In this highlights episode of the Abtal podcast, the first Emirati and Gulf female cyclist to qualify for the Olympics, Safiya Al Sayegh, opened up to host Reem Abulleil about her journey, aspirations, the challenges she faced and the milestones she achieved along the way. Ms Al Sayegh’s first major breakthrough came at the Asian Championships, where she won the first-ever medal for the UAE at the Asian level. Ms Al Sayegh shared her hopes to represent the UAE and her religion in the best way possible during the Games, and to change the negative perceptions about hijab in sports, explaining how she adapted to training and competing in her hijab as part of her identity. The discussion also covers the physical and mental demands of the sport, reflecting on her personal growth and stepping out of the comfort zone. You can listen to the full episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, or watch the full interviews on The National's YouTube channel.