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...

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...

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...

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 ResponseECWR 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...

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...

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,...

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 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:...

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...

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 CupThe ESeries announces DohaTeam Saudi at the World...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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,...

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...

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...