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Bahraini banking trainer Ali Khalaf, known on the military reality television show Gadeha as Number 115, is proving that he and his comrades have the mettle to tackle one gruelling obstacle after the other in the series.
The professional, who now trains bankers across the Middle East and North African region, is one of the 92 candidates competing for his life in the TV show.
“As someone who constantly seeks personal growth and new experiences, I felt compelled to challenge myself,” said the 44-year-old who has worked with several financial institutions within and outside of Bahrain.
“Being an avid triathlete, I wanted to test my physical fitness on this programme. Additionally, I’ve always been intrigued by the military, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to immerse myself in that world.”
He added that the show felt like ‘a surreal blend of a dream and a movie…except, the pain was very real’.
“Growing up, I watched movies and heard stories about the military and warfare (Rambo was a favourite of my generation), but I never truly comprehended the immense difficulty and hardship involved,” he said. “What we endured during the show is merely a glimpse of the daily reality faced by military personnel throughout the seasons.”
Some of the challenges the men faced included sleep deprivation as well as being engaged in relentless exercises including a mud exercise, which Ali says was especially tough.
“However, the most challenging aspect was completing all these tasks while wearing the heavy military gear, backpacks and the cumbersome boots,” explained Ali, who shared that he has formed lifelong friendships and bonds of brotherhood with his fellow candidates.
“When individuals undergo trying times together, a unique and profound connection is formed that can last for years, if not a lifetime. This experience has taught me invaluable lessons in respecting authority, embracing discipline and understanding the significance of mental toughness over physical strength. Above all, it has instilled in me a deep respect for the sacrifices made by military personnel. My utmost admiration goes out to all of them.”
Despite enduring tough exercises that left him and the others wrecked, he still wholeheartedly encourages other adventurous individuals to participate.
“I must emphasise though that it requires mental toughness more than physical strength to endure such endeavours,” said Ali. “I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to the honourable Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad and Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad for their invaluable contribution in making this extraordinary opportunity possible for us.
“Their visionary leadership and unwavering support have paved the way for this unique endeavour that has not only pushed our physical and mental boundaries, but has also given us an unprecedented insight into the world of the military.”
And for Ali to come out of this as still a civilian who knows the ways of the military was the tough task being tackled by Royal Guard 12th Battalion acting commander Lt Colonel Ahmed Abdulla Almehzaa, who is the chief instructor in this reality show.
Ahmed joined the military in 1999, graduated from Zayed Military College in the UAE with a diploma in military in 2002 and served in the 6th Mechanised Infantry Battalion until 2006 as a platoon commander. He also served in Isa Military College from 2006 to 2017 as a platoon commander, company second in command and tactical section commander in the training wing and company commander. He has been serving in the Royal Guard since 2017 as a company commander, acting as Battalion second in command and as Battalion commander.
He had to be the tough instructor most of the time, keeping up the Royal Guard standards set by Shaikh Nasser and monitored by Shaikh Khalid, along with the co-ordination and co-operation of the director’s team.
“I had to ensure that the training went smoothly, safely and securely at all times accompanied by professional medical care,” explained Ahmed. “I was also giving out instructions and orders under the patronage of the Bahrain Defence Force and Standing Order Procedure.”
While it was a huge responsibility to bear, he was up to the challenge. What he wished though was to have one-on-one sessions with participants to help contribute to their growth.
“This was unusual for me because as a leader in the military world, I have the opportunity to give out second chances, guide directly, influence, motivate, encourage and make a soldier out of all my trainees,” he said. “However in this show, I was not able to do that as this is a competition where only three people could make it till the end. In my opinion, every single person participating in this challenge is a brave hero. They are all fighters!”
Meanwhile, there are big plans for the show’s future.
“As we gear up for the upcoming seasons, we want to assure you that we have some incredible plans in store,” said production manager Abdulrahman Alabbad.
“As they say, ‘the greater the challenge, the sweeter the victory’ and we believe in pushing boundaries and embracing challenges head-on. In the seasons ahead, be prepared to tackle even more thrilling projects that will test your skills, ignite your creativity and fuel your passion for excellence. So hold on tight because we have something truly extraordinary brewing and get ready to embrace challenges that will help you grow both personally and professionally.”
For details, follow
@gadeha.tv on Instagram.
