An intrepid team of seven Emiratis are swapping the sand dunes of the UAE for snow slopes in China for a history-making quest for success at the ninth Asian Winter Games.
The UAE will be hoping to bring home a milestone first medal in its third appearance in the week-long event, which will be staged at a ski resort in Harbin, capital city of China's northernmost Heilongjiang Province, from Friday.
The UAE's squad of six men and one woman will be joining 1,500 athletes drawn from 34 nations at the continent's first winter games in eight years.
They will be facing off against Asia's best in the three disciplines - Alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding - all while coping with icy temperatures which could plummet below -20°C.
In Alpine skiing, the UAE representatives will be Hassan Al Fardan, Abdullah Al Baloushi and Alex Estridge. Abdullah Al Rashid and Sultan Al Kendi will compete in the freestyle skiing, and Amna Al Muhairi and Hamid Al Ansari will take part in the snowboarding.
Planning for winter challenge
"Our national winter sports team is undergoing its final preparations at Ski Dubai before travelling to Harbin," Hamel Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation, told The National ahead of the squad travelling to China. "Ski Dubai has established a long-term plan under which athletes receive training, host practice sessions and hold competitions and championships."
Preparation a cause for optimism
A six-day training camp in Georgia got the Emirati contestants ready for the challenges ahead. Mr Al Qubaisi added that, through training in and outside the country, athletes are as ready as possible in a technical sense. He hopes the hard work will enable the athletes to "raise the UAE flag high".
"We have dedicated essential resources, expert trainers, and supported training programmes in various countries as part of our broader strategy to prepare our athletes for the upcoming Games," said Olivier Saez, Vice President of Global Snow, the company behind Ski Dubai. "We are immensely proud of this significant milestone in our ongoing journey to fuel growth in the region’s winter sports culture."
Abdullah Al Rashid, 18, has been freestyle skiing since 2017. He says he discovered he had a great passion for it and hasn't looked back since.
"I feel very proud of myself to be able to represent the UAE," he told The National. "Not many people have done that before and I'm considered one of the first. I feel honoured to have been chosen. I hope to get on the podium in first place. With the help I've received from my coach, I believe I'll do well."
Alex Estridge, 18, who is competing in the Alpine skiing category, said he has been practicing the sport since he was three. "I've lived in Dubai my whole life and I learnt at Ski Dubai," he said. "I was seven when I did my first race here. Recently, I've competed in the Youth Olympics in Gangwon. I'm excited for the Asian Winter Games, I've never been there. I'm going to try my best and see what I can do."
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Tomorrow 2021
SHAITTAN
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday
AC Milan v Sampdoria (2.30pm kick-off UAE)
Atalanta v Udinese (5pm)
Benevento v Parma (5pm)
Cagliari v Hellas Verona (5pm)
Genoa v Fiorentina (5pm)
Lazio v Spezia (5pm)
Napoli v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Roma (5pm)
Torino v Juventus (8pm)
Bologna v Inter Milan (10.45pm)
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The specs
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 4 (Mount 18',Werner 44', Hudson-Odoi 49', Havertz 85')
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Jordan cabinet changes
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- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
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- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
ALL THE RESULTS
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Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
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Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
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Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
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Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
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Daniella Weiss and Nachala
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Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
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Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
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• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
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Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
