Dubai athlete bids for record 100-day triathlon challenge

Ghani Souleymane, from Togo, aims to complete 100 back-to-back competitions

Ghani Souleymane is attempting to complete 100 full-distance T100 triathlons in 100 consecutive days, ending at the Dubai T100 on November 16. Chris Whiteoak / The National

When athletes from around the world line up for the Dubai T100 format triathlon in November, one will have his eye on setting a world record after a 100-day challenge.

Dubai resident Ghani Souleymane, who is from Togo, is attempting to complete 100 full-distance T100 triathlons in 100 consecutive days, ending in Dubai on November 16.

Each distance will include a two-kilometre swim, followed by an 80km bike ride and ending with an 18km run.

Souleymane, 42, begins his challenge from Kite Beach on Friday, August 8, when he will dip into the Arabian Gulf for a swim, followed by a bike ride out towards Meydan cycle track.

He then aims to complete an 18km beachside run, a feat he hopes to repeat every day until November 16, when he will line up with some of the world’s greatest triathletes.

Ghani Souleymane sells running shoes in Dubai Mall as his day job. Chris Whiteoak / The National

As if his world record bid was not hard enough, Souleymane, who sells running shoes in Dubai Mall, has been training through one of the hottest summers in years, when temperatures edged towards 52ºC.

“It has been a little bit tough because I have to work and I have to train, so I wake up every day at around 3am, pray and then get to the beach to swim,” he said.

“The water is so warm, I have to get out after every 400 metres for a drink. When I’ve been training, I’ve been finished by noon, but it is still very hot at that time.”

Since the start of August, the Dubai Mallathon has allowed runners to enjoy an air-conditioned indoor environment from 7am until 10am encouraging activity in summer. Souleymane hopes to join the runs for some legs of his 100-day challenge.

It is a long way from Togo, when he first took his first steps in long-distance endurance running.

Growing up, Souleymane would join his father’s colleagues their daily training runs on the army base they called home.

“Every Sunday, we would run to the border of Ghana,” he said. “Sometimes, we would run 30km, and there were lots of people out running. Everyone was singing and it was great fun, a real party-like atmosphere.

“It didn’t feel like exercise and the time would go by so fast, since then I have kept on running.”

Ghani Souleymane has been training in the early morning to avoid the peak summer heat. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Those memories kindled a flame for his relationship with long distance running.

He has completed several endurance challenges, including 30 back-to-back 45km ultra-marathon runs, and 30 Ironman events in 30 days. Both marked the October fitness challenge, an annual event in Dubai to encourage more people to take up sport and exercise.

When he crosses the line in the Dubai T100 triathlon in November, he will have racked up more than 10,000km in 100 days.

“Most of the time, I do everything by myself,” he said. “I am training all alone because it is hard to ask someone to wake up and come and swim with me at 4am, they think I'm crazy. All I’m worried about at that time of day is the sharks.”

Competitors in Dubai may include current champion Belgian Martin Van Riel, who leads the men’s Professional Triathletes Organisation global standings, and Olympic silver medallist Hayden Wilde from New Zealand.

In the women’s event, 2020 Olympic champion Flora Duffy, from Bermuda, is planning to race, as is 2024 World Champion Taylor Knibb from America and second placed Ashleigh Gentle from Australia.

The triathlon tour’s grand final is in Qatar on December 13.

General registration for Dubai is open for amateur triathletes to take part in the 100km race, (2km swim, 80km bike, 18km run) as well as the sprint distance of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.

“We did a double take when Ghani first got in touch and told us what he was thinking,” said PTO chief executive Sam Renouf.

“Doing 100 consecutive T100s is quite an undertaking. We think he’s brilliant and a little bit bonkers, and we wish him the very best of luck.

“While this is at the extreme end of an endurance challenge, he’s showing what’s possible when someone puts their mind to it.

“This 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.”