Few endeavours produce as many heroes as sport. A good way to judge who they are in 2022 is by looking at Instagram followings. The most-followed person on the platform is Cristiano Ronaldo, clocking in at 477 million followers.
Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson is not far behind at 335 million. While he might be best known as an actor and wrestler, the star, in his own words, is the product of another vocation. “I am a lot of things, but at my core, I always have been and always will be a bodybuilder."
Along with football, bodybuilding has produced some of the most historic sporting heroes of all time. If Instagram had been around during the days of Charles Atlas or the heyday of Arnold Schwarzenegger, they might well have been in the top 10.
The mass appeal of the world's most famous bodybuilders is not just down to looks, but the motivational examples they set in and outside the gym. Schwarzenegger is a case in point: he came to the US speaking barely any English, became one of the most famous athletes of all time, then one of its most recognisable actors. He then entered American politics before becoming governor of California. He is among the most successful US immigrant stories of the 20th century.
Now, the UAE has an overcoming-all-odds bodybuilding hero of its own. Abdulla Al Eisaei, an Emirati who lost his left leg in a car accident, is the first amputee from the UAE to win an international bodybuilding competition, after he came first in his category at the IFBB Pro Spain Empro Classic competition two weeks ago.
Al Eisaei's story is one of remarkable fortitude. He now wears his prosthetic limb as a “badge of honour” and a blessing from God. He describes losing his leg as a "moment after which my life was never going to be the same. But somehow I also knew it was going to take a turn for the better".
Perhaps that is so, but the journey to his victory has been a painful one. At the time of the accident doctors told him "to say his final prayers", and when he did eventually pull through, it took months of agonising pain and rehabilitation to get used to his new life.
His success and example is also one for the entire Middle East, a region that already has a large footprint in the sport. Iraq hosted the Mr Universe championship as far back as 1971. Fifty contestants from 32 nations took part, with thousands of spectators in attendance. In 1983, Samir Bannout, otherwise known as the “Lion of Lebanon”, won Mr Olympia, the sport's most prestigious event. Egypt's Mamdouh Elssbiay, or "Big Ramy", reigning champion in 2020 and 2021, is only the second person in the event's history to win back-to-back titles.
Al Eisaei's is not the only victory for the region, then, but it is an important one. Including disabled people in sport is crucial to reducing stigma as the region starts to think more about helping its people of determination. For his part, Al Eisaei has said he now wants to open a gym that can be a welcome space for disabled people in the UAE.
Most of all, his triumph is a reminder of what people can overcome if they have the drive. As Al Eisaei says: "If you have a goal in mind and truly believe that you will succeed, then you will. It is all in the mind set.”
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
