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 UTMB World Series Finals, sharing their journeys of pushing limits, chasing personal bests, and soaking in the magic of Chamonix.

Featured Athletes:

• Ivana Kolaric – Returned post-pregnancy to finish top 30 and 2nd in her age group at the 61K OCC.
• Fatema Husain – Bahrain’s ultra trailblazer and first GCC woman to complete the 100-mile UTMB, sharing her journey through injury and breathtaking mountain views.
• Sharifah AlQattan – Ultra trail runner, coach, and Boom Ultra Challenge race director, talking mindset, preparation, and the pride of crossing the finish line.

✨ Don’t miss part two featuring Karis M. Brown.

 🎧 Listen to Fatema’s previous episode here.

 🎧 Listen to Ivana’s previous episode here.

🌍 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
• Guests: Ivana Kolaric, Fatema Husain, Sharifah AlQattan
• Editor: Diya Vergis

A Production of The Mettleset

🚲 The Mettleset is a multimedia platform and community sharing stories of underrepresented athletes and underreported sports from the Middle East and beyond. We put women in sport first while highlighting niche communities like action and endurance sports.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

- Dawn