Jonathan Raymond offers a look ahead at what sports fans in the UAE can look forward to this week.
Aquatics: High Diving World Cup, Monday, Abu Dhabi Corniche; YouTube streams (Sunday) (Monday)
The competition, which started on Saturday and continues Sunday with the women’s finals, sees a Monday conclusion at the Abu Dhabi Corniche breakwater on Theatre Road for the men’s finals.
The farely unique event, in its third year after stops in Kazan, Russia and Cozumel, Mexico offers to the capital a glimpse of the world’s best high-dive athletes, including the two-time defending champions Orlando Duque of Colombia and Rachelle Simpson of the United States.
High diving is distinct from normal Olympic-class diving in that it, well, is performed from greater heights. Fina, world swimming’s governing body, introduced the event as its own discipline at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, where the dominant Duque was victorious.
Per Fina standards, men jump from 27m (89 feet) and women jump from 20m (66ft).
Briton Gary Hunt, who won last year’s World Championships gold in Kazan, is also on hand in Abu Dhabi to compete.
Football: Premier League midweek, Tuesday, Wednesday; BeIn Sports
The choice match of the week might be Liverpool v Manchester City (midnight Wednesday), engaging in a rapid rematch from their Sunday League Cup final contest.
Shock leaders Leicester City (11.45pm Tuesday, v West Brom) and hard-charging Arsenal (11.45pm Wednesday, v Swansea City) are given relatively simple assignments, while Tottenham Hotspur, level on two points back with Arsenal, will lock horns in an enticing battle with West Ham United (11.45pm Wednesday).
Not to be forgotten, Manchester United (v Watford, midnight Wednesday) are also in action, Louis van Gaal’s managerial life on the line seemingly with every match.
Golf: WGC-Cadillac Championship, Thursday-Sunday; OSN Sports
It is going to be a big week in the world of Trump. The US presidential race will become a lot clearer with the Super Tuesday primaries, and on Thursday the first of the four annual World Gof Championships tournaments – golf’s events just below the major tier – will be held at Donald’s eponymous Trump National Doral Club home in Florida.
With the Masters only about five weeks away, get a glimpse of all of the world’s top 50 players together in a tournament for the first time this season.
The early-round tee times should allow to evening viewing in the UAE.
Mixed martial arts: UFC 196, Sunday morning UAE time; Abu Dhabi Sports TV
The event begins at 7pm locally in Las Vegas, which because of the 12-hour time difference between here and the US West Coast makes a 7am start time on Sunday easy enough to remember.
The main event features the can’t-miss featherweight champion Conor McGregor insanely jumping up two divisions to fight at welterweight against Nate Diaz, after his lightweight title bout with Rafael dos Anjos was scuppered by Dos Anjos’ late injury.
The five-fight main card also features giantslayer Holly Holm – who explosively took the women’s bantamweight title from Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 – defending her newly won belt against Miesha Tate.
The No 12, 13 and 14 ranked light heavyweights will also fight, with Corey Anderson (12) taking on Tom Lawlor and Gian Villante (13) in a bout against Ilir Latifi (14).
With the main card starting at 7, the McGregor fight could be expected to begin anywhere around 8.20-9am here in the UAE.
Triathlon: ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi 2016, Saturday, Abu Dhabi Corniche
Rise early for this one, featuring the top triathletes in the world taking the first step toward this summer’s Rio Olympics.
With a scheduled 6.15am start time at the Corniche, competitors will start the 1500m swim from the race village at the Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club. A 40km bike course and a 10km run follow, both featuring stretches along Theatre Road that go through the race village and, farther down, Abu Dhabi Heritage Village.
Olympians and world champions, such as Britain’s Brownlee brothers and the Spanish star Javier Gomez Noya (the three medallists at London 2012), and women’s stars Gwen Jorgensen (the 2014-15 back-to-back ITU World Triathlon Series champion) will be putting their multitude of talents on display.
