ABU DHABI // Faisal Al Ketbi is eying a double gold in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam after success on the opening day’s No-Gi (without the traditional kimono) competition at the Zayed Sports City’s Ipic Arena on Friday.
The Emirati clinched a tactical battle over Brazilian Marcos Costa in the black belt 83-kilogramme weight category final.
Costa adopted a guard position from the onset and hardly made an attacking foray while Al Ketbi’s more straightforward approach won him the judges’ verdict after a scoreless result over the six-minute bout.
“He was waiting for me to make a mistake but I didn’t fall for it,” Al Ketbi said.
“I’m glad the first day’s work is behind me. Indeed, it was a good first day’s work and a result, but the bigger challenge for me is the next day’s [Gi] competition.
“The objective is to take this momentum forward and add a second gold for my fans and the country.”
Al Ketbi drew a first-round bye and won a unanimous points decision over another Brazilian Vinicius Almeida in the semis.
Joining him on the podium for the host nation was Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, who is enjoying a remarkable season.
He got the better of American Tyler Edworthy on points in the brown belt 108kg Masters-1 final to claim his 11th international gold medal since August.
Al Hammadi struck double gold at both the inaugural Asian Beach Championship in Sri Lanka and the Asian Beach Games in Vietnam. He repeated that feat at the Arab Championship in Jordan and returned with a gold and bronze from the inaugural Asian Championship in Turkmenistan.
“There are no secrets to my success but the continuous work and following the programme of our federation,” he said. “I hope I can take this forward to the next competition, then the Grand Slam London in March and the World Pro in Abu Dhabi in April.”
Al Hammadi revealed he adopted a different tactic going into the competition in Abu Dhabi.
“I want to start the New Year with a resolution,” he said. “I tested my new style and approach, which I have been working with my coach for a while, as everyone in the circuit know of my techniques. It was successful.”
Saturday’s action begins at 10am with some of the world’s best vying for a slice of the Dh735,000 prize fund.
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Background: Chemical Weapons
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
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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
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
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Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
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- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
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Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
First-round leaderbaord
-5 C Conners (Can)
-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);
-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)
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Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)
1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)
3 R McIlroy (NI)
4 D Johnson (US)
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
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Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 0 Al Ain 6
Al Ain: Caio (5', 73'), El Shahat (10'), Berg (65'), Khalil (83'), Al Ahbabi (90' 2)
