The Mettleset Podcast
by The Mettleset
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) is joined by friends 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.
Episodes
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116. 🇴🇲 🤿 “Diving is absolutely for everyone”: Ehdaa (Dee) Al-Barwani, Oman’s First Female Scuba Instructor
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance What do you do when you’re the only local woman teaching diving in your country, and the women who want to learn don’t have a place where they feel comfortable? For Ehdaa (Dee) Al-Barwani, you buy a secondhand yacht, strip…
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115. "If You Can, Why Not?" - Pro Cyclist Mavi García on Making Tour de France History, and The Gift of Racing On
Today's episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance and Dr.stretch. Mavi García didn't turn professional until she was 31, after more than a decade working a full-time job and nearly ten years away from organized sport altogether. Since then, she's become a four-time Spanish...
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114. "Losing is Never the End" - 🇹🇳 Dr. Sarra Lajnef-Taylor, Olympian & 5x Guinness World Record Holder
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance and Dr.stretch. Dr Sarra Lajnef-Taylor made history as the first Tunisian woman to qualify for the Olympics in swimming, competing at London 2012. Since then, she's refused to be defined by one sport, becoming a six-time…
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113. "Riyadh Is The New NYC" — Jay3lle Founder Johan Lindeberg on Intuition, Community and Changing Golf from Saudi Arabia
This episode is brought to you by New Balance and Dr.stretch. What does it take to see something others don't? In this episode, host Dawn Barnable sits down with visionary designer, entrepreneur and brand builder Johan Lindeberg, whose influence has shaped the worlds of fashion, sport and culture...
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112. “Go For It”: The UAE’s First Pro Female MMA Fighter - Zamzam Al Hammadi & PFL MENA GM Jerome Mazet
This episode is brought to you by Dr.stretch and New Balance. At just 18 years old, Zamzam Al Hammadi is already making history. The Emirati athlete is set to become the first Emirati woman to compete for a major regional MMA promotion when she steps into the cage at PFL MENA: Pride of Arabia in...
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111. “We Don’t Stop. I Don’t Give Up.” – Lebanese Triathlete Lindzi Nader on Samla, suffering, and staying in the race
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 Lindzi Nader has built her career in triathlon the hard way, without infrastructure, without consistent funding, and often against the realities of living and training in Lebanon. But what she does have is consistency.…
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110. “When It’s Easy, I Find It Boring” - Pro Golfer Carlota Ciganda Live From the Aramco Championship, Las Vegas
This episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance Recorded at the Aramco Championship, part of the PIF Global Series at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, this episode features one of the most consistent and respected players in the game, Carlota Ciganda. With 11 professional wins...
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109. “Go Get the Milk. Then Get the Bread.” — UAE Swimmer Maha AlShehhi’s Olympic Mindset
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance What do you do when you get a call telling you you're going to the Olympics… with six weeks to go? For 18-year-old Emirati swimmer Maha Alshehhi, you put your head down, block out the noise, and mentally break a 200m...
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108. “Golf Is a Crazy Sport”: Marianne Skarpnord on Life on Tour and the Evolution of Women’s Golf
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 What does life really look like after more than two decades competing at the highest level of professional golf? Recorded live in Riyadh at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, host Dawn Barnable sits down with Ladies...
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107. Muni "Lily" He at the PIF Saudi Ladies International - On Golf, the Grind & Why She Loves F1 Academy
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 How does one of the most followed golfers on the planet handle the grind golf is known for when her life looks like a permanent highlight reel? To kick off 2026, The Mettleset was live from Riyadh at the PIF Saudi Ladies...
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106. “Do It Scared” - 🪂 Olga Naumova, Guinness World Record breaking skydiver, ultra runner & fitness coach
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 Ever wondered what it feels like to sky surf over Mount Everest or leap from 21,000 feet with nothing but a parachute and your courage? On this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, Olga Naumova - Guinness World Record...
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105. Maryam Al Farsi - A Rising UAE Star On Stepping Onto Sport’s Biggest Stage
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 Happy Eid Al Etihad! 🇦🇪 Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast takes us trackside with Maryam Al Farsi, one of the UAE’s youngest Olympians. From picking up sprinting just five years ago to running the 100m at Paris...
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104. 🇵🇭🇦🇪 Bowling, Belonging, and UAE Pride with Sarah Ociones 🎳
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 Today, we roll into a story about community, connection, and a love of the game. 🎳 In collaboration with Zayed Sports City, we spotlight the athletes and grassroots groups shaping Abu Dhabi’s women’s and community…
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103. Women in Sport Myth-Busting with Dr. Mariana Kessler
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 One of the biggest myths in sport? That women experience stress more intensely than men, and cope less effectively. In this episode recorded live at the Emirates Sports Medicine Conference, sports psychologist and...
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102. Avoiding the RED-S Card - Dr. Margo Mountjoy on Energy, Health & Equity in Sport
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 This week, we’re joined by Dr. Margo Mountjoy, sports physician, clinical professor at McMaster University, and one of the world’s leading experts on RED‑S - Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. Recorded live at the...
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101. “Work Hard and Luck Will Chase You” - Nourelhoda Arafa, Egyptian national rower and The Mettleset’s very own on the road to LA28
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 This week, we’re turning the mic inward to one of our own, Nourelhoda Arafa, Egyptian national rower and record holder, and Olympic hopeful. At 13, she picked up rowing for the first time. By 15, she was chasing Olympic...
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100. "Treat it like a business, not a charity” - Alexis Ohanian on Women’s Sports, Live from the Sport Industry Forum
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 We’re taking you straight to Abu Dhabi for a conversation that had everyone talking. Recorded live at the Sport Industry Forum 2025 (October 1–2, Yas Marina Circuit), this special episode features Alexis Ohanian -...
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99.2 The GCC at UTMB: Karis M Brown Shares Her Story - Part 2
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 In this episode, we head back to Chamonix for Part 2 of our UTMB special with Karis Miriam Brown, former lawyer, podium-finishing ultra trail runner, and certified coach. This summer, Karis lined up at the CCC 100K, one…
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99.1 The GCC at UTMB: Ivana Kolaric, Fatema Husain & Sharifah AlQattan Share Their Stories - Part 1
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, we dive into UTMB – Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc, one of the world’s most iconic trail running festivals. We sat down with three remarkable women from the region who took on the…
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98. ⚽ Maria Khan 🇵🇰 : From Backup Keeper to Pro Footballer at 32
Join us as we chat with Maria Khan, captain of the Pakistan women’s football team, about her incredible journey from an early love of football (or soccer) as a kid in the U.S. to signing her first professional contract at 32 in Saudi Arabia. Maria opens up about the influence of her sporting…
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97. 🇦🇪 Emirati Women’s Day - Celebrating Incredible Emirati Women in Sport
Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟 At The Mettleset, we exist to celebrate and empower women in sport, and what better occasion than Emirati Women’s Day to spotlight six incredible athletes who embody courage, resilience, and pride. In this special…
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96. 🏊♀️🚴♀️🏃♀️How to Train for a Triathlon as an Experienced Athlete, with Coach Melina Timson-Katchis - Part 2
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance 👟 We’re closing out our Summer Series with Melina Timson-Katchis, triathlete and coach, sharing expert advice for experienced athletes stepping into triathlon. In this episode, Melina dives into the key lessons for transferring…
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95. 🏊♀️🚴♀️🏃♀️How to Train for Your First Triathlon, with Coach Melina Timson-Katchis - Part 1
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance 👟 Ever thought about doing a triathlon but didn’t know where to start? In part one of this two-part series, Melina Timson-Katchis, long distance swimmer, triathlete and coach, shares her journey from signing up for a full Ironman…
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94. 👟 How to Run Part 2: From 5K to Ultra with New Balance Run Club Coach Dr. Sara Talia (Summer Series)
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 Welcome back to The Mettleset Podcast! In Part 2 of our running episode for the Summer Series, we're pushing past the 5K and exploring the incredible world of long-distance and ultra running with Dr. Sara Talia, a family…
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93. 👟 How to Run: From Zero to 5K with New Balance Run Club Coach Dr. Sara Talia (Summer Series)
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 Welcome back to The Mettleset Podcast! For our Summer Series, we're helping you jump into a new sport, and this week, we're leaping into the world of running. And who better to guide us from zero to 5K than the incredible Dr....
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92. 🐠 What the Ocean Teaches Us: Freediving, Wildlife, and Conservation with Saudi Record-Breaking Freediver Nada Alrasheed - Part Two (Summer Series)
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance 👟 We’re back with Saudi record-holding freediver Nada Alrasheed for Part 2 of our Summer Series deep dive exploring not just how to freedive, but why the ocean is worth protecting. Nada takes us through some of her most...
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91. 🧜🏼♀️ How to Freedive with Saudi record-breaking freediver Nada Alrasheed (Summer Series)
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance 👟 In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, we’re diving into the world of freediving with Saudi record-holder and instructor, Nada Alrasheed as part of our Summer Series focused on helping more women try new sports. Nada holds...
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90. 🏃♀️ How to HYROX with Jess Towl, One of the World’s Best (Summer Series)
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance 👟 In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, we kick off our Summer Series - a special “How To” series focused on giving you the tools, info and inspo to get started in a new sport. From running your first 5k to training for a...
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89. 🏈 'Innovation is the Baseline' with San Francisco 49ers' SVP Marketing, Stephanie Rogers
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, we’re joined by Stephanie Rogers, Executive Vice President of Marketing for the San Francisco 49ers, one of the NFL’s most storied and valuable franchises. Stephanie takes us inside the...
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88. 🇦🇪 🚵🏽♀️ SEEKALL: Off-road dreams with the UAE’s only women-led gravel cycling community
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, host Dawn Barnable heads off-road with two riders helping shape the future of cycling in the UAE. Emirati gravel cyclist Rawdha Alfalasi has created something quietly radical: Seek.All…
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87. 🏀 From Delulu to Deal Maker: Stacey Leawood’s Path to Becoming the NBA's Youngest Player Agent
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 In this inspiring episode, we chat with Stacey Leawood, who just a few years ago, made headlines as the world’s youngest NBA player agent. who made a remarkable leap from small-town Newfoundland to managing athletes in the...
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86. 🚲 ‘I got it from Saudi’ - Cyclist Elisa Grassi on winning more than medals at the Saudi Games (Rewind)
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 The third edition of the Saudi Games concluded in October 2024, leaving a lasting legacy in the hearts and minds of those who took part. Some 9,000 local and expatriate athletes competed in 52 sporting disciplines, among them...
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85. 🗞️'Being a woman in sport is my superpower' -Journalist Reem Abulleil on sport, storytelling and finding your superpower (Rewind)
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 ** Originally aired 27 May, 2024 and worth a (re)listen** 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...
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84. 🇸🇦 ⚽ The Saudi Women’s Football Episode with the Legendary Monika Staab
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 In this episode, host Dawn Barnable is joined by Monika Staab, a true pioneer in women’s football, to discuss the incredible journey of developing women’s football in Saudi Arabia. Recorded late last year, Monika reflects on…
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83. 🏁 Aliyyah Koloc on Rally, Records, Determination, and the Dakar 🇸🇨🇨🇿🇦🇪
Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟 In this episode, host Dawn Barnable sits down with motorsport athlete Aliyyah Koloc, who has already made racing history, and she’s only just getting started. Born and raised in Dubai, Aliyyah became the youngest-ever…
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82. 🏎️ From Karting to F1 Academy: 10-Year-Old Atiqa Mir is a Champion of the Future
At just 10 years old, Atiqa Mir is one of the most exciting young names in global motorsport. The first Indian and Asian girl selected to the F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive program, she’s already won at Le Mans and collected over 30 trophies. But her journey hasn’t been easy. In this episode of...
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81. 🪂 High On Life: EXIT 139 - BASE Jumping from the Burj Khalifa with Katie Hansen & Cornelia Mihai
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...
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80. 🚴♀️ BTS at the UAE Tour Women 🇦🇪 UAE Team ADQ’s Historic Victory- Elisa Longo Borghini, Silvia Persico, Cherie Pridham & Melissa Moncada - EP3 of 3
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...
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79. 🚲 BTS on the UAE Tour Women 🇦🇪 Live from Human Powered Health's Support Car - EP 2 of 3
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...
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78. 🚴♀️ BTS at the UAE Tour Women 🇦🇪 Inside the Race with Journalist Emma Cole - EP 1 of 3
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…
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77. 🦄 Embracing Change: Jola Chudy's path to Marathon des Sables
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...
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76. ⛵SailGP's First Female Driver, Martine Grael 🇧🇷 on Olympic Gold, Teamwork, and the Task at Hand
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…
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75. Dared to Tri: A chat with Hana Al Nabulsi 🇦🇪 Team UAE Triathlete
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...
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74. Women’s Sports News This Week 🏉 🎾🤺 & an Interview with Moroj Adil, Saudi’s First Pro Cyclist 🇸🇦
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...
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73. Women's Sports News This Week 🤺🥋🎾 🏃🏽♀️Egyptian Fencers Speak Up, UAE Jiu-Jitsu, WTA & the Burj2Burj
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...
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72. Women's Sports News This Week 🏎️ 🏏🏂 & The Saudi Games By the Numbers
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...
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EP71: A Deep Journey 🌊🤿 Record-Breaking Freediver Nada Alrasheed 🇸🇦 on Passion and Patience
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....
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EP70: Women's Sports News This Week ⛰️🏁🤺 & A Chat With 🇸🇦 Saudi Games Gold Medalist Elisa Grassi
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...
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EP69: Women's Sports News This Week 🐪 🏁 🏉 Camel Racing, Rally, Football, Rugby & More
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:...
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EP68: The Ultimate Running Guide: From 5K to Marathon with Physiotherapist & New Balance Coach Melissa Abbey
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...
About this show
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) is joined by friends 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.
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The Mettleset