114. "Losing is Never the End" - 🇹🇳 Dr. Sarra Lajnef-Taylor, Olympian & 5x Guinness World Record Holder

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 [https://www.newbalance.co.ae/en/] and Dr.stretch [https://www.drstretch.ae/]. 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 FINA Masters World Champion, a five-time Guinness World Record holder, a UAE rowing champion, and a medalist in triathlon and obstacle course racing. In this episode, recorded at the Khalifa International Bowling Center [https://www.zsc.ae/en/sport/bowling] at Zayed Sports Center in Abu Dhabi, Sarra opens up about leaving Tunisia for France at 15, the punctured lung that nearly cost her the London Games, the mental toll elite sport rarely talks about, and why she's now pushing for athlete safeguarding on the world stage. This is the first of what we hope will be a series of conversations with Sarra, stay tuned for round two. Follow Sarra on Instagram: @sarralajnefofficial [https://www.instagram.com/sarralajnefofficial/?hl=en] 🌍 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 [https://themettleset.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=605dd939a55794e8902a1c3a6&id=609df9d8c0&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacAeHBF9OJiOOzvgrIM2No0CzJEizCY4oeWhtdtSJQGCCiweVspcTVRuC0gOQ_aem_xSfL78-AQH7vDqIkQLPmeg] * 📸 Instagram: @themettleset [https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/] * 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/] Credits: * Host: Dawn Barnable * Guest: Dr. Sarra Lajnef-Taylor * 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 [https://www.instagram.com/dawnable/]

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 [https://www.newbalance.co.ae/] and Dr.stretch [https://www.drstretch.ae/]. 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 for more than three decades. From helping build Diesel into a global phenomenon to redefining golf style through J.Lindeberg, Johan has built a career on challenging convention and trusting his intuition long before others could see what he saw. Today, he's embarking on a new chapter with Jay3lle, a luxury golf and lifestyle brand being built from Riyadh alongside CEO Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud. Together, they're reimagining what golf can become through the lenses of fashion, luxury, wellness and community, while drawing inspiration from the energy and ambition shaping modern Saudi Arabia. In this conversation, we discuss: * Why intuition has been the guiding force throughout Johan's career * The leap from Sweden to Italy and knocking on Diesel's door * Building one of the most influential fashion brands in golf * Why community is at the heart of every successful brand * Saudi Arabia's emergence as a global hub for sport, creativity and culture * The vision behind Jay3lle and why Johan chose Riyadh for his next chapter * Golf as a lifestyle, a creative canvas and a vehicle for connection * Entrepreneurship, risk-taking and seeing opportunities before others do Whether you're an entrepreneur, athlete, creative or simply someone navigating your next chapter, this conversation offers a fascinating perspective on vision, courage and trusting your instincts. More about Jay3lle: * https://www.jay3lle.com/ [https://www.jay3lle.com/] * https://www.instagram.com/jay3lle/ [https://www.instagram.com/jay3lle/] Learn more about the Aramco Championship via The Mettleset [https://themettleset.com/eight-things-that-went-down-at-the-aramco-championship/] 🌍 Stay Connected with - and support - The Mettleset 📥 Newsletter: https://themettleset.com/subscribe/ [https://themettleset.com/subscribe/] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/ [https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/] 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/] Credits: * Host: Dawn Barnable * Guest: Johan Lindeberg [https://www.instagram.com/johanlindeberg/] * Social Media: 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 [https://www.instagram.com/dawnable/]

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 [https://www.drstretch.ae/] and New Balance [https://www.newbalance.co.ae/]. 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 Dubai on May 24. In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, we sit down with Zamzam ahead of her professional debut to talk about pressure, purpose, representation, and the mindset required to compete at one of the highest levels of combat sport. A Youth MMA World Champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standout, Zamzam opens up about growing up in a family of fighters, the influence of her mother and coach, and why she hopes this moment inspires the next generation of girls in the UAE to step into sport. We’re also joined by Jerome Mazet, GM of Professional Fighters League, who discusses the rise of MMA across the GCC, the UAE’s growing pipeline of talent, and the increasing presence of women both inside the cage and in the crowd. From Saudi Arabia’s Hattan Alsaif to Zamzam’s debut in Dubai, this episode explores how women’s MMA is becoming one of the region’s most exciting emerging sports stories. 🌍 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 [https://themettleset.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=605dd939a55794e8902a1c3a6&id=609df9d8c0&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacAeHBF9OJiOOzvgrIM2No0CzJEizCY4oeWhtdtSJQGCCiweVspcTVRuC0gOQ_aem_xSfL78-AQH7vDqIkQLPmeg] * 📸 Instagram: @themettleset [https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/] * 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/] Credits: * Host: Dawn Barnable * Guests: Zamzam Al Hammadi & Jerome Mazet * 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 [https://www.instagram.com/dawnable/]

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 [https://www.newbalance.co.ae/en/] 👟 Lindzi Nader [https://www.instagram.com/lindzinader/] https://www.instagram.com/lindzinader/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. And resilience. We sat down with one of Lebanon’s leading triathletes to talk about what it really takes to compete at an elite level - not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and logistically. From visa rejections that blocked world championship starts to racing 20 times in 13 months, Lindzi shares what it means to keep going when the system isn’t built for you. Her story spans more than a decade - from starting in swimming to discovering triathlon in 2014, to now competing internationally and closing the gap to the top tier. We also go inside Samla [https://samla.com.qa/samla100/2026/], one of the toughest endurance races in the region, where finishing alone is an achievement. Lindzi placed in the top 10, navigating sand, heat, technical terrain, and a race that demands far more than physical preparation. Alongside competing, she’s building something bigger, coaching and developing the next generation of Lebanese triathletes through her academy. This is about more than results. It’s about performance, persistence, and pushing forward, even when everything around you makes it harder. 🌍 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 [https://themettleset.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=605dd939a55794e8902a1c3a6&id=609df9d8c0&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacAeHBF9OJiOOzvgrIM2No0CzJEizCY4oeWhtdtSJQGCCiweVspcTVRuC0gOQ_aem_xSfL78-AQH7vDqIkQLPmeg] * 📸 Instagram: @themettleset [https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/] * 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/] Credits: * Host: Dawn Barnable * Guest: Lindzi Nader * 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 [https://www.instagram.com/dawnable/]

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 [https://www.newbalance.co.ae/en/] Recorded at the Aramco Championship, part of the PIF Global Series [https://www.pifglobalseries.com/] 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 across the LPGA and LET, two Solheim Cup wins and seven appearances, and over 15 years on tour, Carlota shares a candid look at what it really takes to compete at the highest level in golf today. From navigating one of the toughest courses in the world to the mental discipline required to stay present shot after shot, this is a conversation that goes deep into the realities of elite performance. Carlota reflects on starting the game at just five years old, finding her path through the U.S. college system, and building a career defined by consistency, resilience, and a love of the challenge. She also opens up about life on tour, the loneliness, the routines, and the importance of having the right team and environment around you, as well as how the women’s game has evolved into a more athletic, data-driven, and competitive landscape. We also touch on the growing investment in women’s golf, including the impact of PIF and Golf Saudi, and what that means not just for the sport, but for the next generation of players coming through. Carlota shares her approach to mindset, from working with a mental coach to staying focused in an increasingly noisy, social media-driven world, and why the difference at the top ultimately comes down to the mind. She reflects on career highlights, including her Solheim Cup win in Spain, and looks ahead to what’s next - with one clear goal still in sight: winning a major. And at the heart of it all is a simple truth that defines her approach to the game, if it’s easy, it’s not worth chasing. 🌍 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 [https://themettleset.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=605dd939a55794e8902a1c3a6&id=609df9d8c0&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacAeHBF9OJiOOzvgrIM2No0CzJEizCY4oeWhtdtSJQGCCiweVspcTVRuC0gOQ_aem_xSfL78-AQH7vDqIkQLPmeg] * 📸 Instagram: @themettleset [https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/] * 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/] Credits: * Host: Dawn Barnable * Guest: Carlota Ciganda * 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 [https://www.instagram.com/dawnable/]