Kuwaiti athlete Noura Al-Hunaidi will compete in the Dubai T100 Triathlon at Al Mamzar Beach, scheduled for November 13 to 15, 2026, timing her race to coincide with the fifth anniversary of completing treatment for triple-negative breast cancer.

"In November 2026 I will celebrate five years of being cancer-free," Al-Hunaidi, who lives in Kuwait, told Emirates Al Youm. "I want my training for the Dubai T100 Triathlon to be a reminder of my resilience, and race day to be a celebration of how far I have come."

She was diagnosed in 2021 at the age of 31 and underwent chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. The experience, she said, changed how she saw life, her body and her abilities. At the time, simply getting through treatment and slowly rebuilding her strength was enough.

Her return to sport began during treatment with modest goals: becoming more active, regaining strength and gradually rebuilding her confidence. "I am training to celebrate the distance between who I was five years ago and who I am today," she said.

Finishing the race, she stressed, is not about proving that cancer left no mark. "It did change me, deeply, but it also taught me that I am stronger, more determined and more capable than I ever imagined."

The triathlon, which combines swimming, cycling and running, demands a high level of physical fitness and mental endurance. Al-Hunaidi said competitors need not be the fastest or strongest, only willing to start and keep showing up.

"I am no longer fighting to get through treatment," she said. "I believe in myself to discover how far I can go."