showcase www.womanthismonth.com For inquiries please contact the brand managers via email: [email protected] or on whatsapp 34 422-227 / 33 282-228 DANA ZUBARI Co-owner of Tru Active sports brand and athlete How is your career/profession related to sports? My sister and I co-own a sportswear company called Tru Active that produces high-quality sportswear with an Arabic twist. I'm also into various types of sports - from cycling and running to recreational ice skating. What made you start your own company? My love for sports and my sister's love for design. With both of our talents combined we were able to produce highgrade sportswear. Have you participated in any international competitions? If yes, which ones? I have participated in several international competitions, including being a three-time Ironman 70.3 finisher, and have also run two full marathons. How has the sport shaped you as a person? I have been passionate about sports since I was a child. I would say sports has shaped my personality in many ways, and who I am as a person in general. Do you think all young girls must be encouraged to actively participate in sports? Why? I believe sports helps your physical and mental health majorly. Plus, it teaches you the importance of structure, disciplin, and determination, which are all great qualities to possess and implement in your daily life. What are you doing to get other women interested in your line of sport? I have co-founded several initiatives to encourage ladies who are beginners to come and enter the sports field through Cycling Bees, which is a beginner’s cycling group, and Lettuce Run, a beginner’s running group to encourage women to run a continuous 3km sprint. What sport are you involved in? I like all kinds of sports. I participate in triathlons, the Spartan race with their three different distances, CrossFit / WOD and marathons. My formal profession however, has nothing to do with sports. I work as coordinator, events management at BAPCO. What made you get involved in it? I love to challenge my abilities. Have you participated in any international competitions? If yes, which ones? Yes, I took part in and completed the Full Marathon of 42km in Paris on April 14, 2019. What challenges have you had to overcome and how has the sport shaped you as a person? With my different ability, I face a lot of challenges with most of the sports that I do. One of them is balance. But the moment I start figuring my way out and overcoming the challenge, I start looking for a new one to tackle. Do you think all young girls must be encouraged to actively participate in sports? Why? I definitely agree, because it goes a long way to build self-confidence for life. What are you doing to get other women interested in your line of sport? I share my daily workouts on Instagram. I motivate women by making them feel more confident in themselves, to see the good things they have been gifted rather than focusing on their weakness. We are the givers, supporters and the ones who raise the coming generation. I would like to tell women to be kind to themselves and proud of who they are, who they have become and who they want to be. How do you overcome challenges? The word ‘can’t’ is not accepted in my dictionary. That’s where my journey starts and I definitely believe in trying more than once to make something happen. What are you most proud of? The gift that I have received from God in the way I look after my right arm was amputated. I was chosen to be unique. SHAIKHA AL SHAIBA Para Tri-athlete September 2019 21
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