Today’s episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟

In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, host Dawn Barnable heads off-road with two riders helping shape the future of cycling in the UAE.

Emirati gravel cyclist Rawdha Alfalasi has created something quietly radical: Seek.All, a new women-led cycling group dedicated to building confidence, connection, and community - one trail and one adventure at a time. We join Rawdha and fellow cyclist Sunshine Salgado Fearn at Dubai’s Mushrif Park, fresh off one of Seek.All’s very first group rides.

Together, we talk:

• How Rawdha started Seek.All, and what the name really means
• The goal, purpose and activities of the group
• Bikepacking across Europe (yes, including bear warnings)
• Sunshine’s journey back to racing and a push toward the UCI Gravel World Champs
• Why gravel cycling feels more welcoming — and what new riders need to hear

📍Location: Mushrif Park, Dubai

📲 Follow: @seekall.rides

🌍 Stay Connected with – and support – The Mettleset

• 📥 Newsletter: Sign up here 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: Rawdha Alfalasi, Sunshine Salgado Fearn
• 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 the first and only sports platform 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 is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟

In this inspiring episode, we chat with Stacey Leawood, who just a few years ago, made headlines as the world’s youngest NBA player agent. who made a remarkable leap from small-town Newfoundland to managing athletes in the world’s top basketball league. Stacey takes us on her incredible journey of perseverance, self-belief (or delusion), and innovation, sharing how she broke into the world of sports management with no prior connections and little formal guidance.

From a childhood dream of playing in the WNBA to an unexpected turn towards NBA agent work, Stacey opens up about the grit required to make it in a male-dominated industry and how she navigated obstacles, including studying a 600-page collective bargaining agreement to pass the NBA agent exam.

We dive into her first big break, securing an NBA contract for her client through sheer determination and resourcefulness. Stacey's story offers valuable insights for anyone looking to break into the sports industry, showing that with confidence, resourcefulness, and a willingness to learn, anything is possible.

Key topics include:

• 🏀The role and responsibilities of an NBA agent
• 🏀Stacey’s unconventional path into sports management
• 🏀The importance of persistence and self-belief
• 🏀Behind-the-scenes of signing NBA contracts
• 🏀Lessons on building genuine relationships and career longevity

Stacey’s journey is a powerful reminder that success isn’t linear - sometimes, the best way to break into an industry is to make your own path.

Listen in for an episode filled with inspiration, hustle, and real talk on breaking into sports

Find Stacey online:

• 🏀 Stacey Leawood on LinkedIn and Instagram @StaceyLeawood
• 🏀 Leawood Sports & Entertainment: https://leawoodsportsentertainment.com/

🌍 Stay Connected with – and support – The Mettleset

• 📥 Newsletter: Sign up here 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: Stacey Leawood
• 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 the first and only sports platform 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 is brought to you with the support of New Balance. 👟

The third edition of the Saudi Games concluded in October 2024, leaving a lasting legacy in the hearts and minds of those who took part.

Some 9,000 local and expatriate athletes competed in 52 sporting disciplines, among them Elisa Grassi. The Italian expat, competing in her second Games, took gold in the women’s road cycling event.

Grassi, 28, is originally from northern Italy. A biomedical researcher by profession, she discovered a passion for cycling not at home, but after moving to Saudi Arabia in 2019.

She says embracing cycling was the “best decision” of her life.

In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, Dawn talks to Grassi about her not one, but two Saudi Games gold medals. She shares her journey from biomedical research to cycling, the challenges she faced, and how her decision to embrace cycling led to her success. Elisa reflects on her second Saudi Games experience, where she clinched her second gold medal, and the strong support from her teammates and coach.

This episode was originally published in October 2024.

Find Saudi Games Gold Medalist, Elisa Grassi at (@greli_)

🌍 Stay Connected with – and support – The Mettleset

• 📥 Newsletter: Sign up here 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: Elisa Grassi
• 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 the first and only sports platform 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