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 2024, Maryam’s journey is full of grit, laughs, and a few moments that will make you feel like you’re right there on the starting blocks. She opens up about the ups and downs of training, balancing school and elite sport, breaking personal records, and what it felt like stepping into the Olympic Village surrounded by her heroes.

Whether you’re a sports fan or just love an inspiring story, this episode is packed with honesty, determination, and a glimpse of what it really takes to chase your dreams on the world stage.

Enjoy!

Follow Mariam on Instagram: @maryamalfarsi1

🌍 Stay Connected with - and support - The Mettleset

• 📥 Newsletter: Sign up for athlete stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and women’s sports news from MENA and beyond
• 📸 Instagram: @themettleset
• 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn
• 🌐Website: TheMettleset.com

Credits:

• Host: Dawn Barnable
• Guest: Maryam Al Farsi
• Editor: Diya Vergis
• Produced by: The Mettleset

🚲 The Mettleset is a multimedia platform and online community dedicated to sharing stories of underrepresented athletes and underreported sports from the Middle East and beyond. With a mission to diversify the sporting ecosystem, it is one of the first and only sports platforms in the Middle East to put women in sport first, while also featuring niche sporting communities such as action and endurance sports.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Dawn

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 sports scene. And there’s no better example than the Abu Dhabi Filipino Bowling Club, more than a league for nearly four decades, it’s a second family for generations of Filipinos in the UAE.

Recorded at the Khalifa International Bowling Center at Zayed Sports City, we chat with Sarah Ociones, a long-time resident, former UAE National Team bowler, and central figure in the club. She shares how bowling went from a fun family activity to international competition, how the club has grown, and the ways it brings people together - through tournaments, charity, and sheer love of the game.

Whether you’re a bowler or just curious about how sport creates community, this episode is full of laughter, inspiration, and stories that make Abu Dhabi feel like home.

Full feature linked here. Enjoy!

Follow Abu Dhabi Filipino Bowling Club on Instagram: @adfbc.uae

🌍 Stay Connected with - and support - The Mettleset

• 📥 Newsletter: Sign up for athlete stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and women’s sports news from MENA and beyond
• 📸 Instagram: @themettleset
• 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn
• 🌐Website: TheMettleset.com

Credits:

• Host: Dawn Barnable
• Guest: Sarah Ociones
• Editor: Diya Vergis
• Produced by: The Mettleset

🚲 The Mettleset is a multimedia platform and online community dedicated to sharing stories of underrepresented athletes and underreported sports from the Middle East and beyond. With a mission to diversify the sporting ecosystem, it is one of the first and only sports platforms in the Middle East to put women in sport first, while also featuring niche sporting communities such as action and endurance sports.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Dawn

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 researcher Dr. Mariana Kessler breaks down why that long-held belief simply isn’t true.

Drawing from years of research into stress, coping, wellbeing, and gender differences in athletes, Dr. Mariana explains what the science actually shows, and why women’s experiences in sport often feel more stressful for reasons that have nothing to do with biology or ability.

She dives into the real issue: the systemic barriers women face every day in sport. From microaggressions to under-representation to male-dominated research frameworks, Dr. Mariana highlights how the environment shapes stress far more than individual traits.

We also unpack the four areas in sport where the gender gap remains most visible, research, representation, media visibility, and funding, and what needs to change to close those gaps.

Follow Dr. Mariana on LinkedIn: Dr. Mariana Kaiseler

🌍 Stay Connected with - and support - The Mettleset

• 📥 Newsletter: Sign up for athlete stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and women’s sports news from MENA and beyond
• 📸 Instagram: @themettleset
• 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn

Credits:

• Host: Dawn Barnable
• Guest: Dr.Mariana Kaiseler
• Editor: Diya Vergis
• Produced by: The Mettleset

🚲 The Mettleset is a multimedia platform and online community dedicated to sharing stories of underrepresented athletes and underreported sports from the Middle East and beyond. With a mission to diversify the sporting ecosystem, it is one of the first and only sports platforms in the Middle East to put women in sport first, while also featuring niche sporting communities such as action and endurance sports.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Dawn