Dawn Barnable during the 1,030 km BikingMan Oman.
While many of us are aware that men’s sports receive more media attention than women’s sports, few are motivated enough to do something about it – like Dubai resident Dawn Barnable.
In 2022, the Canadian expat co-founded one of the first platforms in the Middle East to shine a spotlight on women’s sports, highlighting niche endurance and action sports rarely seen in mainstream media.
Now running at 84 episodes, The Mettleset has listeners in 114 countries, featuring many of the region’s most exciting female (and male) sporting pioneers, including Moroj Adil, Saudi Arabia’s first professional cyclist, and Nadhira Al Harthy, the first Omani woman climbing Everest. .
Saudi Arabian professional cyclist Moroj Adil
“Our success shows that people want to hear more female voices and diverse perspectives from the Middle East,” Barnable said Khaleej times.
Moroj Adil and Dawn Barnable record the Mettleset Podcast
Nadhira Al Harthy, the first Omani woman to climb Everest
The 43-year-old researches, presents and edits every episode himself. It’s a lot of work, especially because she combines this with running her own communications consultancy.
She noted that there has never been a more exciting time to be involved in women’s sports in the Middle East. “Every week there seems to be another woman who puts in an amazing performance that will go down in history.”
“For example, this summer we saw Safiya Al Sayegh become the first Emirati female cyclist to compete in the Olympics, while Dunya Abu Talib became the first Saudi woman to directly qualify for the Olympics. It is an honor to support them and help the region develop its women’s sports ecosystem.”
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Strive for change
Barnable has been working in sports communications for 14 years. The idea for the podcast came about in 2019 when she became frustrated with how difficult it was to generate media attention for a women’s sporting event she was working on. Her interest in endurance and niche sports increased when she completed her first ultra cycling event that same year.
She says: “I went from buying a bike to completing the 1,030km BikingMan Oman in just three months. It was crazy to try, but I loved everything about it. It showed me that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible.”
Barnable at the finish line at BikingMan Oman
“I love being on my bike and spending time in nature. Cycling has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people and the hours spent alone in Oman have also helped me define the kind of life I want to live and how I want to show up in the world,” she added .
In 2022, she accepted a new job that she quickly realized did not align with her values. It inspired her to quit, go completely in the other direction and eventually take the leap and launch her own platform.
“I decided to use the skills, resources and connections I had built throughout my career to create impactful change in the sports industry. I feel like this is my calling in life. When I was younger, I was focused on advancing in my career and wanted to become CEO of my own company.
“But when I discovered ultracycling, I realized there is so much more to life, and there are many ways to align your work with your values.”
A life of meaning
In addition to all of the above, Barnable is involved in advocacy. She lobbies for change behind the scenes and has conducted extensive research that she shares with sporting organizations, brands and media agencies, all with the aim of increasing support for women’s sports.
“Every time women or girls tell me that my work has helped them in some way, I am determined to keep going despite the challenges. But just like the athletes themselves, we need support. I have a lot of conversations, but we still have to find a sponsor
“Since 2019, I have completed three more self-sufficient ultra cycling races, and I am also doing more and more mountain biking. I want everyone to have access to the same kind of experiences I have had through sports, and for everyone to feel the magic of adventure, competition, exercise and performance,” she concluded.
“But for that to happen, we must help the world realize that female athletes deserve the same opportunities, equality and support as male athletes.”
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