The Mettleset Podcast

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/]

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 [https://www.newbalance.co.ae/en/] 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 freestyle into a ‘grocery run’. Host Dawn Barnable sat down with Maha to trace her journey from beach fun to the pool lanes of Paris 2024 - four years ahead of schedule. Maha opens up about growing up as one of three sisters all representing the UAE National Team (yes, including a twin), and the habits that got her through one of the most electric sporting arenas on the planet. We also get into the bigger picture: what it means to be a pioneer for Emirati women in open-water swimming, the surge of female swimmers now emerging from the GCC, and why LA 2028 - with all three Alshehhi sisters on the start line is very much the goal. Follow Maha on Instagram: @mahaalshehhii [https://www.instagram.com/mahaalshehhii?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] 🌍 Stay Connected with - and support - The Mettleset 1. 📥 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] 2. 📸 Instagram: @themettleset [https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/] 3. 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/] Credits: 1. Host: Dawn Barnable 2. Guest: Maha Alshehhi 3. Editor: Diya Vergis 4. 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/]

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 [https://www.newbalance.co.ae/en/] 👟 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 European Tour veteran Marianne Skarpnord to talk about life on tour, the evolution of women’s golf, and what keeps athletes competing year after year. Marianne reflects on turning professional in 2005, spending as many as 300 days a year on the road, and the mental pressure that comes with competing in one of the world’s most demanding individual sports. She also looks back at one of the biggest moments of her career -defeating Dame Laura Davies in a playoff - and shares how the game has transformed since she first stepped onto tour. The conversation also explores the rapid rise of women’s golf globally, the impact of events like the PIF Saudi Ladies International, and Marianne’s work as a Golf Saudi ambassador helping inspire the next generation of players in the region. Along the way, we also get into Norway’s sporting culture, the challenges of life on tour, and why - after more than 20 years in the sport - Marianne’s biggest goal this season is simple: go out, relax, and enjoy playing golf again. Follow Marianne on Instagram: @mskarpnord [https://www.instagram.com/mskarpnord/] 🌍 Stay Connected with - and support - The Mettleset 1. 📥 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] 2. 📸 Instagram: @themettleset [https://www.instagram.com/themettleset/] 3. 💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/themettleset/] Credits: 1. Host: Dawn Barnable 2. Guest: Marianne Skarpnord 3. Editor: Diya Vergis 4. 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/]