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 

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 

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 

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

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

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 

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 

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

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!

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 &

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 

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

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

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...

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 

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,

Today’s guest is one of the next generation of Saudi Arabian sports leaders.  Jude Jamjoon is the Co-Founder and President of Jeddah Tribe and to call this a Tri Club, would be accurate but it would miss the fact that it is also an event series and really at its core, a robust community that offers training, mentorship, support & encouragement for triathletes of all levels, including those who are yet to become triathletes.  This episode is about the power of community or tribe as it were. As you'll hear, Jude shares with us her own story of triathlon - which remarkably started in 2018 -  and how she was supported by a tribe of people that included her family, friends and sometimes surprisingly, complete strangers.  Since recording this episode, Jude was recognised with a 2023 World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence.  We’re sharing some links so you too, can check out further info on Jeddah Tribe and Triathlon in Saudi Arabia, as well as some of our former podcast guests mentioned in this episode.  More info & links: 🏃🏾‍♀️ Jeddah Tribe including their race calendar: https://jeddahtribe.com and on Instagram @jeddahtribe 🏊🏼‍♀️ The Saudi Triathlon Federation: https://www.triathlon.sa 🏆 For more information on Jude’s World Triathlon Award of Excellence, click here  🎽 Chairman of Saudi Triathlon Federation, Ali Magboul in Episode 40a of The Mettleset Podcast  🚴🏽‍♀️ Triathlon Trailblazer Dr Dina AlTayeb in Episode 15 of The Mettleset Podcast  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 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

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 

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...