Portia Woodman-Wickliffe says Dubai is the first step of a journey she hopes will end with another Olympic gold medal with New Zealand at the end of this season.
The flying wing was part of the Black Ferns Sevens side who won the event in Tokyo back in 2021. Growing up, Woodman-Wickliffe had always aspired to be an Olympian, initially as a sprinter.
She says playing at the first Olympic sevens event in Rio in 2016 felt like the “pinnacle” of sport, even if they had to settle for silver behind Australia.
However, the next Games did not pan out quite how she had envisaged it, even if they did win gold, because of the effects of the pandemic.
“Because of Covid, with no spectators, it kind of felt like we were ripped off,” said Woodman-Wickliffe, who was named women’s sevens player of the decade in 2020.
“We had done all this work for five years to get to this competition and we win, but there is no one there to celebrate with.
“We had to go straight home, then we were in quarantine, then we were in lockdown. It is amazing to have that gold medal, but it felt like we had missed this the first time round, then we did it this time, but next time we will have our family there, and it will be all about celebrating with our whanau.
“That is how Rio 2016 was supposed to be, but we didn’t quite get that. Hopefully 2024 [in Paris next summer] can be that.
“We have a lot of jobs to do between now and then, starting with Dubai.”
The Olympics was far from the only sports event that Covid set out of kilter. Until then, New Zealand and Australia seemed to have settled into a weird ritual of winning alternate Dubai Sevens.
Since the onset of the coronavirus, though, Australia have won three times in Dubai, including twice in the space of a week when New Zealand were absent two years ago.
New Zealand, though, are focused on regaining their title. The Dubai leg was the only world series tournament they failed to win last season, as they won the remaining six legs.
Sarah Hirini, their captain, said they are happy to be back in the city.
“If someone asks what tournament do you like the best, it is Dubai, No 1,” said Hirini, as her side won the first Abu Dhabi Sevens festival in the capital last weekend.
“You come to Dubai and it is completely different to anywhere else in the world. You don’t get this anywhere else.
“Yes, all the tournaments are well run, but here there are thousands of people and the atmosphere around the tournament is always amazing.”
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Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
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9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
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Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
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2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
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World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
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The biog
Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Holiday destination: Sri Lanka
First car: VW Golf
Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters
Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
