In a powerful moment at the World Triathlon Congress Dinner during the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals in Wollongong, Fatma Al-Ghanim of Qatar was announced as the recipient of the Women’s Committee Award of Excellence, recognising her exceptional leadership, advocacy and trailblazing spirit in advancing women’s participation in sport across Qatar, the Gulf and the Arab world.
Breaking barriers, creating belonging
Fatma’s journey is one of quiet resilience and steady impact. From captaining Qatar’s first-ever Women’s Football Team in 2010, in the face of immense societal pressure, to becoming one of Qatar’s pioneering women triathletes, she has continuously turned challenge into change. In a region where few female athletes had stood before her, Fatma stood tall, breaking barriers and opening doors for others to follow.
When Fatma first stepped onto a triathlon start line in 2018, she was one of the only Qatari women competing alongside men in local races. By 2019, she was among the first Qatari women to cross an international finish line at IRONMAN 70.3 Muscat, proving that determination knows no gender or boundary.
From athlete to advocate
Fatma’s leadership extends far beyond racing. She has been at the forefront of sport governance in Qatar, achieving a series of historic firsts:
-First Qatari woman Board Member of the Qatar Cycling & Triathlon Federation (2019)
-First woman Assistant Secretary General of the Federation (2024)
-First Qatari woman to serve on the Asian Cycling Confederation Management Committee (2025)
-Vice-President of the Arab Cycling Association (2025), the first Qatari woman ever elected to the position
Her strategic vision came to life through the Cycle Her Way campaign, Qatar’s largest women’s cycling initiative, engaging more than 500 women from 45 nationalities, nearly half of them Qatari. By providing women-only training environments with female coaches and staff, Fatma helped remove cultural barriers and create a safe, empowering space for women to discover sport. Many participants have since gone on to join triathlon events, marking a transformative shift in female participation and visibility.
Championing visibility and storytelling
In 2025, Fatma stepped into a new role, that of storyteller and director, with her documentary Theatre of Dreams, inspired by her own journey breaking barriers in sport. The film premiered at the Academy Award-qualifying Alexandria International Short Film Festival in Egypt and has since screened around the world, shining a spotlight on the challenges and triumphs of Arab women in sport. Through film festivals, podcasts, and media engagements, Fatma continues to use her platform to advocate for inclusion, equality and visibility.
A true role model
Growing up without a female sports role model to look up to, Fatma has become that very role model for the next generation. Her courage and persistence have helped drive a cultural shift, today, women represent 35 per cent of participants in Qatar Triathlon Federation events, a milestone that reflects both progress and possibility.
Honouring excellence
The World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence, first introduced in 2012, recognises individuals and organisations demonstrating outstanding commitment to advancing the participation, leadership, and visibility of women and girls across all levels of triathlon and para triathlon. Fatma Al-Ghanim embodies the true spirit of this award, leading by example, inspiring through action and creating space for others to follow.
In accepting the honour, Fatma’s story reminds us that progress is not measured only by medals, but by the barriers broken, the doors opened and the dreams made possible for generations to come.
