Mo Eraky is one of many Tri Club Doha members taking part in the T100 Triathlon Age-Group World Championships in Qatar this weekend. Fully embodying his own ‘just keep moving’ motto, his energy, passion and exuberance for triathlon was borderline infectious when we caught up with him at the club’s weekly duathlon to find out more about why he got into swim-bike-run and get his insights on why Qatar is becoming such a popular location for world-class sporting events.
From dragon boat coach to triathlete
Everyone has their own story of how and why they got into triathlon. And for Mo, it might have started with health, but it quickly became about community.
“I’m a cancer survivor, had a partial nephrectomy and I found out I had low bone density,” Mo tells us. “I was a dragon boat coach, and I was in the sea every day enjoying the sunrise and the sunset. But then I was told I have low bone density, and I was advised I needed to do something that put more pressure through the bones to strengthen them.”
“People think, if you’re sick you need to stay in bed or stay on the sofa. But I believe that whatever happens in your life, keep moving!”
That mentality led Mo to take up running, and then triathlon. “The majority of Qatar as a community here, we’re runners. But you kind of upgrade, you get a bike and then later on you think ‘let’s go ahead and swim too’. The swimming was good recovery for me. And then you’ve become a triathlete!”
Triathlon community
It might have started as a way to improve his health (Mo told us he’s also made big improvements to his blood pressure through the sport) but it quickly became a lifestyle. “We swim, we cycle and we run… out of money! My second bike is more expensive than my first car,” he laughed. That’s something almost all of us can relate to! “We’re passionate about it,” he shared. “We’re a great community, and it’s such a multi-cultural team.”
“I’ve found a lot of runners coming to me as an advisor, asking how to get into triathlon. They join Tri Club Doha and it’s baby steps, helping each other.”
Qatar as a sporting destination
Since the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the region has been raising its profile as a sporting destination. And Mo suggests it’s a surprisingly good place for endurance athletes to train over the winter months. “We have amazing bike tracks in Qatar, without traffic,” he explained. “It’s easy to jump into the triathlon community straight away because we have so many different cultures, you’ll find your community with like-minded people.”
“It’s a sporting destination here, from FIFA 2022 to the T100, you’ll find so many sports on the schedule.”
“Plus, when everyone else is under snow in December, we’re here in our shorts and t-shirts! Qatar is a great sporting destination for winter.”
If you’re feeling inspired by Mo's story, stay tuned for the World Triathlon Age-Group events that are on offer in 2026 and contact your National Federation for qualification details.
Sign up for your own opportunity to qualify in London next July 25-26 for the T100 Triathlon Age Group World Championship. The London T100 weekend will also the feature the return of pro Olympic racing to the capital. For more details visit the website.
