JEDDAH: In a remarkable feat of endurance and determination, Saudi Arabia’s Dr. Mariam Binladen recently completed the Khalid bin Hamad Swimming Challenge, covering a distance of 30km from Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia, to Salman City, Bahrain.

Binladen achieved this incredible feat in 11 hours, 25 minutes and 47 seconds.

Among her achievements, the open-water swimmer became the first Arab woman to cross the Red Sea to Egypt in October 2022, and the first to traverse Dubai Creek with a swim of 24 km in 2017.

In addition, she was the first woman from the Gulf to swim across the English Channel, covering 33.5 km in August 2016.

Speaking to Arab News about her feat on Dec. 26,  Binladen said: “This swim was on my radar for 7 years.

“Unfortunately it was difficult to find an optimum window to do the challenge, primarily because weather conditions in the Gulf of Bahrain are incredibly difficult to predict.

“I had to study the sea very well taking into account the tides, wind speed, wave patterns, swells, water temperature and marine life cycles in order to minimize risk and achieve this goal.”

She added: “Amongst the many challenges of this event was swimming at night in the dark, in fluctuating cold-to-warm water temperatures, with the added complexity of tidal changes.

“As a way of mitigating the hazardous conditions the swim started at the Water Tower at Alkhobar at 1:50 a.m. Visibility was zero so I was swimming blind coupled with water temperatures ranging from 17 to 22 degrees.

“Instead of feeding every 30 minutes I fed every 15 minutes to avoid hypothermia and to maintain my body heat until sunrise, which was half-way through the swim.

“The tide in this area shifts every six hours which meant swimming part of the way against the tide which requires a huge amount of stamina and mental agility in order not to become exhausted.”

She added: “Each challenge poses its own distinct difficulties and unique set of conditions; during the Red Sea swim it was how to maneuver around sharks and avoid their feeding times.

“The English Channel, for example, was freezing cold and it is a busy shipping lane so it was necessary to address those concerns and plan accordingly.

“The Bahrain swim was undoubtedly hazardous and posed many issues, the distance  being one of them. Before any swim I undertake area studies, conditions, risks and train to mitigate risks and for the conditions that I will face. Of course there are always some surprises.”

She has faced other challenges during her career. “My most unusual swim was in an ice glacier in Switzerland, this challenge was to swim in (minus) 2 degrees for 85 meters.

“I undertook extensive physical and cognitive training in order to prepare for this unique challenge. The burn of the ice-cold water will remain with me forever.”

In addition to being an athlete and dentist, Binladen also helps refugees and creates awareness through her platform, which has been acknowledged by organizations worldwide.

In 2016, she opened the first free medical facility of its kind for dental treatment in a Syrian refugee camp in Azraq, Jordan.

“Of course it is rewarding to treat any patients, I love to help people in any capacity I can, whether through treatment, inspiring them in sport or supporting them to swim gives me enormous satisfaction.”

As the Kingdom empowers women, Binladen said that she is delighted to be living at a time when Saudi women can pursue their ambitions in the workplace, sports and business.

“My advice to Saudi women is to never give up on your dream, with hard work and dedication you can fulfill your goals.”

On her future, she said: “It’s a common question, everybody is interested to know what’s next. All I can say is that I have a few possibilities in the pipeline and am carrying out area studies at the moment.”

“My ambition is to lead a fulfilling life in which I am constantly learning, developing, growing and making a positive impact on those around me, through my career, relationships or personal endeavors.

“I strive to pursue excellence and leave a lasting legacy that inspires others.”
 

RIYADH: Forty-six deep-tech startups graduated from the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology’s Venture Program in a recent ceremony.

The graduating startups come from a diverse range of sectors, including energy, healthcare, renewable resources and emerging technologies.

Notable participants included Glass Earth KSA, which specializes in geospatial technology solutions for environmental monitoring; PainTech Solutions, a company developing innovative approaches to pain management and medical treatments; and EA Systems, focused on advanced engineering solutions for industrial automation and efficiency.

The KACST Venture Program is an initiative designed to support deep-tech startups by providing resources, mentorship, and strategic partnerships to transform research into marketable products and services.

The program was supported by the National Technology Development Program, which also granted technology licenses to a number of private sector firms.

Held at KACST’s The Garage startup incubator in Riyadh, the graduation ceremony brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, researchers and private investors.

Among the dignitaries in attendance was Munir El-Desouki, president of KACST, who praised the initiative’s role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.

Khalid Al-Dakkan, senior vice president of innovation at KACST, said: “At KACST, we worked to connect emerging companies with the government and private sectors, and investors to develop ideas and innovations, and transform them into marketable products and services to support the national economy.”

Al-Dakkan also pointed to the inclusion of strategic partners in the program’s next phase. “The KVP program, in its new version, includes the inclusion of a number of strategic partners to strengthen the innovation system and support the economy,” he said.

The new iteration will involve partnerships with four Saudi universities to foster a vibrant entrepreneurial culture while targeting fields such as clean energy, artificial intelligence and health technologies.

Ibrahim Neyaz, CEO of NTDP, underscored the program’s importance in driving growth in emerging sectors.

“The KACST program for creating emerging companies aims to support and empower owners of innovative technology projects and encourage national companies to invest in emerging technologies to raise their share in the local market, and provide initiatives that help in developing technologies,” he said.