The Mettleset Podcast

Author: The Mettleset

The Mettleset Podcast is on a mission to bring you stories of tenacity, courage and mettle from athletes in the Middle East and beyond. From womens sports and motorsports to adventure, action- and ultra- endurance sports, and everything in between, listeners will get a dose of the regions most compelling - fun and funny - underreported sports stories every week. Hosts Dawn Barnable (Sports Communications Professional & Ultra Cyclist) is joined by friends who range from record - and boundary breaking athletes, world-class explorers, community sports leaders and pro athletes at every stage of their career. For more info, visit www.themettleset.com and find us on all major socials at @themettleset.
Be a guest on this podcast

Language: en

Genres: Running, Sports, Wilderness

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

Trailer:

Get all podcast data

Listen Now...

103. Women in Sport Myth-Busting with Dr. Mariana Kessler
Episode 103
Monday, 17 November, 2025

Today’s episode of The Mettleset Podcast is brought to you by New Balance 👟One of the biggest myths in sport?That women experience stress more intensely than men, and cope less effectively.In this episode recorded live at the Emirates Sports Medicine Conference, sports psychologist and researcher Dr. Mariana Kessler breaks down why that long-held belief simply isn’t true. Drawing from years of research into stress, coping, wellbeing, and gender differences in athletes, Dr. Mariana explains what the science actually shows, and why women’s experiences in sport often feel more stressful for reasons that have nothing to do with biology or ability.She dives into the real issue: the systemic barriers women face every day in sport. From microaggressions to under-representation to male-dominated research frameworks, Dr. Mariana highlights how the environment shapes stress far more than individual traits.We also unpack the four areas in sport where the gender gap remains most visible, research, representation, media visibility, and funding, and what needs to change to close those gaps.Follow Dr. Mariana on LinkedIn: Dr. Mariana Kaiseler🌍 Stay Connected with - and support - The Mettleset📥 Newsletter: Sign up for athlete stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and women’s sports news from MENA and beyond📸 Instagram: @themettleset💼 LinkedIn: The Mettleset on LinkedInCredits:Host: Dawn BarnableGuest: Dr.Mariana KaiselerEditor: Diya Vergis Produced by: The Mettleset🚲 The Mettleset is a multimedia platform and online community dedicated to sharing stories of underrepresented athletes and underreported sports from the Middle East and beyond. With a mission to diversify the sporting ecosystem, it is one of the first and only sports platforms in the Middle East to put women in sport first, while also featuring niche sporting communities such as action and endurance sports.I hope you enjoy the episode!Dawn