Speed & Spirit – Ahmad Daham on surpassing boundaries

Puma’s Brand Ambassador Ahmad Daham discusses breaking boundaries in his high-speed role with Red Bull

What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? An early morning starts with a glass of lemon and water, followed by a 20-minute outdoor jogging session, ending with a cold shower is what most of my early mornings comprise of.

What elements do you think are key to a winning mindset? A healthy and energized mindset with an intrinsic motivation are definitely key components in contributing to a winning mindset.

What is drifting and how did you become involved? Drifting is a type of motorsport that is based on oversteer. It’s the art of moving sideways in a controllable manner.

Puma’s DNA consists of taking risks, what is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career to date? We take risks at every event, where sometimes I could be going sideways at 160+ km/h towards a wall in order to put

on a good show and win. As a single risk, I’d say that I took drifting as a profession, in a place where the sport is very new.

How do you think the brand has effortlessly combined technology with design for utmost comfort? Two big elements in drifting are weight and grip. Similar to the Puma shoes I’ve been using which are incredibly light and offer a very good amount of grip. What keeps you motivated and driven to

achieve? The impact of success in my life makes me look forward to what I can achieve next. And also setting goals to achieve makes me push even harder. My next goal is to win a global competition.

You’re performance driven. Do you expect the same output from the kit you use? I am definitely performance-driven, so I always go with performance driven kits.

How do you maintain any kind of routine when you travel? I have programmed myself to have a mental and physical routine to maintain and increase my strength in all aspects, so it’s all about consistency.

As an athlete your body is a tool. How do you fuel this for optimal success? Training and goal setting.

What helps you to keep focus if you have an ‘off’ day? Detoxing and disconnecting help. Family also plays a big role.

Have you had any mentors along the way who have helped to shape your path? The support of my family is number one. I have been my own mentor when it comes to drifting as practice makes perfect. I also have a performance coach who keeps me in an optimal state of mind.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice is to never give up and keep chasing your dreams.