My Journey as a Kuwaiti Triathlete- From Kuwait to the United States

​I became a triathlete during the pandemic in 2020. Prior to that, running was all I knew. I was a youth runner sponsored by Spark Run Club in Kuwait. Hearing people in the club talk about triathlon made me want to give it a try, and so I did. I wanted to try it because I liked its competitive nature in being composed of three sports in one: racing, swimming, and biking. Additionally, there was a sense of community in the Kuwaiti triathlon scene that inspired me to move to the next level.

​Studying abroad was a fresh chapter, a new environment and new community. With a new environment comes challenges and opportunities for growth. As a Kuwaiti Triathlete, I made a serious decision to study abroad at Colorado State University (CSU) in the United States. Being aware that CSU ranked among the top ten for its Triathlon Club, this drove me to study abroad at CSU. Additionally, I chose to pursue my education in Colorado not solely to enhance my education, but to further improve in this sport. Training as a Triathlete abroad, the key obstacle was elevation. The elevation level back home in Kuwait is at sea level; however, in Colorado it's approximately 5,000 ft (1600m) above sea level. Adjusting to the altitude has an immense impact on athletes, let alone athletes pursing endurance sports. As a result, the first couple of training sessions were hard, and adjusting to the altitude took some time, but was worth it. I see the high elevation as a benefit, it indicates that I can compete as I do in any other country since most do not have as high of an elevation as CO.

​The transition from runner to triathlete is one of the best decisions, and I couldn't have done it without my first trainer, Coach Tomas Perucca. Coach Tomas Perucca knew I was the youngest member in the club, yet he did not judge based on age, and wanted me to reach my full capacity. He taught me all there is to triathlon in the Kuwait Triathlon Center. He worked with me step by step and never gave up, bearing in mind I had zero experience in swimming and biking. Moving forward, I had the pleasure to work with Coach Jon Mason, an excellent coach that enabled me to adapt more efficiently in the CSU team. So far in my time in the CSU team, I participated in San Diego’s Tritonman competition, and I’m currently in St. George, Utah, participating in training camp with the team. So far I’ve enjoyed every moment and continue to see progress in my numbers. Anticipating the future, I plan to participate in collegiate nationals, and Ironman 70.3 in the summer. The journey in triathlon for me will not stop from there, in fact it is just starting