A former international judoka won a Pitch 1 final at the Dubai Sevens on Saturday for the first time aged 45 – then vowed to play on until she can repeat the feat while playing in the same team as her daughter.
Elke Vinck was part of the all-conquering Dubai Hurricanes side who took the Gulf Women’s tournament with a 29-0 win over Dubai Falcons, the outgoing champions, in the final.
The Hurricanes, who also topped the table in the regular season of women’s domestic rugby, conceded just one try in the tournament, in their semi-final win over Egypt Rugby.
For Vinck, Pitch 1 glory might have provided a fitting swansong to her 16-year career with the Hurricanes. She is not planning to stop there, though.
Her next ambition is to play the Sevens as part of the same line up as the eldest of her five children, 18-year-old daughter Louka Blommaert.
It would have happened this year, only for Louka to suffer a recurrence of a dislocated shoulder two weeks ahead of the event. And her participation next year is dependent on other factors.
She is part of the Belgium national team set up. If they make it onto the World Sevens Series, or bring a side to Dubai to play in an invitational competition, that might supersede her playing for Hurricanes.
Her mother remains optimistic, though. “Belgium gave her permission to play this year, but she got injured just before,” said Vinck, whose 16-year-old twin sons played for the Hurricanes in the Gulf U19 Boys tournament this weekend.
“Of course, if they don’t give her permission, I have four other children to pick from.”
Vinck’s legacy in Gulf rugby is remarkable, given she only took up the sport after moving to Dubai, having previously represented Belgium at international level in judo.
“I was 29 when I moved here and the level of judo was pretty basic,” Vinck said.
“I thought, ‘Let’s try something else.' I started to play rugby, and I loved it from Day 1.
“Training with a team from a certain age, I did not want to let the team down. If it is an individual sport, you might think, ‘Oh, I won’t bother with training’. But I haven’t missed a training session.
“I can’t not be there, because then the rest cannot train. Also, at my age, playing a team sport, the motivation is better. If my body agrees, I will keep going.”
So long has she been playing for Hurricanes, Vinck can remember the days when the Women’s final was played on the main field as a matter of course. She was glad to be back there.
“I have won the final before, but never on Pitch 1,” she said.
“First of all, it was amazing to run out of the tunnel, no matter the outcome. But to win it, of course, is a little extra on top.
“Last year, because it had been a long time since we’d played on Pitch 1, I was super nervous. This time, I didn’t let it get into my head, and I didn’t feel any of our girls did.
“The whole weekend, as Hurricanes, we have played to our top level. We played as a unit, and when we came out for the final, we just went for it.”
Hannah Underhill, the victorious captain, said her side were glad to avenge the final defeat to the Falcons 12 months earlier.
“We pretty much cleaned up last year but we missed out on the Sevens, and that was really gutting,” Underhill said.
“It was a little bit of a grudge match, but we proved that relationships do the business.
“It is really good that women get to play on Pitch 1 as well. When we won two years ago, we were only on Pitch 2, and this year they decided to move it back, which is massive.
“It makes it a bigger occasion. For us, we are not professional rugby players. We are amateurs, all teachers, mums, normal people, and it is just about playing with our mates, so it is fantastic to be able to play on Pitch 1.”
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
%3Cp%3EGoogle%20wasn't%20new%20to%20busting%20out%20April%20Fool's%20jokes%3A%20before%20the%20Gmail%20%22prank%22%2C%20it%20tricked%20users%20with%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Fmentalplex%2F%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3Emind-reading%20MentalPlex%20responses%3C%2Fa%3E%20and%20said%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Fpigeonrank%2F%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3E%20well-fed%20pigeons%20were%20running%20its%20search%20engine%20operations%3C%2Fa%3E%20.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%20subsequent%20years%2C%20they%20announced%20home%20internet%20services%20through%20your%20toilet%20with%20its%20%22%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Ftisp%2Finstall.html%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3Epatented%20GFlush%20system%3C%2Fa%3E%22%2C%20made%20us%20believe%20the%20Moon's%20surface%20was%20made%20of%20cheese%20and%20unveiled%20a%20dating%20service%20in%20which%20they%20called%20founders%20Sergey%20Brin%20and%20Larry%20Page%20%22%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Fromance%2Fpress.html%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3EStanford%20PhD%20wannabes%3C%2Fa%3E%20%22.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EBut%20Gmail%20was%20all%20too%20real%2C%20purportedly%20inspired%20by%20one%20%E2%80%93%20a%20single%20%E2%80%93%20Google%20user%20complaining%20about%20the%20%22poor%20quality%20of%20existing%20email%20services%22%20and%20born%20%22%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fgooglepress.blogspot.com%2F2004%2F04%2Fgoogle-gets-message-launches-gmail.html%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3Emillions%20of%20M%26amp%3BMs%20later%3C%2Fa%3E%22.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Afro%20salons
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFor%20women%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESisu%20Hair%20Salon%2C%20Jumeirah%201%2C%20Dubai%3Cbr%3EBoho%20Salon%2C%20Al%20Barsha%20South%2C%20Dubai%3Cbr%3EMoonlight%2C%20Al%20Falah%20Street%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFor%20men%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMK%20Barbershop%2C%20Dar%20Al%20Wasl%20Mall%2C%20Dubai%3Cbr%3ERegency%20Saloon%2C%20Al%20Zahiyah%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EUptown%20Barbershop%2C%20Al%20Nasseriya%2C%20Sharjah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Result
Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2
Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5