15-Year-Old Zayne Merzi Sodawaterwala, Autistic Skater, Sets World Records and Inspires UAE

Zayne's journey from teaching himself to skate to setting world records is a testament to his resilience. Now, he's inspiring the UAE and working with high-profile events.

, and Administrator

2025 October 30 . 1:13 AM

1 min read

In this image, we can see a person wearing clothes and skating on ice. There are polls at the top... — In this image, we can see a person wearing clothes and skating on ice. There are polls at the top of the image.

15-Year-Old Zayne Merzi Sodawaterwala, Autistic Skater, Sets World Records and Inspires UAE

Fifteen-year-old Zayne Merzi Sodawaterwala, a young skater on the autism spectrum, has made waves in the UAE. He's the youngest on the KT Plus 150 list and the only 'person of determination' on it. Zayne's journey is one of resilience and achievement.

Zayne's parents, Merzi and his wife, returned to the UAE and discovered their son's autism. Despite the diagnosis, they saw Zayne's potential. His mother homeschooled him, transforming his personality. Zayne, in turn, discovered inline skating by watching YouTube videos. He taught himself, eventually setting a Guinness World Record by completing 10km in 40 minutes and 4 seconds, the first person with intellectual impairment to do so.

Skating has been a game-changer for Zayne. It's helped him become fitter and lose weight. His dedication led him to skate a full marathon distance of 42.55km in 4 hours and 27 seconds. The UAE has been supportive, opening opportunities for Zayne and showing respect to people of determination. Zayne is now working with high-profile events like the Dubai Fitness Challenge next month.

Zayne Merzi Sodawaterwala's journey is a testament to his determination and the power of support. From teaching himself to skate to setting world records and inspiring the UAE, Zayne continues to break barriers and prove that determination knows no limits.