Saudi club launches project to protect falcons

Saudi club launches project to protect falcons

RIYADH: Two Saudi women are aiming to make history as the first female athletes from the Kingdom to participate in the annual Dakar Rally, as part of a team dubbed the "Sheroes.“

Co-captains Dania Akeel and Mashael Alobaidan hope to become a symbol of the country's development and inspire women in Saudi Arabia to pursue their passions and follow their dreams, with a six-month project designed to train them up for the race in 2022.

Akeel, who is also one of Sheroes' project managers, said that she has been passionate about driving for as long as she can remember. She rode her first quad bike aged 8, and her first 150cc dirt bike in the desert at 14.

"I believe it is only natural for me to partake in one of the most challenging desert championships around the world, which also happens to take place in our sandy backyard,“ she said.

Akeel was also the recipient of the "Rookie of the Year“ award during her first racing season, for the Ducati Cup in the UAE National Sportbike Super series 2019/2020 season.

Alobaidan, the second driver and project manager, said that she had also been involved in sports and outdoor activities from a young age. In addition