Martine takes us on an inspiring journey:

• How her childhood on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro and growing up in a family of sailors shaped her passion for the sport.
• The setbacks she faced on her road to Olympic glory and how she used those moments to fuel her comeback.
• Insights from her experiences in the grueling Volvo Ocean Race and what it taught her about teamwork and perseverance.
• Her excitement and vision as she steps into her role as driver for the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team.

Martine’s story is one of resilience, determination, and trailblazing achievements.

Follow Martine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinegrael/

Learn more about SailGP & Martine: https://sailgp.com

https://sailgp.com/teams/mubadala-brazil/martine-grael

If you’ve been enjoying our episodes, don’t forget to show your support by hitting the subscribe/follow button wherever you’re listening so you never miss an episode.

We’d also love to hear from you! Leave us a 5-star review and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Your support helps us continue bringing you incredible stories like Martine’s!

Dawn

The Mettleset’s bonus episodes, which complement our regular Monday interviews with athletes from the region, are out on Fridays. Our bonus episodes will bring to you a range of trending and topical discussions around sporting news, races and events, along with our co-founders Dawn and Afshan’s own training and upcoming races.

Hi Listeners, it’s Afshan 

This bonus episode concludes our series on the Beirut International Marathon, which took place on November 13. This week, the marathon organisers shared the official race photos and, as I was sifting through the gallery to find my pictures, I had pleasant flashbacks and reminders of what it took to get marathon-ready and the feeling of crossing the finish line strong. 

Dawn put me in the hot seat to discuss what training looked like in the lead up to my first marathon, how my race went and all the learnings that I will carry forward for my next race which, hopefully, will help you too.

If even one of you non-runners decides to give this sport a go after listening to my journey, I will consider my job as done. If you decide to run a marathon after this, I’d love to hear all about it on afshan@themettleset.com 

The Beirut International Marathon was established in 2003 by May El-Khalil, the founder and president of the Beirut Marathon Association.  You can follow them on Instagram @beirutmarathon 

The marathon is accredited as a ’Silver Label Road Race’ by World Athletics, the international governing body for the sports of athletics. This means that the race satisfies important criteria concerning the organisational standards, course measurements, safety, medical standards and media services.

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the show and stay tuned for our next bonus series!

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello Dawn here, 

So here it is, my Race Around Rwanda race report - part 2.

If you follow the podcast, it comes as no surprise that it is a DNF story. For background, the Race Around Rwanda is a self-supported ultra cycling race that takes place annually in February. It is 1000 km with 20,000m of climbing and this year it was billed as 30% gravel. 

Joining me to relive the experience is my coach Niel Copeland who did the race a couple of years ago, and also reported on the race for Dotwatcher.  Because Niel and I love to chat, I’ve split this episode into two parts - both live now. 

To keep it simple, Part 1 discusses the day-by-day of the race and this, Part 2 chats through my thoughts on not finishing and what I would have done differently. We also touch upon safety in the ultra cycling world for all participants and women in particular. 

It’s impossible to share all that happened in the race but I want to give a thank you and share handles and resources on some of the things discussed across the two parts. In no particular order: 

Thank yous 

🙏 Edge Cycling for the loan of my Curve Cycling GXR (AKA Kevin), a bike I loved so much that I bought it. A big thank you also to mechanic Oliver Tugirimana 

🙏 The Intercontinental Fujairah  (@icfujairah) who invited me for a wonderful staycation post-race. Just a note that this hotel is in a great location for exploring road and gravel cycling in the Northern Emirates of the UAE

🙏 Coach Niel Copeland (@nielcopeland) for getting me race-ready

Rwanda Cycling & Accommodation Resources: 

🇷🇼 For more information on the race: www.theracearoundrwanda.com

🇷🇼 The African Rising Cycling Center - https://arcc.rw 

🇷🇼 Clement House on Booking.com 

🇷🇼 Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge on

Today’s episode is a  continuation of our discussion on female athlete health with Dr Kate Jordan, a sports and exercise medicine physician at based in Dubai.

The first part of this REWIND episode came out last week, and you can access it directly from here: EP55: Part 1 Female athlete health: Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor Kate Jordan on common injuries, LEA and right fuelling for performance.

In this episode, we go deeper into our discussion on training on your menstrual cycle, hormones, the importance of supplements, and strength and resistance training as we age. 

We would like to add that this is a general discussion on athlete health and any information in this podcast is for educational purposes only, and does not intend to substitute a personal consultation with a physician, diagnosis or treatment.  If you have any health concerns, please speak to your doctor. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

To know more about Dr. Kate Jordan, visit find her on LinkedIn.

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn

Hello, it is us again 

Ever wondered what three things your favourite athlete would take with them on a deserted island? Or what their favourite food is? Or perhaps the worst advice they’ve ever received? 

Yes, we know you can’t get enough of our guests. In our new bonus series More Mettle, we fire 10 fun questions at our in-studio guests to peel back their professional layers and get to their humorous, quirky and uninhibited side. 

Our first guest on the series is UAE Team ADQ rider Safiya Al Sayegh,  First Arab and Emirati on the UCI Women’s WorldTour.  

Expect witty responses, very entertaining moments and a whole lot of laughs. Enjoy!

To follow Safiya’s journey, head to @safiya.alsayegh

For updates on UAE Team ADQ, visit www.uaeteamadq.com and follow @uaeteam_adq and  the team’s development team @uaedevo_team.  

To follow UAE Team ADQ’s work in encouraging more women to start cycling, follow @wmn_moving_fwd. 

To know more about Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Women’s WorldTour, visit uci.org . 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello Dawn here, 

So here it is, my Race Around Rwanda race report. If you follow the podcast, it comes as no surprise that it is a DNF story.  I did not finish the race. I peddled - and walked - some 713 km out of a possible 1000km in the race that took place in early February. 

For background, the Race Around Rwanda is a self-supported ultra cycling race that takes place annually in February. It is 1000 km with 20,000m of climbing and this year it was billed as 30% gravel.

Joining me to relive the experience is my coach Niel Copeland who did the race a couple of years ago, and also reported on the race for Dotwatcher.  Because Niel and I love to chat, I’ve split this episode into two parts - both live now. 

To keep it simple, this, part 1 discusses the day-by-day of the race and Part 2 chat’s through my thoughts on not finishing and what I would have done differently.

It’s impossible to share all that happened in the race but I want to give a thank you and share handles and resources on some of the things discussed. In no particular order: 

Thank yous 

🙏 Edge Cycling for the loan of my Curve Cycling GXR (AKA Kevin), a bike I loved so much that I bought it. A big thank you also to mechanic Oliver Tugirimana 

🙏 The Intercontinental Fujairah (@icfujairah) who invited me for a wonderful staycation post-race.Just a note that this hotel is in a great location for exploring road and gravel cycling in the Northern Emirates of the UAE

🙏 Coach Niel Copeland (@nielcopeland) for getting me race-ready

Rwanda Cycling & Accommodation Resources: 

🇷🇼 For more information on the race: www.theracearoundrwanda.com

🇷🇼 The African Rising Cycling Center - https://arcc.rw 

🇷🇼 Clement House on Booking.com 

🇷🇼 Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge on

This episode follows UAE National Day 🇦🇪, when everyone living in the UAE celebrates the independence of the country, 52 years ago.

This is a young country with a rich history and a vibrancy that is hard to beat. That’s why it's a pleasure today to have a rising Emirati star - and our youngest guest ever -, 15 year-old snowboarder Amenah Al Muhairi as our guest. 

Yes, you heard that correctly, Amenah is an up and coming snowboarder hailing from the United Arab Emirates, a country where winter temperatures usually sit at a very nice 26 degrees celsius. 

Amenah is the first Emirati snowboarder to represent the UAE in an international snowboarding competition which she did earlier this year at the World Junior Championships in Freestyle Snowboarding in New Zealand.

Amenah is also our first snowboarder on the podcast and also in a first for us, it is the first time that we have an athlete parent duo as guests as Amenah’s Mum Maya also joins us to discuss Amenah’s exciting future in sport.  

We loved this chat so much that we covered a lot so we’ve split this episode in two parts, with Part Two live now as well. 

To find Amenah on Instagram: @itsamenahalmuhairi

For more information on: 

• Mubadala, visit https://www.mubadala.com 
• Ski Dubai, visit: https://www.skidxb.com 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan

Hi Dawn here, 

As you may know, I recently took part in the Race Around Rwanda, a 1000km self supported cycling race in early February. It was my fourth ultra cycling race in total and my first since 2019. Spoiler alert, it was also my second scratch or DNF. 

I did make it 712 km along the route and I’m detailing my experience in an upcoming episode. 

But before that, I had the chance to speak to 9 women I raced with -  and alongside - to get their thoughts on the race to share with you across two episodes… think of it as a double dose of adventure. 

This Episode (Part 1) features the amazing Mona Stockhecke, Juliet Elliott, Juliana Veterano, Alina Kilian and Caz Buckland. 

Part 2, (EP25) is also live now, featuring ultra women Cleo Jensen, Julie Melville, Hari Milburn and Isabel Riffel. 

As a reminder, the Race Around Rwanda 2023 was 1000km with approximately 17,000m of climbing. It’s also ‘30%’ ‘gravel’ and of course, self supported.  

All women were asked:

• ❔What was their ‘why’ or reason for doing the race? 
• 🤩 What was the highlight of the race for them? 
• 😞 What the lowlight was? 
• ℹ️ What advice would they give other women thinking of signing up?
• 💭 And, any additional thoughts. 

For more information on the race and also the final standings, visit www.theracearoundrwanda.com with full standings available here. 

To follow and support the women featured across the two episodes, please find their IG handles/websites and other info below: 

EP 24 - PT 1 

• 🇩🇪🇨🇭Mona Stockheale  - @stockheckemona and @team_alphaadventure
• 🇬🇧 Juliet Elliott - @julietelliott. And don’t forget to check out Juliet’s YouTube series on the Race Around Rwanda for a real but also fun look at the race. Viewable here. 
• 🇧🇷 🇺🇸 Juliana Veterano - @this.is.juliana.v
• 🇵🇱 Alina Killian - @alamakola 
• 🇬🇧 Caz Buckland - @caz_travelling_artist

EP 25 - PT 2 

• 🇮🇪 Cleo Jensen - @cleojensen12
• 🇦🇺🇬🇧 Julie Melville - @macjelle 
• 🇬🇧 Hari Milburn - @hariannealice 
• 🇩🇪 Isabel Riffel - @isabel.alina

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

A big thank you to

Today’s episode is a  continuation of our discussion on female athlete health with Dr Kate Jordan, a sports and exercise medicine physician at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai.

The first part of this episode came out last week, and you can access it directly from here: EP33: Part1 Female athlete health: Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor Kate Jordan on common injuries, LEA and right fuelling for performance.

In this episode, we go deeper into our discussion on training on your menstrual cycle, hormones, the importance of supplements, and strength and resistance training as we age. 

We would like to add that this is a general discussion on athlete health and any information in this podcast is for educational purposes only, and does not intend to substitute a personal consultation with a physician, diagnosis or treatment.  If you have any health concerns, please speak to your doctor. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

To know more about Dr. Kate Jordan, visit the Mediclinic Parkview Hospital 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Our guest Melina Timson, a triathlon coach and Women for Tri Ambassador, recently completed a 30KM UltraOceanman Kalamata, Greece, open water swim. She walked into our recording studio with pictures of a swollen tongue from a condition called salt mouth that open water swimmers have from long durations of time in salt water. This was only one of the many challenges that she faced during this mind boggling race, including choppy conditions and sea sickness, which she tells us made her want to give up several times while on the course. But there was always something that kept her going that day. 

The 43-year-old triathlete, who has a background in sport and exercise science, had given up racing after her teenage years but returned physically and, more crucially, mentally stronger to sports at the age of 36. She completed the Ironman distance Challenge Roth in Germany, qualified for and finished the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2019, and continues taking on challenges that push her limits. 

At the same time, as a Dubai-based coach, she has been helping others achieve their triathlon goals and advocates for more inclusion and diversity within the athlete community through her role as a Women for Tri Ambassador. She also participated in leading the first Triathlon Training Camp for Women in Saudi Arabia earlier this year. 

In this no-holds-barred chat, Melina opens up about her journey into Triathlon, her bounce back after long Covid, how she returned from the brink of almost giving up in the UltraOceanman race and her role in furthering women’s participation in the sport. 

Follow Melina’s initiatives and races on @tk_melina 

You can find more information about the UltraOceanman race on their website . 

For details about the Women for Tri programme, head to the Ironman Foundation . 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of 

Before becoming a well-recognised mental health advocate, Amna Al Hadad was the UAE’s most talked about powerlifter. 

She is the first Arab and GCC National to compete in the Reebok Crossfit Asia Regionals in Korea in 2012, the First Arab and GCC Woman to become a competitive covered weightlifter and first Emirati to compete in the 10th International Women Weightlifting Grand Prix in 2013, and played a crucial part in the 7-member Female UAE National Weightlifting team that competed to earn a quota for the Rio Olympics, in 2016. 

But her most fulfilling accomplishment has been inspiring others with her story of overcoming mental health battles and competing in a predominantly male-dominated sport in the Middle East. The prolific advocate tells us about how she got drawn into the sport of weightlifting, how she beat the odds in her sport and life post-competition. We also discuss what it's like to have your very own wax sculpture at Madame Tussauds!  

You can follow Amna on @amna.s.alhaddad  , www.amnaalhaddad.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

The talk with Amna really inspired us and brought to light the importance of mental health in sport.  We hope you enjoy it! 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

The date is Friday, 11 October 2024 and women’s sports news discussed on the podcast today include: 

🐪 The C1 Championship, the world's first all-women camel racing series: https://adcrc.me/c1-championship/ 

• 🎙️ To listen to our chat with founder Linda Krockenberger: https://open.spotify.com/episode/35PULNn8MBmCzveatxLtQW?si=ac5b588068bb4b2a 

🏁 Saudi rally driver Yosra Jazzar defends her Abu Dhabi Baja Challenge - T4 category title this weekend. More info via Arab News: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573681/sport 

• Follow Yosra on IG: https://www.instagram.com/yosra_jazzar/?hl=en 

⚽ Finaa, a non-profit empowering girls and women through football in Jordan, unveils its fourth pitch. More about Finaa: http://www.finaa.org/ 

🏉 Women’s Rugby: The international WXV 3 women’s rugby competition is happening at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai: https://www.world.rugby/wxv/ & https://www.thesevensstadium.com 

🤿 Saudi freediver Nada AlRasheed sets a new national record of 61m at the CMAS 8th World Championship. https://www.instagram.com/p/DAyNzmMIibp/?img_index=1  

🚲 Egyptian cyclist Aliaa Benbella secures 2nd place in the Junior Individual Time Trial at the 2024 African Road Cycling Championships in Kenya: https://www.africacycling2024.com/_files/ugd/577345_5e8f55ada3f048c986d30e943f776c0f.pdf 

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/themettleset 

For news tips or inquiries, email us at: hello@themettleset.com

Have a fabulous weekend, and thanks for listening!

Hi, Afshan here -

We’re continuing our rewind series this week as Dawn and I are taking a break for some summer adventure.

But we are also working hard on exciting new content and sports stories from the region and beyond. So, keep listening!

In the meantime, here’s an episode that I’ve chosen because I just witnessed one of the most electrifying long-distance triathlons in the world – Challenge Roth in Germany – and our guest was among the 3,500 participants who were there and smashed her race.  

I hope this chat inspires you to explore your own physical and mental limits, and have fun while at it!

See you soon!

*****

January 9, 2023 - If you’ve been paying attention, triathlons are having a moment in the Middle East. More and more athletes from all over the region are taking up the sport.  Equally, Saudi Arabia is seeing a booming interest in sports, especially triathlons, and our guest today has and continues to play a key role in developing it in the region. 

This unintentional trailblazer is Dr. Dina Al Tayeb, who began competing in triathlons back in 2005 when no one was doing it and there really wasn’t any tri community to fall back on. 

Dina became the first Arab and first Saudi national to complete an Ironman distance triathlon. She is also the first Arab woman and Saudi National to qualify and complete the Ironman World Championships in Kona.  And she is the first Saudi National to qualify and compete in the 70.3 World Championships. Feats and titles she never set out to accomplish as she was simply looking to challenge herself in sports. 

In our chat with Dina, she details her start into the world of triathlons when it was largely unheard of, particularly for a Saudi woman. 

Along with being a triathlete, she is a certified Ironman Coach, an entrepreneur, dentist and mother. She also is one of the founding board members of the Saudi Triathlon Federation. 

Dina’s impact cannot be overstated and in fact, the day after our chat with Dina, she featured in the New York Times’ weekend magazine. 

She is an inspiration and role model, a wise owl and the perfect guest for us to welcome into the New Year. 

To follow Dina, check her out on instagram @dina.altayeb

To learn more about Triathlon in Saudi Arabia, visit https://www.triathlon.sa 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

Our chat with Dina makes us want to push our boundaries a little more this year, and hope you get inspired too! 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

The Mettleset’s bonus episodes, which complement our regular Monday interviews with athletes from the region, are out on Fridays. Our bonus episodes will bring to you a range of trending and topical discussions around sporting news, races and events, along with our co-founders Dawn and Afshan’s own training and upcoming races.

Our Bonus Episode today follows our interview with Zeinab Rezaie, the first Afghan woman to race and finish the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Utah, this week.

We invited Jackie Faye, the Founder of the non-profit She Can Tri, on a virtual chat to discuss how she set up this organisation to empower women like Zeinab to take up and continue playing sports even through the challenges they face in countries where women face repression and inequality.

Jackie, who also became the first woman to complete six Ironman triathlons on six different continents in 2018, tells us how she met Zeinab during her time as a journalist alongside NATO troops in Afghanistan and how they worked to get her Ironman-ready.

She also shares how sports saved her while growing up in an abusive household and how sport holds the same power for women in countries like Afghanistan and other conflict zones.

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

Jackie’s vision aligns with our purpose and this chat reinforced how much more work needs to be done for women’s rights and equality in all spheres. Tune in!

For more info, visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan

@dawnable

@afshahmed

So hopefully you have listened to our earlier episode (Episode 16) this week where we chat with my coach Niel Copeland on all things ultra-cycling. Well, almost all things. One major aspect of these long distance races is eating … eating a lot, a lot, a lot of food. 

So today, that’s why we’re bringing you a bonus episode on Ultra Eating.  We start off with a quick check-in on my training for the Race Around Rwanda and then go into the importance of nutrition, how you train to eat (yes, you actually need to do this), how much and what to eat on an ultra race, issues that come up and how to avoid them and why planning is key . 

We also chat through my recent experience using the UltraHuman CGM and how the insights available through wearing it helped me stay fueled during training.  I’ll be wearing one during my upcoming race and am excited to report back on that. 

So, if you like cycling, and you like food, you may like this episode.  

To follow Niel, check him out on IG @nielcopeland (feel free to slide into his DMs) and also on YouTube at @turncycling. For info on his training camps visit https://dotbooster.my.canva.site/home or IG at @dotbooster.academy. 

For more information on UltraHuman, visit www.ultrahuman.com. 

For Race Around Rwanda, I’m riding a beautiful Curve Titanium Gravel Bike from Edge Cycling. For more information, visit www.edgecycling.ae.  

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello everyone. 

Today’s guest is one of the region’s most prominent sports journalists. 

She and I met years ago while I was working in public relations, managing the communications for Yas Marina Circuit for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Reem was working as a journalist with Sport 360.  

Since that time, Reem’s career has flourished. She is a sports writer, columnist and video journalist for UAE's The National and Saudi Arabia’s Arab News, a tennis contributor to CNN and Eurosport, a contributor to wire agency AFP, as well as other outlets including The Guardian US, BBC News, Dubai Eye 103.8, Al Arabiya, and Wimbledon.com.  She regularly interviews some of the world’s and region’s most famous athletes and travels the world to cover a range of sports stories, not just tennis as she clarifies in our chat.   

Most recently, Reem became the host and concept creator of the podcast Abtal, a series dedicated to Arab athletes and their journeys to the Paris 2024 Olympics - linked below. 

In our chat, we discuss: 

🎙️ the state of sports media and why it's important to adapt and learn 

🎙️ some of her most memorable moments as a sports journalist including Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur & Maradona just to name a few 

🎙️ her new podcast Abtal 

🎙️ what advice she’d give aspiring sports journalists 

🎙️ who to watch for this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris 

🎙️ the shift in sports journalism and why that’s a good thing for women’s sports, 

🎙️ and what more is needed to really level the playing field when it comes to fair and equal coverage of women athletes. 

This is a must-listen for anyone working in women’s sports or anyone with aspirations to do so! 

Useful links: 

🔗 Reem on Instagram 

🔗 Reem’s new podcast Abtal 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn 

Our guest today, Dania Akeel, is the first motorsport athlete on our podcast. 

And it's fitting since she has a lot of firsts herself:  

The first Saudi woman to hold a National Competition License for Speedbike Circuit Racing. The first Saudi woman to participate in an international Rally Competition. 

The first woman globally to win an FIA Cross Country World Cup in the T3 Category.   

The first Saudi woman to complete the Dakar Rally and last but not least,  the first Arab woman to finish in the top ten of that same Dakar Rally 

All this achieved in a little over three years of racing.  

In our chat with Dania, we discuss how her love of driving started early and an unintentional start to her racing career which eventually led her to the prestigious Dakar Rally.  She also tells us about the mindset that carried her through a period of recovery after an accident, and her wonderful and judgment-free perspective on life and racing. 

Dania shares that she is going to be racing in the 2023 Dakar Rally in January and we will be sure to be watching. 

Dania can be found on social media at @dania.akeel and at www.daniaakeel.com. 

To learn more about the Dakar Rally, visit www.dakar.com 

To learn more about motorsports in Saudi Arabia, visit https://samf.gov.sa 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hi Guys - Afshan here

Dawn and I are enjoying a summer away from our adopted home Dubai, but are always thinking about you, our listeners, and how we can bring you the most diverse and relatable chats with athletes from the region and beyond.

If you’ve arrived at our show for the first time - welcome, there’s a lot of amazing content to go through, and hit that like and subscribe button for future updates and episodes. If you’ve been following us for a while, you’re always in good company. Keep listening and loving, as always. Please also follow us on our social @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn .  

Dawn introduced our summer series in the last episode, dedicated to the Beginner Mindset which, undoubtedly, will take anyone listening down memory lane.

I vividly remember mine was a 90km undulating gradient bike race in the Liwa desert, in the far-flung western region of the UAE, just two months after learning how to ride a bike in 2020, having missed that milestone as a child.

Unshackled from any pressure of time, power or performance, and unknown in the strava -sphere, the goal was to keep pedalling and be in the moment, enjoy it. And no matter how the race goes, the outcome would lead to growth - personal and athletic.

Ultra-cyclists who Dawn interviews in this EP41: 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️ Ultra-Cycling & the Beginner’s Mindset: Three Ultra-Cyclists share their first race experience recount the first time they found themselves on the start line of a race. Their journey is energising , so do give it a listen.  You’ll find the show wherever you get your podcasts fix.

Today, I’m bringing you start line stories from athletes who don’t just take on one challenge but three different ones in a single day. Triathletes compete in swimming, biking and running - in that order - over total distances ranging from short sprints of 12.9km to long-distances that go up to 226km.

You’ll hear from Asma Al Janahi, John Senger, Katerina Malhi and Zahraa Alkhaleesi , all triathletes who found this multiport at different stages of their lives. You’ll find yourself in their experiences - jumping into the unknown, fear of doing something for the first time, falling ill but showing up to see how resilient you can be. What’s uplifting is that they all endured and kept returning to learn and grow from each race.

In her book A Life Without Limits: A World Champion’s Journey, Chrissie Wellington OBE, the English former professional triathlete, and four-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion describes her mindset as: “There is never a destination, just the impulse to grow. My only policy through, she says “has been to keep an open mind and whatever I may do, to give it my all,”, which is exactly what I took away from listening to the experiences shared in this episode.

Before I give the floor to the athletes in today’s show, I’d like to say that there are few commonalities in beginners - the eagerness to improve, building one’s self-confidence, enthusiasm to transform and above all humility. Even as we grow in our sports, it...

Ultra running and adventure sports athlete Ivana Kolaric is back with us for this episode where she talks about her most recent and very exciting multi-day, non-stop adventure in New Zealand - Godzone - also known as the largest expedition race in the world. 

For those of you who haven’t heard our first chat with Ivana on the podcast where she tells us what makes her push her limits in sports and discusses her self-supported Trans Balkan Ultra Cycling Race in 2022, don’t worry, head to EP2 here: ‘TENACITY: Ultra athlete Ivana Kolaric on going from fitness to seeking the world’s toughest races’ .

We had to get Ivana back on because we were excitedly following her as she did this 558km multi-discipline challenge, which involved 136kms of trekking, 310kms of mountain biking, 47kms of canoeing and 65kms of kayaking over 12 stages, which her team of four had to finish in 8.5 days. 

We don’t just want to take you back in time with stories of athletes as they grow in their sports but aim to bring you their experiences from their challenges and find out how others can get involved. 

And that’s exactly what we got from her rollercoaster journey through the Fiordland of New Zealand. We talk about how the team of four - Luke, Ivana, Nikolai and Adrian - was formed, packing gear, navigating it with only a physical map and compass (no technology allowed), the nurturing role of the support crew that met them at different stages, highlights and lowlights and how this race promotes a spirit of participation for everyone with its equitable rules. 

We also find out that navigating a bush in New Zealand requires a different skill, one that they couldn’t have done without their master navigator Adrian, who we would like on our adventures too! 

Was this her hardest challenge and would she do it again? Keep listening to find out. 

To know more about Godzone, visit godzoneadventure.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

The Mettleset Podcast is on a mission to bring you stories of tenacity, courage and mettle from athletes in the Middle East and beyond. From women’s sports and motorsports to adventure, action- and ultra- endurance sports, and everything in between, listeners will get a dose of the region’s most compelling - fun and funny - underreported sports stories every week.

Hosts Dawn Barnable (Sports Communications Professional & Ultra Cyclist), and Afshan Ahmed (Journalist and Endurance Athlete) will be joined weekly by guests who range from record - and boundary – breaking athletes, world-class explorers, community sports leaders and pro athletes at every stage of their career.

For more info, visit www.themettleset.com and find us on all major socials at @themettleset.

This is Part Two of two of our chat with 15 year-old Emirati snowboarder Amenah Al Muhairi, and her mum Maya! 

If you haven’t checked out Part One, you may want to pause and go back and do that now! It’s a great chat about Amenah’s start in sports, her and her family’s approach to training as well as wise words from Amenah herself. 

In this - Part Two, we’re chatting through Amenah’s future plans including Olympic aspirations, and the wonderful support she’s received through sponsors. We also chat through what more needs to be done more broadly in the sports eco-system to ensure that all young athletes are able to live up to their full potential. 

We also chat through why Amenha is not not only aiming for the stars, but also the moon!  

To find Amenah on Instagram: @itsamenahalmuhairi

For more information on: 

• Mubadala, visit https://www.mubadala.com 
• Ski Dubai, visit: https://www.skidxb.com 
• The UAE Winter Sports Federation, check them out on @uaewsf

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan

In this episode I’m joined by Sports Physiotherapist and New Balance Run Club Coach, Melissa Abbey, to break down everything you need to know about running—whether you’re just starting, getting back into it, or aiming for bigger distances. Melissa, who’s currently training for the New York Marathon, shares her expert insights into injury prevention, strength and conditioning, and how to make running enjoyable at any level.

You’ll also hear about Melissa’s journey as a triathlete, her experience as a sports physiotherapist, and the exciting rollout of the New Balance Run Club across the region. Whether you're targeting your first 5K or planning to go ultra, this episode is packed with tips to help you run smart, stay injury-free, and find joy in the process.

Key Topics Discussed:  

• How to safely start or restart your running journey  
• Tips for progressing from shorter distances to marathons and beyond 
• Why a sports physiotherapist can be a key asset for runners  
• Importance of strength and conditioning for injury prevention  
• Nutrition, hydration, and recovery tips  
• Overcoming the intimidation factor and just starting

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

• Follow Melissa @melissa_abbey_physio 

Exercises for strength and conditioning:

• Calf Raises 
• Single Leg Exercises Sit to Stand  

Recommended running shoes:  

• For Race Day: New Balance FuelCell Super Comp Elite 
• For Every Day: New Balance 1080 

Sign up for the New Balance Run Club:  

• Dubai @nbrc_dubai - Sign Up Here 
• Abu Dhabi @nbrc_abudhabi - Sign Up Here 
• Doha @nbrc_doha - Sign Up Here 
• Riyadh @

There’s something unexplainable and enigmatic about underwater caves, which Jarrod Jablonski, the Director of Deep Dive Dubai - the world’s deepest diving pool - beautifully paints for us in this episode. 

He should know! The accomplished explorer, educator, published author and world-record setting diver has spent countless hours navigating caves all around the world with an upward of 10,000 dives in his 30-year career. 

We sat down with Jarrod to discuss his childhood and university days diving in Florida, where he also set a world record for the longest cave dive, a 90m dive spanning 18km that saw him underwater for 30 hours - you heard that correct - his world record for the longest cave traverse, 11km also at 90km.

He also discusses how his own experience in the sport and the critical need for elevating diver safety and aquatic conservation led him to setting up the non-profit Global Underwater Explorers. 

Of course, we couldn’t let him leave with chatting about some of his most adventurous dives, his role at Deep Dive Dubai and who the best celebrity diver is. 

Follow Jarrod’s diving expeditions and conservation efforts on @jarrodjablonski .

To know more about Global Underwater Explorers’ programme, head to gue.com .

You can find more information about Deep Dive Dubai on @deepdivedubai  and deepdivedubai.com .

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

This chat highlighted the power of curiosity and made us appreciate the spirit of exploration. We hope you enjoy!

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

A pro endurance athlete based in Dubai, Ivana Kolaric is excited by challenges that push her to extremes. She’s competed in the World Toughest Race: Eco Challenge Fiji, the 386kms MOAB240 endurance ultra trail run in Utah, the Spartan World Championship in 2021 and the very first edition of the 1,366km off-road & self-supported Trans Balkan Ultra Cycling Race in 2022.

In this episode, Ivana talks to us about keeping her limitless energy for the outdoors alive since childhood, all her character-defining moments in some of the world’s toughest races, her startline rituals and the power of positive attitude and mindset to move mountains in anything you set your mind to.

To find Ivana, and follow her journey, check her out at @ivko_fitness

Find out more about the races discussed in the episode, visit:

https://www.transbalkanrace.com/

https://www.destinationtrailrun.com/moab

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and free-dive experiences.

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info, visit www.themettleset.com , and all major socials at @themettleset.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Dawn & Afshan

@dawnable

@afshahmed

In this episode with our guest Faranak Partoazar, a mountain biker from Iran with several accolades to her name, Dawn and I want to first acknowledge the challenges and obstacles women in Iran continue to face today, which makes Faranak’s journey into mountain biking even more compelling. The safety of our guests, who come from across the region, is of utmost importance to us, and we have avoided sensitive topics in this discussion. 

At the age of nine, Faranak had to give up cycling because it was frowned upon for girls to be seen riding in Iran. But it was an obsession that never left her and at 21, she went looking for it again. The rest is history, literally!

Faranak became one of the first professional mountain bikers in Iran, starting her career in 2014 and going on to win national titles and races at home, and also becoming the first woman in Iran to win medals in the Asian Championships. 

This, after the several hurdles of being harassed while riding, horrific accidents and difficulties in finding sponsors. She persevered to prove that women can be more successful than men in this sport in Iran. 

Our conversation with Faranak goes back to her childhood when she found cycling and then into finding her passion for mountain biking. We talk about the challenges she was met with, her competitions and how her purpose has grown to being the voice of encouragement for young women who want to pursue any sport anywhere in the world. 

To follow Nelly, find her on instagram at @faranakpartoazar  and  www.faranakpartoazar.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

For more info, visit 

When Rally Jameel, the first navigational rally in the region exclusively for women, was launched in Saudi two years ago, we were excited to see how this event with a low barrier to entry would encourage more women into motorsports. 

Today, we have one half of this year’s Rally Jameel’s winning team Hanna Riehle, who takes us a little bit closer to what it was like on ground, navigating the desert of Saudi with 81 other women who grabbed this unique opportunity to prove their mettle. 

This was Hanna and co-driver Evelina Chlebowska’s second year competing as team Sandstorm Express. After coming very close to ranking at the top in the first edition, they clinched the win in this year’s 1,600km, five-day long rally, which took place in March. All in a 10-year-old Toyota FJ Cruiser and without any sponsors. 

Hanna tells us how she’s always been naturally competitive, so this win comes as no surprise. The sports consultant from Germany moved to Saudi in search of a new adventure in 2018. From playing multiple sports, including football and Crossfit, and getting her sailing and motorbike licenses, to leaving home at 18 to volunteer in Uruguay, Hanna lives outside of comfort zone.

In this episode, we chat with Hanna about her foray into rally racing and the importance of cooperation and complete confidence in your teammate to stay safe and competitive in these races. Hanna also explains how this rally is filled with camaraderie and support for everyone participating and how such initiatives can propel women's sports in the region. 

Hanna’s energy was infectious and we’re looking forward to a trip to Saudi to explore all that it has to offer in sports soon.

Enjoy the show! 

To know more about Rally Jameel,  head to rallyjameel.com and @rallyjameel

If you want to listen to our interview with Darkar Rally athlete Dania Akeel, you can find  that episode HERE.

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

More than 3,500 triathletes, 7,500 volunteers and 300,000 spectators have been descending on a small town in Germany every summer since 1990.

There’s a reason Challenge Roth is considered among the top three long-distance triathlons in the world.

 And each year, the race sells out in under a minute - this year in 40 seconds for the 2024 edition.

As you’ve heard from two triathletes from the Middle East who took on the challenge in June this year, this race is a celebration of endurance, determination and camaraderie - all of which I too got to experience as a spectator this year.

We also did an episode in June with Dubai-based community athlete Najla Hallit on how to prepare for this challenge. Here's the link to it: EP36: 🚴🏾‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️Sports for Life: Community athlete Najla Hallit on finding the training and life balance to train the long-distance triathlon Challenge Roth

So, what makes Challenge Roth the Home of Triathlon? Why is this race on every triathletes wish list and how does the organisation and safety of such a massive event pan out?

Once the dust had settled from the 2023 edition, we caught up with race director Felix Walchshofer to find out what makes this one of the biggest races in the world and how participation from the Middle East is growing.

Felix tells us why Challenge Roth is so special for him and shares personal stories of athletes that he has met over the years.

We also discuss the looming issue of safety at such long-distance challenges and how races can evolve to improve the experience for athletes - both pros and amateurs - who travel from all over the world for it.

The snippet that you hear at the start of the episode is from the triathlon festival - yes festival - may have given you a taste of the vibe and energy that athletes and spectators can expect at this race.

But nothing can prepare you for the true essence of it, something that every athlete we spoke to at the race this year told us. You’ll hear more from some of them in an upcoming episode.

Before we dive into this discussion with Felix, I’d like to apologise for the audio quality of this episode as we faced some technical issues when connecting with him virtually for the interview. But I can guarantee that Felix’s passion and account of the race will more than make up for it.

Enjoy!

To follow Felix Walchshoefer, head to @felix_walchshoefer

To find out more about Challenge Roth, visit www.challenge-roth.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

When we sat down with Nadhira Al Harthy for this episode in early October, we knew that we were going to discuss her journey to become the first Omani woman to summit Mount Everest. We also knew we’d discuss how she became the first Arab woman to climb Ama Dablam, one of the most beautiful and technical peaks in Nepal. 

What we didn’t know, and as she announced on our show, is that she has become the first ever civilian woman to be embedded with Oman’s military mountaineering team where she is learning techniques to cope with treacherous terrains. At the time of release of this episode, her training had just begun and she expects this to be one her biggest challenges yet. We’re pretty sure that we were the first to hear about this, and now you are too! 

In this episode, you’ll also hear how Nadhira started Mountaineering at the age of 42, inspired by her late mentor,  Khalid Al-Siyabi, the first Omani to summit Everest. We’ll chat through her childhood in remote Oman, how she came to find ultra-running having not even run 10km before and how all of this has led to a deep appreciation for the outdoors and has been a catalyst for her personal growth and achievement. 

This is a heartwarming, inspiring, fun and funny chat that we know you’ll love as much as we did. 

To find Nadhira online, please visit: https://nadhira-alharthy.com or on instagram at @alharthynoor. 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

Concussions, shoulder troubles, ACL tears, low bone density, Low Energy Availability, menopause …

Sports, and injuries from it, tend to impact female athletes in a different way to their male counterparts. 

Yet, it is only now that awareness and medical research has ramped up around the gender differences in sports medicine. 

Joining us on today’s show to discuss some of the most pressing issues in female athlete health is Dr Kate Jordan, a sports and exercise medicine physician at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai.

Dr Jordan has worked with elite athletes throughout her career. She’s been with international teams at the London 2021 Olympics, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games,  She has also been with the British Olympic team, Scottish Rugby and Football, and at the Scottish Institute of Sports.

Dr Jordan is currently working with British Swimming, for World Rugby as a tournament doctor and a medical educator, and in anti-doping. 

Having treated a wide range of illnesses and injuries in elite sports, Dr Jordan shares insights from her personal experiences with patients and current research around female health. She also demystifies female health concerns and talks about the need to look closely at the performance vs long-term health balance. 

This is the first or our two part interview with Dr Jordan where we explore common injuries in female athletes, Low Energy Availability, disordered eating and the right fuelling for performance and health. 

Tune in next week for Part 2 where we discuss training, the menstrual cycle, hormones and menopause, as well.

We would like to add that this is a general discussion on female athlete health and any information in this podcast is for educational purposes only, and does not intend to substitute a personal consultation with a physician, diagnosis or treatment if you have any health concerns. 

Enjoy!

To know more about Dr. Kate Jordan, find her on LinkedIn.

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn

@dawnable 

Hello, 

Welcome to our new format, featuring the news headlines for the week, centering women and women’s stories! We hope you like this new format. 

The Mettleset is now two years old so a big thank you to everyone who has supported us, followed and engaged and liked our content, especially the athletes who have entrusted us to share their stories. 

More info on the news shared this week: 

• The Saudi Games 
• The Women’s T20 Women’s World Cup
• The ESeries announces Doha
• Team Saudi at the World Freediving Championship
• The Sport Industry Forum

Our interview this week is with Melissa Moncada, President of Pro Cycling Team, UAE Team ADQ: https://www.uaeteamadq.com 

Thanks for listening! Please like, follow, subscribe and share and for news tips, email us at hello@themettleset.com. 

Follow us @themettleset

Dawn

This is the fourth episode in a series to commemorate International Women’s Day because for us, every day is International Women’s Day, as we work to help create a more welcoming, equitable and just sports industry for all athletes.  

We’ve taken some of the best moments from the 50+ episodes that we’ve recorded to share with you tales of joy, mettle, courage  and wisdom from an amazing array of women in sport from across the region. 

If you haven’t checked out the first and second in the series, Episode 57, 58 and 59, please go do that HERE and HERE and HERE! 

 In this episode, you’ll hear stories from: 

• 🇴🇲🏔️ EP 48 - Nadhira Al Harthy,  the first Omani woman to summit everest 
• 🇸🇦🎿 EP 32 - Sharifa Al Sudairi , the first woman on Saudi Arabia’s alpine skiing team 
• 🇸🇦🏃🏽‍♀️ EP 46 - Jude Jamjoom - the Co-Founder of Jeddah Tribe, a thriving Tri community in Saudi Arabia 
• 🇬🇧🤸🏻‍♀️ EP 23 - Sarah Mercer, a UAE Based Olympic gymnast for team GB who’s Olympic journey to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics was far from linear 

This episode series is dedicated to the memory of Palestinian Karate Champion, Nagham Abu Samra (1999-2024). For more information on Nagham, please visit the following articles HERE and HERE. 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

Hey Guys,

Today, we’ve got a special episode with questions about athlete health that you shared with us on our social platforms.

Dr Kate Jordan, a sports and exercise medicine physician at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai, stayed back after our two-part episode on female athlete health, which you can find here: Part 1 , Part 2 , to answer them.

So, if you ever wondered why and how to top up on your collagen, how to improve your cycling power, supplements you may need as an athlete, or should you train through a niggle, you’ve come to the right place. We have you covered.

We would like to add that this is a general discussion on athlete health and any information in this podcast is for educational purposes only, and does not intend to substitute a personal consultation with a physician, diagnosis or treatment.  If you have any health concerns, please speak to your doctor. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

To know more about Dr. Kate Jordan, visit the Mediclinic Parkview Hospital 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hi, Dawn here,

I hope you are having a wonderful summer. Before I get into this episode, we want to remind you that we now have a YouTube channel. Expect video episodes - live right now- and new and fun types of content. Please subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@themettleset 

So back to this episode. This is the start of a new series which is dedicated to the Beginner Mindset. If you’ve been following along you’ll know that throughout the podcast, we’ve had the opportunity to talk with so many amazing women - and men - about achieving some VERY big goals. 

We hope that you find our guests as relatable as we do, and keeping in this spirit, we wanted to share athletes speaking about their very first race or major sports challenge… be it in ultra-cycling, ultra-running, triathlon or even mountaineering.  We wanted to do this to highlight that we all start somewhere and reinforce that there is beauty in the Beginner’s Mindset. 

Today, we focus on self-supported ultra-cycling and you’ll hear from Evelyn Weiss, Ella Barlow and Chris Thomas, as each shares their experience in their very first race. 

Find the athletes and the races they talk about below: 

• Evelyn Weiss (@cyclingneve) discusses the 1,000km/10,000m NorthRace WestPhalia in Germany 
• Ella Barlow (@ellabeebikes) discusses the 1,000km/12,000m BikingMan Portugal in Portugal 
• Chris Thomas (@zemountaingoat) discusses the 330km /8,300m  Le Tour Du Mont Blanc which spans France, Switzerland and Italy 

In this episode you’ll hear about: 

• their sporting background; 
• their chosen first race; 
• how and why they did it; 
• the preparation for the race;  
• what was going through their mind on the startline; 
• the hardest part of the race & the highlight of the race; 
• what the experience taught them; and 
• and what advice they’d give to others thinking of taking on a self-supported ultra cycling race. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello Dawn here, 

I hope you’re all doing well. Summer 2023 is over and well, mine was EPIC with not one, but two adventures involving bikes. 

Today’s episode is all about bikepacking in South Korea, more specifically, the 4 Rivers BIke Path in South Korea:  approx 600 km of mostly car-free, dedicated bike paths extending from the Capital city, Seoul, to the southern sea-side city of Busan. I did this in four and a half days in early July. 

In today’s episode, Afshan and I chatted through what Bikepacking in Korea was like. The good, bad and the questionable hotels. As you’ll hear or may discover if you are now looking for information on the 4 Rivers Bike Path, it may be a little disjointed or hard to find so I’m sharing some resources below that may be helpful.  

The Four Rivers Trail - Full Ride with GPS Map 

This is the file that I used. Just a note that this file goes a little beyond the official end of the path as I learned. Keep an eye out for the KWater center at the end. 

My Day by Day Strava Segments 

My strava segments are below and will take you each night to a hotel if you want to recreate the full experience. :) 

• Day 1 - https://www.strava.com/activities/9392400708
• Day 2 - https://www.strava.com/activities/9398669925
• Day 3 - https://www.strava.com/activities/9403583994 
• Day 4 - https://www.strava.com/activities/9410403128
• Day 5 - https://www.strava.com/activities/9415692577 

NAVER 

As noted in the episode, Google maps does not work in Korea, nor really does booking.com so Naver is your go-to for navigation when you need to go off piste from the GPX route to find hotels and/or food. Naver also outlines bike paths so will get you back on the Four Rivers Path easily. I would recommend buying a cell phone holder for your handlebars so you can easily navigate with Naver as and when you need it. 

Additional Ultra Cycling Episodes

If a timed bikepacking adventure is your jam:  

• Episode 1 - How I went from Zero to Ultra in (a little over) 3 months 
• Episode 16 -  So you want to be an ultra-cyclist? Coach Niel Copeland chats about just exactly what it takes 
• Episode 16a - Ultra-Eating - Coach Niel Copeland chats race nutrition 
• Episode  24 - The Women of Race Around Rwanda - PT 1 
• Episode 25 - The Women of Race...

Our guest on today’s episode has had an illustrious career in gymnastics, starting at a young age when most Olympics hopefuls spend uncountable hours in the gym perfecting routines to now coaching young athletes in the sport - coming full circle in her sport. 

Sarah Mercer, who is from South Africa, represented Great Britain in the 1992 Olympics that took place in Barcelona. That was the ultimate goal for which,  in her own words, she  “put horse blinkers on” to achieve it. No injury, no amount of overtraining and not even the bureaucratic process could stop her from her road to the Olympics.  

In fact, she’s down in the history books for a routine that is named after her - “The Mercer” 

But moving past her adulation and achievements in gymnastics  is the trials of an athlete, and of other professional and elite athletes in gymnastics today,  that is increasingly making the news in this sport. The extreme body image pressures, the physical toll and mental stress. Is it worth it to be that consumed? For Sarah, it definitely gave her everything she had hoped for in the sport, but also pushed her into acknowledging the toxic environment that she was a part of and motivated her to advocate for ways to change it. 

Today, Sarah works with young gymnasts to make sure that they take all the positives from the sport and train  in a safe and nurturing environment. She is also coaching the team of young gymnasts who are representing the UAE at the Special Olympics in Berlin this June. 

In this discussion, Sarah talks about her challenges and opportunities in her career as an Olympic gymnast, and also about how to create a cultural shift in gymnastics and keep young people happier and healthier in the sport. 

Sarah is a coach at Simply Gymnastics. For more information, visit www.simplygymnastics.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Sarah’s approach to sports and its purpose is something that we hope inspires others coaches too! Enjoy!

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

In this special two-part episode, we’re diving deep into the incredible story of The Alpine Run Project—a transformative trail running initiative designed to empower young people from inner cities in the UK through nature, community, and sport.

In this, Part 1 of 2, we chat with John McAvoy the founder of The Alpine Run Project and a Nike-sponsored athlete. John’s own journey from a notorious armed robber to an endurance athlete is nothing short of remarkable. Having broken eight British and three World indoor rowing records while serving a double life sentence, John has transformed his life through the power of sport—and now, he's paying it forward.

In this episode, John shares:

• His personal transformation story, including his time in prison and how he discovered his natural aptitude for endurance sports.
• What inspired him to start The Alpine Run Project and how it offers inner-city youth the opportunity to explore their potential through trail running.
• How the project, now in its second year, has grown with the support of Nike, JD Sports, and Strava—and how it’s making a lasting impact on the young people involved.

We also discuss the larger themes of this episode, including the transformative power of sport, the importance of mentorship, and the profound influence relationships can have on our lives. John's journey is proof that no matter how dire your circumstances, it’s possible to rewrite your story.

Make sure to tune in to Part 2, where I’ll be talking to Elena and Nimrah, two incredible Alpine Run Project alumni, along with Darren Davis, the former prison officer who played an instrumental role in John’s transformation and the creation of the project.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about The Alpine Run Project: https://www.ybb.agency/alpine-run-project 
• Watch the ARP documentary on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Streets-Peaks-Andy-Ashworth/dp/B0D4YT7S9B 
• Listen to more podcasts featuring John’s story:  
• The Rich Roll Podcast 
• The High Performance Podcast

Follow John McAvoy on Instagram: @jonnymac83

Don’t forget to follow @themettleset and please do leave us a review (five star only). 

I hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn

Today’s guest is from one of the flattest countries in the world, Bahrain. 

In fact, the highest point in the entire country is only 134m above sea level and that’s not even open to the public.  Why is that relevant you may ask?  

Well, our guest today just completed what is widely considered the hardest ultramarathon in the world, UTMB.  For those who don’t know UTMB stands for the Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc, a 171 km trail race with 10,000m of elevation -  all with a time limit of 46 hours and 30 minutes. 

Fatema Husain is the first Bahraini National - woman or man to complete this race and she is here to tell us all about it. 

This year UTMB  started on Friday, 1st of September at 6pm and as it always does, it traversed the Tour Du Mont Blanc hiking path across France, Italy & Switzerland.  All starting and ending in Chamonix with the magnificent Mont Blanc as the backdrop to the start and finish line. 

What’s more remarkable is that Fatema once didn’t consider herself a runner, in fact it took her a year and a half to build up to running 3 km on a treadmill.  

Fatema is determination embodied and our chat with her has already given us some ideas about taking on the Tour Du Mont Blanc ourselves. 

In today’s episode we chat with Fatema about how she went from having very little physical activity in her day-to-day life to completing what many consider the pinnacle of the ultra running race calendar. 

We chat through how she built up her endurance over the past ten years from running to running ultras. Her cycling career - yes, she is also a Bahraini National cycling champ… and the day-by-day of UTMB, including the support she got along the way, racing against cut off times and making peace with pain. 

We also hear what it felt like carrying the Bahraini flag over the UTMB finish line for the first time ever. 

For more information on UTMB visit: https://utmb.world

To follow Fatema Husain on Instagram, follow @FateMoves 

We were also delighted to see the celebration and acknowledgement that Fatema has received since arriving home. For more information check out the Bahrain News Agency article here. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

Find us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

We have hosted athletes from across the Middle East, and some of the common factors among them has been their growth mindset, positive competitive spirit and, importantly, the guidance of good coaches and mentors in their sports. 

Maria Kavussanu, a professor in sports and exercise psychology at the University of Birmingham in the UK has dedicated several years to understanding what causes prosocial and antisocial behaviours in sports, and its consequences. 

In this discussion with her, we talk about morality in sports, developing the right mindset and her most recent study on “authentic leadership”, which looked into the influence of a coach on an athlete’s behaviour, attitudes and performance in their sports. This was published in the Sports Exercise and Performance Psychology academic journal last year. She also discusses how elite and amateur athletes can ease stress and preserve their mental wellbeing.

Prof. Maria has published more than 120 journal articles and book chapters and has received funding for her research from the Economic and Social Research Council, the Nuffield Foundation, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and the International Olympic Committee. 

To find out more about Prof. Kavussanu, visit the University of Birmingham  

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info, visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We learnt a lot...

Published on Friday, November 8th, this is an episode packed with women’s sports news from the Middle East and beyond as well as an interview with Saudi Arabia’s first pro cyclist, Moroj Adil. Catch Moroj’s first appearance on the podcast: 

🎙️ EP. 61 - The Mettleset Podcast with Moroj Adil 

This week we discuss:

🏉 Dubai Rugby Sevens: November 30 - December 1. Olympic medalists New Zealand, Canada, and Australia in action. Tickets & info

🎾 Ons Jabeur in Riyadh: Guest of honor at the WTA Finals, hosting tennis clinics and inspiring future stars. Full interview: Arab News

🤺 UAE Women’s Epee World Cup: November 8-10 in Fujairah. Seven Emirati fencers representing the UAE: https://www.instagram.com/uae_fencing/ 

🚵‍♀️ Neom Beach Games: The supertri NEOM, and the upcoming Neom Titan Desert Race (Nov 18-22): https://titandesertksa.com/en/ 

🚴🏽‍♀️ Guest Interview: Moroj Adil, Saudi Arabia’s first pro cyclist, on her journey and first season. Find Moroj: https://www.instagram.com/moroj.adil/

Be sure to follow us on @themettleset for more sports updates, culture, and conversation. Remember to like, follow, and subscribe. Got a news tip? Email us at hello@themettleset.com.

Hi Guys,

Our show today is as power-packed as our guest when the gun goes off on a run track.

Aziza Sbaity, who has earned the title of the Fastest Woman in Lebanese History, joined us for a chat right after her first track and field training session of the season - as she starts her prep to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Aziza has come out of a very busy first half of the year, winning gold in the 200m sprint at the West Asian Athletics Championships in April, at the Arab Athletics Championship in June, and a silver in the 100m in that race.  

That’s not all, she also broke the 100m sprint national record in May – for the SIXTH time - doing the dash in an impressive 11.54 secs.

But it was her performance at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships that left her with a deep introspection, respect for her body and maturity as an athlete – all of which we’ll get into on the show.

Aziza tells us about her move from Liberia to Lebanon at 10, and how being a Lebanese with mixed heritage shaped her childhood, and her views on identity and representation as an athlete.

We discuss what it takes to be an Olympic hopeful in a highly competitive landscape and how, despite the challenges of resources and athlete support, there’s a will to grow access to sports for everyone in Lebanon. It’s also one of the reasons Aziza continues to give back through her community initiatives.  

One of them has been her constant collaboration with the Beirut Marathon Association, which has been spearheading the growth of the running community in the country. For those of you who have been following us for a while may remember that I did the Beirut International Marathon, my first one - last year. You’ll hear more about the association’s impact in the episode, and we’ll got links below to our previous episodes on the association. 

For us, this chat also turned into a guide to mastering the mind with Japanese concepts of self-reflection and how elite athletes can navigate the pressures of expectations. 

Dawn and I are keenly following Aziza’s journey and many endeavors in sports, and you can too by following her on @azizasbaity on Instagram. 

To listen to our coverage on the Beirut International Marathon:

🏃🏽‍♀️The story of unity and peace in the region through running with Francoise Nehme, the director of operations for the Beirut International Marathon. 

❔Can anyone run a marathon?

🧾My First Marathon Debrief 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram,

Our last full episode of 2023 features the energetic and joyful Mo Rahma. Mo brings heart to everything he does, which at the time of recording includes 60 different sport disciplines… and counting. 

Mo’s sport journey started in childhood has many twists and turns and he’s represented the UAE in football as a youth, and later rugby and surfing all while managing ulcerative colitis, a chronic health condition.  

In our chat with Mo, he talks about focus, motivation, mindset, managing a chronic illness, why competition matters, and the importance of the basics. He also discusses becoming the first Emirati to represent the UAE on the World Surfing Tour.  

Mo’s journey didn’t stop there and most recently, he’s committed himself to trying (and documenting with the help of his wife) as many sports as possible during the Dubai Fitness Challenge. 60 down, 40 more to go.  

We also chat about the power of reflection, celebration and why the best is yet to come. 

In his own words, sports makes Mo feel alive and this discussion with Mo gave us life - and a lot of food for thought - as we close out a memorable year. 

Mo can be found on instagram @mo_rahma 

For more information on the Dubai Fitness Challenge, visit www.dubaifitnesschallenge.com 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

No matter at what age you enter a sport, your attitude is what cements your success. 

Today’s guest and the first woman to join the Saudi Arabia Alpine Skiing Team, Sharifa Al-Sudairi, epitomises courage in competition. 

The 36-year-old athlete only took up professional ski racing in 2020 and admits that she has a long way to go. But Sharifa has already become a trailblazer among Arab women for her “never give up” mindset, which she has consciously been training since becoming an athlete. 

From growing up tackling the slopes of Switzerland as a child to enduring crashes as a forerunner, Sharifa has kept picking herself back up to push on in the sport and competed in her first official competition at Ski Dubai last November, which we get into in the show.

We also discuss the huge potential in winter sports that is building in the Kingdom, now that Saudi Arabia has won the bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games and the reception that women from the region have been receiving world over for making a mark in a range of sports. 

Sharifa’s perspective and lessons through skiing resonate with us, and we hope they do with you too!

Enjoy!

 To follow Sharifa,  head to @sharifa_ski

To find out more about the Saudi Snow Sports Federation, visit @sssfksa and wintersports.sa

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

 For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

This is the second episode in the Women of Wisdom, a series to commemorate International Women’s Day. For us, every day is International Women’s Day, as we work to help create a more welcoming, equitable and just sports industry for all athletes.  

We’ve taken some of the best moments from the 50+ episodes that we’ve recorded to share with you tales of joy, mettle, courage  and wisdom from an amazing array of women in sport from across the region. 

If you haven’t checked out the first in the series, Episode 57, please go do that HERE. 

 In this episode, you’ll hear stories from: 

• 🇲🇦 EP 45 - Moroccan Golfer, Maha Haddoui, the first Arab women on the Ladies European Tour 
• 🇸🇦 EP 15 - Saudi Triathlon Trailblazer, Dina Al Tayeb, the first Saudi National and first Arab woman to complete the Ironman World Championships in Kona 
• 🇧🇭 EP 44 - Bahraini Ultra-Runner Fatema Husain, the first Bahraini man or woman to finish UTMB, the world’s toughest ultra race and last but not least 
• 🇮🇳 EP 4  - UAE Based Anisha Shetty of India, A two time UAE Muay Thai Champion and three time national Muay Thai champion for India 

This episode series is dedicated to the memory of Palestinian Karate Champion, Nagham Abu Samra (1999-2024). For more information on Nagham, please visit the following articles HERE and HERE. 

If you've been enjoying our content and finding value in our discussions, please take a quick moment to show your support. Just hit the subscribe button wherever you are listening to us so that you never miss an episode.

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

It is sport event season in the Middle East and one event that we’re super excited to see roll into Abu Dhabi for its second edition is The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open which is taking place 3-11 February at the International Tennis Center, Zayed Sports City. 

In today’s episode, we speak to one of the unsung heroines of the event, Vickie Gunnarss, Senior Director, Global Partnerships and Business Development for IMG Tennis Events.

Our Vickie  provides many lessons and learnings for any of our listeners who want to work in sport and perhaps is very relatable to those who do work in sport. We also cover: 

 🎾 Vickie’s own path into sport which started in childhood in Sweden

🎾 Tennis School and how she became a scholarship athlete in the USA 

🎾 Representation in Tennis, 

🎾 How Tennis is moving towards pay equity,  

🎾 The role of Tennis great Billie Jean King and what it means to all women in sport 

🎾 How she made the transition from athlete to sports management. 

Last but certainly not least, we chat through all the anticipated action of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and why you must go. We get a little explainer on what it means for this event to be a WTA 500 event, we talk about the stars of the event, which this year will include World No 6, Tunisia’s own Ons Jabeur, Naomi Osaka, and Emma Raducanu just to name a few. Buy your tickets here: https://www.mubadalaabudhabiopen.com/tickets/

Another cool event that Vickie played a key role in bringing to life is the Jasmin Open in Tunisia which you can read all about HERE. 

Please also leave a review - 5 ⭐ only - and follow @themettleset on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. This really helps us in our commitment to bring you the best possible show and the most interesting guests. 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Dawn & Afshan 

If you’ve been paying attention, triathlons are having a moment in the Middle East. More and more athletes from all over the region are taking up the sport.  Equally, Saudi Arabia is seeing a booming interest in sports, especially triathlons, and our guest today has and continues to play a key role in developing it in the region. 

This unintentional trailblazer is Dr. Dina Al Tayeb, who began competing in triathlons back in 2005 when no one was doing it and there really wasn’t any tri community to fall back on. 

Dina became the first Arab and first Saudi national to complete an Ironman distance triathlon. She is also the first Arab woman and Saudi National to qualify and complete the Ironman World Championships in Kona.  And she is the first Saudi National to qualify and compete in the 70.3 World Championships. Feats and titles she never set out to accomplish as she was simply looking to challenge herself in sports. 

In our chat with Dina, she details her start into the world of triathlons when it was largely unheard of, particularly for a Saudi woman. 

Along with being a triathlete, she is a certified Ironman Coach, an entrepreneur, dentist and mother. She also is one of the founding board members of the Saudi Triathlon Federation. 

Dina’s impact cannot be overstated and in fact, the day after our chat with Dina, she featured in the New York Times’ weekend magazine. 

She is an inspiration and role model, a wise owl and the perfect guest for us to welcome into the New Year. 

To follow Dina, check her out on instagram @dina.altayeb

To learn more about Triathlon in Saudi Arabia, visit https://www.triathlon.sa 

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore. 

Our chat with Dina makes us want to push our boundaries a little more this year, and hope you get inspired too! 

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed

Hello Dawn here, 

So earlier this year, I participated in my fourth ultra cycling race, the Race Around Rwanda. A race I did not finish. Please check out episodes 29 and 29a for my DNF race report.  

As with my earlier ultra races, after Race Around Rwanda was done, I quickly signed up for another race. This time, Dead Ends & Cake, a three-day self-supported ultra that sees those participating cycle 500km with 9000m of climbing. As the name suggests it has dead end checkpoints.. five to be exact, each with cake. It is due to start on 23 June, from St Gallen Switzerland. 

I was able to speak to Dominik Bokstaller, the race organiser a little while ago for the podcast. Since that time however, my personal circumstances have changed and I will no longer be participating in this particular race.  While I’m sad I won’t be on the start-line for this race, I’ll be following along with interest and wanted to share this episode to spread more awareness of this fun, accessible ultra that features an even 50/50 split of participants on the start-line. 

I wish both Dominik and his wider team, as well as all those participating, the very best  

More info and resources: 

🍰Dead Ends & Cake on IG 

🍰Dead Ends & Dolci on IG 

🍰Episode 16 - So you want to be an ultra cyclist 

🍰Episode 16a - Ultra eating 101 

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info,  visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

We hope you enjoy! 

Dawn & Afshan 

@dawnable 

@afshahmed