Pedro Causil of Columbia training ahead of his race at the Winter Olympics. Phil Noble / Reuters
Pedro Causil of Columbia training ahead of his race at the Winter Olympics. Phil Noble / Reuters
Pedro Causil of Columbia training ahead of his race at the Winter Olympics. Phil Noble / Reuters
Pedro Causil of Columbia training ahead of his race at the Winter Olympics. Phil Noble / Reuters

Colombian speed skaters finding conditions tough at Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang


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Daytime temperatures in Gangneung have inched above freezing during the past few days but the two Colombian speed skaters competing in South Korea are now struggling to adapt to the buffeting winds sweeping over the picturesque coastal village.

Strong winds have caused havoc with scheduling up in the mountains, with several events being postponed because of the weather and on Wednesday Gangneung got a taste of similar conditions.

The wind damaged temporary structures down on the coast, with tents set up for security screenings being toppled at the figure skating venue and in the media village.

In the mountains, 16 Pyeongchang Olympics staff and spectators were injured by flying debris.

"It's been really hard because it's been really windy these days," skater Pedro Causil said after a practice session at the Gangneung Oval, the venue for speed skating.

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"We have to adapt. It's a part of sport and for winter sports it's even harder."

"It's not normal for us. There's a lot of wind," added compatriot Laura Gomez Quintero, who will compete in the mass start. "It is really cold for us because in Colombia we don't have this weather."

The weather may be a far cry from what the skaters from Colombia's tropical climes are used to, but it is a small price for them to pay for being at the Olympics.

"I'm excited," Causil said. "It's my first Olympics and it's been my dream. I want to race really good, not just participate.

"I want to finish as high as I can and try to better my personal best."

Gomez Quintero was a late call up for the Games and arrived in Korea without an official Colombian uniform, and the Dutch company that manufactures Colombia's speed skating skin suits had to fly one out to her a few days ago.

The mass start final is on February 24, the last day of action at the Oval, and the inline skater believes the competition will be the toughest she has ever faced.

"It's a race I am used to but the competition among the girls is so strong," she said. "It's going to be pretty hard but I will try to go to the final and do my best."

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Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

How to get exposure to gold

Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.

A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.

Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.

Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.

London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long

However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.

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THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Keep it fun and engaging

Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.

“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.

His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar

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 

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Four stars

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