Category: Athletic

ABU DHABI, The Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club announced the details of the 22nd President of the UAE Polo Cup, which will take place from 13th to 27th March, 2022, under the patronage of Sheikh Falah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Club, supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and in coordination with the UAE Polo Federation.

Today’s press release was attended by Saeed bin Hofan Al Mansouri, Vice Chairman of the Club’s Board of Directors, Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Sheikh, Executive Director of the Club, and Youssef bin Dasmal, who is representing the participating players, as well as representatives of sponsoring companies.

Six teams will participate in the event, which are Emirates, Al Habtoor, Bin Drai, Abu Dhabi, Dubai Wolves and Ghantoot, the title holders and host team.

The competing teams will be divided into two groups to ensure parity and help raise the technical level of the tournament, with the participation of many prominent national and professional players rated at 18 handicap.

During the press conference, Al Mansouri welcomed the participants and conveyed the greetings of Sheikh Falah, stressing that the club has completed its preparations to host the cup, in line with the event’s stature as one of the leading polo tournaments in the Middle East.

Al Sheikh lauded the directives of Sheikh Falah to ensure the success of the event.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Marking International Women’s Day 2022, UN Women and HeForShe today announced DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, as the latest HeForShe Alliance Member.

The announcement took place during a high-profile event at the DP World Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

With this announcement, Bin Sulayem joins a group of ambitious leaders from across government, the corporate world and third sector to transform patriarchal masculinities and develop the largest set of scalable solutions for gender equality’s most pressing issues. As the leading provider of smart logistics solutions, DP World is uniquely set up to advance the ambitious goal of gender representation and equality in the global supply chain.

Bin Sulayem is the first leader from the Middle East region to join this prestigious group.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, DP World, said, “Becoming a UN Women HeForShe Champion is a great honour, and I feel very humbled to be working alongside such esteemed leaders to accelerate progress toward gender equality. I believe in not just attracting, developing and retaining female talent in the trade and logistics industry, but truly focusing on efforts to build a global ecosystem that is equitable and fair for all.

“Through DP World’s sustainability strategy, ‘Our World, Our Future’, we apply a gender lens in everything we do to ensure gender equality is integrated into all our processes, regions and across departments. I am personally committed to making a positive impact that increases female representation, eliminates skills shortages and advocates for the diversity agenda.”

Anita Bhatia, UN Women Deputy Executive Director for UN Coordination, Partnerships, Resources and Sustainability, and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, said, “We are honoured to welcome Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World to the HeForShe Alliance. The commitment to improve representation of women in this sector will go a long way in reshaping corporate and social norms in a region that holds great opportunity for progress on gender equality. DP World’s commitment paired with their global reach will spearhead transformative change and allyship to achieve a gender equal world.”

DP World has long been dedicated to making a positive impact for women and girls, both within the trade industry and wider society. In 2021 alone, DP World invested over US$1.9 million in gender equality projects, reaching more than 160,000 women in local communities. The same year, female employee representation across the DP World Group rose from 8.9 percent in June 2020 to 14.4 percent in December 2021. In 2022, the business intends to continue this investment by addressing the digital gender divide in education.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Abu Dhabi, The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge served up another dramatic episode today as heroic Argentinean rider Kevin Benavides built hopes of a first bikes win, and Stephane Peterhansel held course for a record seventh cars victory.

The 318-km ADNOC Distribution Special Stage 2 saw Nasser Al Attiyah on four wheels and Ross Branch on two record the fastest times, 24 hours after both had crashed out of overall contention.

It was a day when Benavides vividly illustrated the spirit of the new World Rally-Raid Championship stopping for more than 20 minutes to assist overnight bikes leader Michael Docherty after his heavy fall, before resuming to take the overall lead.

Credited at the end with the time he gave up in helping Docherty, the KTM star now holds a 4 mins 23 secs advantage over American Ricky Brabec, with Chile’s Ignacio Cornejo another 41 secs away in third place.

The top six was completed by previous champions Sam Sunderland on a GasGas and Honda’s Pablo Quintanilla, followed by the other Benavides brother, Luciano, on a Husqvarna.

Petershansel, fourth quickest on the stage in an Audi RS Q e-tron, finished the leg with a reduced outright cars advantage of 7 mins 49 secs from Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi in a Toyota Hilux.

Czech Martin Prokop was third, 15 mins 50 secs off the lead in his Ford Raptor RS Cross Country.

Poland’s Jakub Przygonski in a Mini John Cooper Works Buggy andMathieu Serradori in a Century CR6 completed the provisional top five.

Nine-times World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb, whose victory ambitions on his Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge debut were buried by a series of first leg mechanical problems, recovered to set the second fastest time on the day in his Prodrive Hunter.

Reaching the finish in his Toyota Hilux, Al Attiyah said: “Now we will try and win every day to take maximum points like we did today. We did quite a good job, I am quite happy. We have to now work for the points. Today we won five and I hope to win five points tomorrow as well.

“It’s a disappointment not to win the rally because it is my favourite rally. We need to accept what happened yesterday. This is a motorsport. Now we must try to push the limit of the car, like we did it today.”

It was another superb day for Emirati rider Abdulaziz Ahli, as the defending quads champion on a Yamaha Raptor extended his lead over Slovakia’s Juraj Varga, to a massive 1hr 24 mins 12 secs Dubai-based Docherty deservedly stood in the rally spotlight as the overall bikes leader at the end of the previous day’s desert stage,after winning the Saturday qualifier.

Starting today’s stage was always going to be difficult, however, because of the navigational demands this brings, and the South African rider had already been overtaken by Mathias Walkner when he crashed.

Benavides stopped to assist him before the medical team arrived at the scene, and Docherty was evacuated by helicopter to MadinatZayed hospital.

Benavides said at the finish: “It was really long and hot today. I stopped to help Michael when he crashed, and waited for medical aid to arrive. On a good note, it looks like my brother had a great ride, so I am happy.”

Branch commented: “It was a good day for me. I rode smoothly and consistently trying to minimize mistakes after yesterday errors and crash. Today my riding was much better.”

Another South African, Bradley Cox, who was fastest in the Rally 2 category on the day, also crashed and was taken to hospital by helicopter. But Branch, who was evacuated from yesterday’s stagefor a hospital check-up, was cleared to restart today and was quickly back up to stage-winning speed.

ADNOC Distribution supplies the jet fuel for the Search and Rescue helicopters which are on permanent standby to go to the aid of competitors in need of attention.

Today’s ADNOC Distribution Special Stage 2 took the cars, trucks, bikes and quads on a difficult 318km passage through the Al Dhafradunes, with My Station trucks on hand to refuel rally competitors along the spectacular desert route.

“We are glad to have our My Station service participate in this event and to be able to refuel vehicles as contenders race during this challenging stage,” said Bader Saeed Al Lamki, CEO, ADNOC Distribution. Our Super 98 premium fuel, which is extracted and refined in the UAE, is specially designed to offer advanced care and efficiency in the most demanding environments. We are honoured to be involved in this event and keep racers moving through their journey to victory.”

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region.

The rally’s strategic partners are the Ruler’s Representative Court Al Dhafra Region, the Ministry of Defence, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, ADNOC Distribution, Al-Futtaim Toyota, Abu Dhabi Police, YasMarina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Aviation, National Ambulance, Abu Dhabi Municipality, Abu Dhabi Distribution Co., Al Dhafra Region Municipality, Al-Ain Water, Abu Dhabi Sports TV, Civil Defence and the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Super Saturday’ at Meydan Racecourse will once again kick off on March 5th, and is regarded as the full dress rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup meeting, sponsored by Emirates Airline.

With an enhanced programme of nine races this year, Super Saturday is undoubtedly an important meeting of the UAE season outside of the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup day.

The card features two Group Ones, the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, over 2000 meters on dirt, and the Jebel Hatta, over 1800 meters on turf, in which defending champion Lord Glitters is expected to line up again.

The concluding round of the Al Maktoum Challenge has been won by subsequent Dubai World Cup winners Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002) and Electrocutionist (2006), all at Nad Al Sheba. No horse, as yet, has won both races in the same year at Meydan although 2014 Super Saturday winner Prince Bishop won the 2015 Dubai World Cup and African Story, winner of the 2014 Dubai World Cup, won Al Maktoum Challenge R3 the following year.

The day also includes prep races for most of the other Dubai World Cup night races, with the G2 Dubai City of Gold, won last year by Godolphin’s Walton Street, a prep for the G1 Longines Sheema Classic and the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal a prep for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. The G3 Burj Nahaar, over the same course and distance as the G2 Godolphin Mile, is also staged, as is the Listed Al Bastakiya, in which the UAE’s top three-year-olds will compete for a spot in the G2 UAE Derby. The best turf sprinters will clash in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, which was won last year by Godolphin’s Final Song over 1200 metres.

The packed card also features a new race, the $300,000 Ras Al Khor, over 1400 metres on turf, in which trainer Charlie Appleby is likely to have a strong hand, while the UAE’s best Arabians clash in G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3, the prep for the $1million Dubai Kahayla Classic.

The embellished programme for Super Saturday also includes the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Horseracing Excellence Awards, which will recognise leaders in the sport across 8 categories, including Best Horse, Best Trainer, Jockey and the People’s Choice Award. Meydan Racecourse grandstand will also stage day one of the second edition of the Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum, which welcomes leading industry figures from around the world.

Noting the exciting agenda, Major General Dr Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, Board Member and General Manager of Dubai Racing Club and Dubai Equestrian Club, said: “We are very excited about this year’s enhanced Super Saturday card, as well as, some top-class racing, including two Group 1s, we stage the sixth edition of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Horseracing Excellence Awards and look forward to welcoming the winners from around the world.

“We also host the second edition of the Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum, in which we hope to build on the very successful first version in 2021.

On the continued support of Emirates Airline, Al Adhab added: “Emirates Airline have been with us right throughout the history of this prestigious meeting and we are delighted to have them onboard for this latest edition of Super Saturday.

“After a difficult two years for aviation, Emirates continues to shine as the world’s leading airline and a hugely important supporter of horse racing the world over. We hope they and their guests have an enjoyable and safe day of racing.”

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Emirates is proud to again be sponsoring the Super Saturday races, as part of our long-standing support to the growth and development of horse racing and equestrian sports in our home base of Dubai. We’re also honoured that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Horse Racing Excellence Awards will also be presented during these races, recognizing the best in horseracing, and cultivating the highest standards in the sport.”

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Today marks the launch of the 7th National Sports Day activities featuring the participation of all segments of society, under the theme “The UAE Unites Us”.

The National Sports Day is held in response to the call of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to specify a sports day in which all sports, physical and heritage activities are practised. H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the National Olympic Committee, Chairman of the High Committee for the National Sports Day Initiative, called upon all segments of society, institutions, and bodies to organise various activities and practice the concepts of friendship, cooperation, and brotherhood, which are among the key principles of Olympic movement.

The walking event features the participation of a huge number of public and sports figures. The Dubai Police band will march through all pavilions in the designated walking path. It sends a clear message that sport brings together all age groups of different nationalities to paint a bright picture at the world’s biggest cultural gathering. It enables holding the National Sports Day in a distinctive atmosphere of joy, happiness, and pleasure.

The walking event concludes at the Sports, Fitness and Wellbeing Hub, which will host 33 different sports activities, including football, basketball, volleyball, badminton, yoga for women, and cycling, in addition to various physical activities.

On the side-lines of the accompanying events, some exhibition sports performances in fencing, taekwondo, karate, and bodybuilding will be held to diversify the activities and present a distinctive version of the National Sports Day.

Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Executive Team of the National Sports Day initiative, discussed various preparations in the last meeting of the executive working group for the National Sports Day initiative, in the presence of Azza bint Sulaiman, Assistant Secretary-General for Administrative and Financial Affairs of the National Olympic Committee, and members of the work team.

Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee, Chairman of the Executive Office, stated that National Sports Day is an invitation to all members of society to practice sport and make it a part of their daily lifestyle, in view of its terrific role in sustaining physical and mental health. Al Falasi explained that the step reflects the keenness of the leadership to ensure the health and safety of the community, besides providing the environment to practise various types of sports.

“Today, we witness the seventh edition of this initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to encourage the practice of diverse sports and heritage activities. This year’s edition has a special flavour – it is being held at Expo 2020 Dubai, which ensures extensive participation from different nationalities, enhancing its role as a site of cultural convergence. But this time it embraces the title of ‘Sport’,” Dr. Al Falasi said.

“Organising the main event at Expo 2020 Dubai is an opportunity to demonstrate the harmony between diverse cultures from all countries of the world, and take advantage of the distinctive environment nurtured by Expo 2020 Dubai in the assembly and communication between all visitors in presenting a version of high Olympic principles and values such as cooperation, peace, affection and brotherhood. The work teams of the National Olympic Committee and the General Authority of Sports will cooperate to facilitate the participants’ tasks by providing all means of support.

“Under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Higher Committee for the National Sports Day initiative, everyone is invited to make this event a success by launching activities and designing events in a manner that suits each category,” Dr. Al Falasi said in conclusion.

Source: Emirates News Agency