All eyes on Sergiu Toma as UAE confident of extending Asian Games medal tally

The UAE hope to round off their most successful Asian Games campaign by adding a few more medals to their tally in judo, showjumping and sailing.

They have so far accumulated 12 medals – three gold, six silver and three bronze – at the 18th iteration of the continental spectacle being held in Indonesia. Their previous best was 10 medals, including three gold, four silver and three bronze, at the Doha Games in 2006.

Nine of those 12 medals won in Jakarta and Palembang came from jiu-jitsu, and the general secretary of the UAE Wrestling, Judo and Kick Boxing Federation believes the trio of judokas are capable of sweeping their respective categories.

“It’s hard to predict results, but we are expecting three medals from our three judokas,” Naser Al Tamimi said.

Sergiu Toma, bronze medallist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, will compete in the 90-kilogram division. Fellow Olympians Victor Scvortov and Ivan Remarenco will fight in the 73kg and 100kg, respectively.

Scvortov will face an as yet unnamed opponent in the round of 16 on Thursday at the Jakarta Convention Centre after receiving a first-round bye.

Toma and Remarenco came through their qualifiers and will be in action in the round of 16 on Friday.

Toma meets Shakhbodzek Sabirov of Uzbekistan and Remarenco is up against India's Avtar Singh.

“Japan and Korea are the traditional powerhouses in the sport in Asia, but they are not invincible. Aside from that, there is more than one medal to be won in each weight division,” Al Tamimi pointed out.

“All three of our judokas are very experienced. They have been around in the world circuit for a long time to know what it takes to win medals.”

Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum has turned her focus to the showjuming individual event at the Asian Games. Reem Mohammed / The National

____________

Emirati Women's Day: Mahra Al Hanaei and Ashwaq Al Koori set example at Asian Games

Reaction: Khalfan Belhoul 'a hero' for fighting though the pain to guarantee UAE a medal

'A dream come true': UAE's Faisal Al Ketbi clinches jiu-jitsu gold at 2018 Asian Games

____________

The showjumping quartet led by Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum are out to challenge for medals in the individual event, also on Thursday.

“Our horses had a good day’s break and will be fresh for the final competition,” said Sheikh Latifa, who rides the 10-year-old grey horse Cobolt 8. “We are hopeful as always with all four of our riders still in the race to challenge for medals.

“We were close to winning a bronze in the team event. We eventually finished fifth, but we can take a lot of positives forward from Tuesday’s competition.”

Sheikha Latifa is one of the most experienced riders at the Games, having won silver in the team event at the Doha Games and two silvers in the team and individual at the Incheon Games four years ago.

Also carrying the UAE’s hopes are Hamad Al Kirbi atop Quel Caadan Z, Nadia Taryam aboard Cortado and Mohammed Al Rumaithi on Denitha.

Meanwhile, three Emirati sailors will feature in the medal round on Friday. Ali Al Hamza is in the final round of the Laser Standard, and Saif Al Mansoori and Salama Al Mansoori are vying for honours in the Laser 4.7.

Company%20profile

%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

TOURNAMENT INFO

Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier

Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November

UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi

Ipaf in numbers

Established: 2008

Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.

Winning novels: 13

Shortlisted novels: 66

Longlisted novels: 111

Total number of novels submitted: 1,780

Novels translated internationally: 66

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.