How Dubai entrepreneur and Olympic torchbearer left sports behind and returned as women's fitness trailblazer

What is sportsmanship really?

Is it just for those playing fairly on the field, shaking the opponent’s hand after a loss?

It is, yes.

But that’s only a few pieces of the puzzle. Some people, like Ivana Bruic, Dubai’s Storm Cycling founder and fitness enthusiast — a safe, women-focused space for rhythm workouts set to music — have spent the past thirty years collecting all the pieces and building their own definition of sportsmanship. After speaking with her, it becomes clear that you don’t always need a ball at your feet or a tennis racket in your hand to be a true sportsman. It’s also about showing up — for others, for yourself — and learning how to bounce back after setbacks.

And, with a bright smile she narrates her story, years before Storm Cycling began: Born to conservative parents, they moved to Australia from Croatia. “I grew up in a strict household as my parents didn’t believe sports was for women. It was just all about studies, but I loved sports,” she says candidly. “I ran for track in Australia, 400m to 300m.”

But her true, unconditional love for sports began when she ran with the Olympic Torch in 2000. It wasn’t just one of the proudest moments of her life — it also changed her parents’ minds about sports. Even though she stepped away from athletics for a long time, like something out of an old-fashioned Hollywood film, she eventually found her way back after working in fashion and advertising. Drawn to the concept of ‘rhythm workouts,’ she began gradually shaping the idea that would become Storm Cycling by 2020.

Storm Cycling was born just before COVID. While working at another studio, Ivana Bruic noticed a gap: high-intensity workouts were scarce in several parts of Dubai, and women often spent more time stuck in traffic than actually exercising. She wondered why women had to go the extra mile for their workouts — literally — and decided to launch a new concept in an area with no competition, sparking excitement from the very start.

Then COVID hit. “I’m more proactive than reactive,” Bruic laughs. Recognizing that the pandemic wouldn’t vanish overnight, she pivoted to recordings and videos so people could keep moving during lockdown. Emerging on the other side, she realized what people truly needed wasn’t just exercise — it was connection. And there’s an irreplaceable joy about being around others, and just working out with them.

Her idea of sportsmanship extends to her coaching team as well: “I don’t just take people with qualifications and certificates,” says Bruic. “Supporting mental health is as important as physical health, and you need someone to guide you through it.” It’s the little things that they do, that can bring some semblance of healing and comfort to another. Maybe it’s a smile, or a goodbye, or a well done. It all matters.

And, as she describes it, the principle: Leave everything outside. Forget the numbers and the calls that you made or didn’t make, or what worked out or what didn’t during the day.

 You’re in that room, just working out to rhythms and playlists, with people you trust. It’s more than just workouts and exercises finally: You can find a way to relax.

It’s meditative. There’s no pressure to “catch up,” and no fierce competition as social media might suggest. If someone can’t do something, they shouldn’t feel left behind. That’s why Bruic is insistent on having the right coaches, alongside herself, to guide participants through Storm Cycling. “The idea is that people work comfortably toward a level that suits them,” she says.

And so, what began as a single studio in Mirdif grew into a powerful brand with a huge following, irides, and now a second branch in Palm Jumeirah - after nearly five years of methodical planning and laser-focus.

The conversation with Bruic somehow is reminiscent of the old quote from the Batman films, with a little twist. Why do we fall? So, that we can learn how to pick ourselves up.

And for Bruic, it’s not just enough to pick yourself up: Learn how to dig your heels in. Dig those heels in so well that it’s harder to fall next time. It has been her lessons in entrepreneurship, as she worked to launch her own studio. She has failed many times; things do go wrong as she says cheerfully. But, how else do you learn?

Bruic doesn’t romanticise entrepreneurship. It’s not about waking up one day and taking the plunge. “You need to work in the industry before starting your business. Know what the market wants, talk to people, listen to feedback, and sometimes swallow your pride,” she says. The real learnings come from experience—you need to see the ‘mixture’ for yourself and decide what to make of it.

Life gets easier if you find a mentor and surround yourself with people you trust. As she puts it, “Be present, fully focused, and set an example. See what’s acceptable, what’s trending.” Dreams aren’t wisps of clouds—you have to bring them down to earth and make them real.

And maybe, just maybe, you score the goal, hit a six, or simply move from a 2.5kg dumbbell to a 5kg one. Life is messy and hard, but you’re allowed a brief timeout on the benches before diving back in.