This Egyptian Athlete Is the Fastest Man to Ever Climb Mount Moses

Most people climb Mount Moses for the sunrise. Rady Ahmed climbed it to make history. With a passion for training, a love for the outdoors, and a burning desire for achievement, the Egyptian sports coach set his sights on a challenge that unfolded along the ancient pilgrimage route of Mount Moses in Sinai, where the elements of nature were as much a competitor as the clock. With a GPS tracker on his back and Guinness rules in place, Ahmed raced Mount Moses, timing every step up Sinai’s most iconic climb, and becoming the fastest man to have ever made the trek.
"I wanted to do something I would be remembered for after I die," Ahmed shares with SceneTraveller. Though he clearly always looked at this climb as his potential legacy, Ahmed's list of experiences already runs longer than most: he has a background in sports science, credentials in rehabilitation and performance training, a history as a national cycling champion who's competed across the Arab world and Africa. He has also served as head coach at LA7 and Race Operations Manager for ALFAX (a role that put him in the centre of high-intensity endurance events), and currently sits on the International Olympic Committee for cycling athletes with Down syndrome. "I'm part of the committee that decides the rules and regulations for Down syndrome athletes competing in world championships and the Olympics," he explains. "That experience taught me resilience, patience, and perseverance. Everything I needed when the climb got brutal." Mount Moses rises over 2,200 metres above sea level, and while pilgrims have been making this climb for centuries, they're usually not racing against a stopwatch. Ahmed needed to navigate the terrain with speed and precision, all while managing his energy and staying focused. His regimen ahead of the ascent was a carefully orchestrated symphony of strength training, functional exercises, and uphill conditioning, all designed to prepare his body for the specific demands of Mount Moses.

"I trained three times a day," he shares. "In the morning, I did gym work or functional training. Then, for half an hour, I was on the StairMaster at level 16. That machine is honestly the hardest thing in the gym but the mountain has 287 steps at the end. So, it was the best way to prepare." And that wasn't the end of it. The evening session was all about running hills, climbing up and down local peaks, or hitting the track for speed work. Five to six days a week, every week, for twelve months. Once his training had concluded, Ahmed set up base camp at the foot of Mount Moses for five days. "I stayed in a tent with my team and friends." Day one was exploration; getting familiar with the terrain, understanding the mountain. Days two and three were all about environmental cleanup. "I was trying to collect all the trash on the mountain by partnering with a company called Dawar. My hope was to have trash bags available in specific areas at the top, so whenever people come down, they can take the trash with them."
When asked about what made him decide to pursue this initiative, Ahmed says, "I love nature. I love to keep it clean. It's what makes me live better, makes me do better." On the final day, the real challenge began. He climbed alone. Well, sort of. Guinness requires witnesses stationed at strategic points. "There was one at the beginning, one in the middle, and everyone else was at the top." Ahmed was carrying a GPS tracker that uploaded data in a specific format. A GoPro recorded the entire timestamp. Every second documented and every step verified. Along the way, Ahmed shared his journey on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, giving his followers a front-row seat to the life-changing attempt. But beyond the quick clips and highlight reels, he's planning a full documentary. "I want to put out a documentary to to show that Sinai is safe," he says. "A lot of people outside Egypt say they want to come, but they're afraid, when there is no reason to be." He's working with a production company to capture the full story, and plans to screen it at Arkan Cinema.  "Egypt is truly exceptional," Ahmed shares his final thoughts. "We have some of the best hiking destinations in the world. All we have to do is give them the attention they deserve."