62. 🗞️ 🎙️ Sports journalist Reem Abulleil on storytelling, the regional stars of sport and finding your super-power

The Mettleset Podcast

Hello everyone.

Today’s guest is one of the region’s most prominent sports journalists.

She and I met years ago while I was working in public relations, managing the communications for Yas Marina Circuit for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Reem was working as a journalist with Sport 360.

Since that time, Reem’s career has flourished. She is a sports writer, columnist and video journalist for UAE's The National and Saudi Arabia’s Arab News, a tennis contributor to CNN and Eurosport, a contributor to wire agency AFP, as well as other outlets including The Guardian US, BBC News, Dubai Eye 103.8, Al Arabiya, and Wimbledon.com. She regularly interviews some of the world’s and region’s most famous athletes and travels the world to cover a range of sports stories, not just tennis as she clarifies in our chat.

Most recently, Reem became the host and concept creator of the podcast Abtal, a series dedicated to Arab athletes and their journeys to the Paris 2024 Olympics - linked below.

In our chat, we discuss:

🎙️ the state of sports media and why it's important to adapt and learn

🎙️ some of her most memorable moments as a sports journalist including Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur & Maradona just to name a few

🎙️ her new podcast Abtal

🎙️ what advice she’d give aspiring sports journalists

🎙️ who to watch for this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris

🎙️ the shift in sports journalism and why that’s a good thing for women’s sports,

🎙️ and what more is needed to really level the playing field when it comes to fair and equal coverage of women athletes.

This is a must-listen for anyone working in women’s sports or anyone with aspirations to do so!

Useful links:

🔗 Reem on Instagram

🔗 Reem’s new podcast Abtal

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Dawn