A pioneering Saudi athlete who defied expectations by qualifying to represent Saudi Arabia in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, becoming the first Saudi male skier to do so.
Since his international skiing debut in 2021, he has competed in multiple FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, including Planica 2023 and Trondheim 2025. Despite training in a city with no snow, Rakan’s daily regimen built on running, swimming, cycling, and hill climbs, reflects a relentless commitment to excellence that has propelled him from the desert to the world stage.
Away from the snow, Rakan is also a decorated rower, inspired by his cousin Hussein Alireza, who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He is a multiple-time GCC indoor rowing champion and a national champion at the Saudi Games who has represented Saudi Arabia at the 2022 Asian Games in single sculls.
0:00 Intro
4:13 Start of The Journey
7:24 Rowing
9:07 Embracing Challenges
12:08 What are the Saudi Games?
15:23 Rowing to Skiing?
18:04 Olympic Qualifications
30:24 Skiing Without Snow
33:05 Olympics Selection and Winter Sports
36:29 Maintaining Mental Strength
50:19 Olympic Ambitions and Self Advice
54:35 Closing Thoughts
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Credits
Rakan Alireza | Guest
Mo Islam | Host Founder
Ryan Ismail | COO
Faisal Nejaim | Show Manager
Gregoris Kalai | Head of Strategy
Tito | Creative Director
Youssef Hamieh | Production Manager
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