About Us

About me:

Hi, I'm Islam – a full-time coach (an accountant in a past life) specialising in Strength & Conditioning and endurance sports (running, triathlons, and everything sweaty in between). In 2019,I made the decision to trade spreadsheets for Strava and swap my calculator for a Garmin watch. After 5 years in accounting I took a leap of faith and dove headfirst into the world of fitness coaching. No regrets — except maybe not doing it sooner. Since then, I’ve been helping athletes of all levels unlock their potential, achieve their goals and maybe change their lives a little along the way.

Founding Qatar East to West Ultramarathon and Qatar Ultra Runners:

Back in 2017, a few friends and I had what seemed like a totally reasonable idea: run 90 km across Qatar from coast to coast. That wild idea eventually became the Qatar East to West Ultramarathon (QEW) — the first (and still the longest!) ultramarathon in the country.

Since then, it’s grown into a mega race attracting runners from all over the world — 1,500 in 2024. It's now officially backed by Qatar’s Ministry of Sports and has become one of the biggest endurance events in the Middle East region.

As the race director for the past 7 years, I’ve gotten to experience the sport at a whole new level and gain a new perspective of the sport and its demands.

ASICS FrontRunner Qatar team Captain:

In 2022, I was selected as one of Qatar’s first ASICS FrontRunners. That experience deepened my understanding of the technology behind running shoes and other related products, but most importantly, introduced me to a global community of over 600 runners from 33 countries.

Somewhere along the way, I also accidentally ran the Paris Marathon in 2024 and Sevilla Marathon in 2025. It’s a long story. One that starts with, “How bad could a marathon really be?”

How It All Started:

I wasn’t exactly the athletic kid growing up. In fact, I didn’t touch a dumbbell until I was 17, when I signed up at the local gym in my village in Egypt. Think early-days Rocky Balboa — just without the stairs, the dramatic lighting, or the soundtrack. Da-da-da DAAHHH…

That humble and humbling beginning didn’t go so smoothly. The gym culture was more “go heavy or go home” than “warm up and listen to your body.” Picture a skinny teenager with an elastic band in a room full of Hulk-sized uncles yelling MORE WEIGHTS, Habibi. You get the idea.

Naturally, I chose dignity over joint health — a noble but painful trade. By 18, I had herniated two discs in my lower back and collected injuries in pretty much every major joint. Cue the slow fade of the Rocky theme...

Most of it came down to a complete lack of knowledge and experience. No warm-ups, no form checks, and definitely no one talking about mobility or injury prevention. But hey — you live, you learn (and hopefully heal).

The Switch:

After moving to Doha in 2015, I slowly found my way back into sports — but this time I was determined to do things properly to avoid injuries and to help heal my existing ones. I did my own research trying to understand proper technique, basics of the human body’s anatomy, training methodologies, etc. That curiosity turned into passion.

By late 2016, I started studying fitness seriously, and by the end of 2018, I’d left the world of accounting behind to coach full-time. I haven’t looked back since.

At Tribe Sports, we believe in the transformative power of sports. Founded by Islam Sallam, an experienced Strength & Conditioning (S&C) and Endurance Coach, our mission is to empower athletes at all levels to achieve their personal best. With over five years of competitive triathlon experience and a passion for coaching, Islam created Tribe Sports to offer personalized guidance and support to runners and triathletes across Qatar.

Whether you're preparing for your first race or aiming for a new personal best, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Our approach is built on three core principles:

Personalization – Every athlete is unique, and so is their training. We tailor programs to your goals, fitness level, and lifestyle.
Community – You're not just joining a coaching service; you're becoming part of a tribe that supports and inspires each other.
Excellence – With a proven track record in endurance coaching and event management, we strive for nothing less than the best for our athletes.

Join us at Tribe Sports and discover how far you can go with the right coaching, guidance, and support. Together, we’ll break barriers and achieve your goals.