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DUBAI: UAE-based endurance athlete Ghani Souleymane is taking on his most formidable challenge to complete 100 full-distance T100 triathlons in 100 consecutive days, which would be a Guinness World Record.

Souleymane will begin his attempt on Aug. 8 at Kite Beach, Dubai, and conclude it on Nov. 16 at the T100 Race Village in the city.

The Togo national, who has lived in Dubai for eight years, will be raising funds for children through the Al-Jalila Foundation.

A deeply respected figure in the UAE’s sporting community, Souleymane has built a reputation for taking on big goals with a purpose.

“This challenge is bigger than sport,” he said.

“I know it will push me to my limits, but ultimately it’s about showing what’s possible when you commit fully. I want to use this first-of-its-kind challenge to help others, especially disadvantaged children.”

Each of the 100 consecutive triathlons will follow the T100 format, comprising a 2 km swim, 80 km cycle, and 18 km run. His attempt has the support of the Professional Triathletes Organisation.

The PTO are the organizers of the T100 Triathlon World Tour, which has already taken place in Singapore (April 5 to 6), San Francisco (May 31) and Vancouver (June 14 to 15).

The London edition of the T100 takes place from Aug. 9 to 10, just after Souleymane’s new challenge begins.

The 42-year-old is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of what the human body and mind can achieve.

Souleymane works at Dubai’s Adidas flagship store as a running specialist. He uses his high-profile sports platform to empower youth, advocate for mental resilience, and raise funds for humanitarian causes.

He supports the Dubai-based Heroes of Hope, a non-profit organization helping people of determination through sports, and the Al-Jalila Foundation.

In 2020, he was inducted into the Dubai Fitness Challenge Hall of Fame by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai, for completing 30 ultramarathons in 30 days.

In 2021, he completed 30 consecutive 70.3 half-Ironman distances, and 30 full-Ironman contests in 2023.

“Sport has the power to shine a powerful light on many worthy causes in our society,” said Souleymane. “I believe each of us can make a difference, and every step, wheel spin or swim stroke of my attempts is undertaken to support others.”

The PTO’s CEO Sam Renouf said: “We did a double take when Ghani first got in touch and told us what he was thinking.”

“Doing 100 consecutive T100s is quite an undertaking. In total, it works out as a 200 km swim, 8,000 km bike and 1,800 km run. We think he’s brilliant and we wish him the very best of luck because he’s doing it for a fantastic cause.

“Ghani is showing what’s possible when someone puts their mind to it, which is very much our mindset with the T100 series, to showcase the best triathletes in the world racing head-to-head in iconic cities like Dubai, but also giving an opportunity for athletes of all abilities to get involved and have a go.”

The T100 Triathlon World Tour series blends elite performance with a commitment to amateur racing and building the global triathlon community.

The Dubai T100 Triathlon is in its second year and a key part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge’s month-long push to encourage everyone to do 30 minutes of activity for 30 days in November.

There are also opportunities to do a sprint triathlon (750 meter swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run), a schools race and corporate duathlon relay.

“Sport gave me a second chance in life,” said Souleymane.

His enormous fueling requirements for the challenge — around 7,000 calories a day — are being sponsored by Dubai-based health food business SKitchen, and nutritionist Yuri Nemoto.

Leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists Vadym Synegin, Alexandr Ilyushin and Sasha Fetisova have joined hands with 1inch.io and Nicegram.app to ensure the athlete has the full kit required.

His requirements include running shoes, transportation, swimming gear and a Ventum triathlon bike, which has been customized with Souleymane’s own logo, designed by Dubai-based creative director Tabrez Ahmad.

“Now, with the support of people from all walks of life in Dubai, I can use my platform to give kids in the UAE and around the world their first chance.

“Every dirham raised will go towards causes that empower through sport. I also hope that through my challenge, others are inspired to make sport and movement part of their lifestyle.”

MONTREAL:Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko booked a championship showdown with gritty semifinal wins on Wednesday in the WTA Canadian Open in Montreal.
Japan’s Osaka, chasing her first tour-level title since the 2021 Australian Open, saved a pair of set points in the second-set tiebreak to polish off a 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) victory over Denmark’s Clara Tauson — who was coming off victories over Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek and Australian Open winner Madison Keys.
Mboko saved a match point in a thrilling 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) victory over former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
The 18-year-old wild card fed off the energy of the crowd, crediting ecstatic supporters with carrying her through after a tumble left her with a sore right wrist in the third set of her first tour-level semifinal.
Mboko, who ousted top-seeded French Open champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round, didn’t let it stop her.
After going down an early break in the third set she refused to go quietly, loading up on her forehand and fending off a match point as she broke Rybakina in the 10th game to level the set.
A couple of untimely double faults helped ninth-seeded Rybakina break back for a 6-5 lead, but the ninth seed from Kazakhstan was broken to love in the next game, setting the stage for the tiebreak drama.
“After I had that fall I wasn’t in the greatest spirits, but I’m happy that I kept my composure and I was kind of patient in the right moments,” said Mboko, who won the last three points of a decider she called “stressful.”
“Anything can happen,” an exhausted Mboko beamed as the crowd’s cheers rained down on her.
“Unfortunately I fell, but I had everyone supporting me and pushing me.”
Mboko started the season ranked outside the top 300 but had worked her way up to 85th coming into the week by grinding away in lower-level tournaments.
She is assured of breaking into the top 40 no matter the result against Osaka, a former world number one who has struggled to find consistency since returning from maternity leave in 2024 after more than a year away.
Osaka has looked re-energized this week after a coaching shakeup and rolled through the first set against Tauson.
But Tauson twice regained a break in the second set as she pushed it to the tiebreaker where she had chances to level the match after taking a 6-4 lead.
Unable to convert her set points, the Dane saved one match point to make it 7-7, but Osaka won the next two to seal the victory and reach her first final in a WTA 1000 level event since Miami in 2022.
“Definitely really happy,” said Osaka, who started the week ranked 49th in the world. “(I’m) excited to play my first hard court final back.”
Osaka, whose performance so far this week means she’s assured of rising high enough in the rankings to be seeded at the US Open later this month, was bracing for a tough match against a player who said in a youthful interview that she idolized the Japanese star.
“I watched her play today because they were the match in front of us. I thought it was really impressive how she stayed calm,” said Osaka, adding that Mboko’s rebound from match point down was “really impressive for an 18-year-old.”