The UAE have sent a five-member squad to the Tokyo Olympics, its smallest contingent since the nation’s first Games participation at Los Angeles 1984.
The National Olympic Committee had initially named six participants - four qualifiers and two wildcards. Discus thrower Fatima Al Hosani was offered a wildcard but is ineligible to compete as she has not taken part in international competition for more than two years.
Here is a look at each member and their events:
Saif bin Futtais (shooting)
Saif bin Futtais will be the first UAE participant in action when he competes in the men’s skeet on Sunday.
The Emirati, 47, is a seasoned campaigner who has competed for more than 20 years on the international circuit. It will be a second Games for Bin Futtais after Rio 2016.
Having made his international debut at the 2000 World Championships in Cairo, Bin Futtais' best finish was sixth with a score of 124 in Belgrade in 2011.
He has three medals at the World Cup: gold at Larnaka in 2015, silver at New Delhi in 2021 and bronze at Acapulco in 2013.
Bin Futtais also won three Asian Championships golds and four silvers; a silver in the ISSF Grand Prix; an Asian Games bronze in Jakarta and a Continental qualification gold in New Delhi in 2016.
He is one of the nation's main medal hopes.
Victor Scvortov (judo)
The second UAE athlete in action at Tokyo is judoka Victor Scvortov, who takes to the mat in the 73-kilogram weight on Monday.
His medal hopes at Rio 2016 ended when he fell to Japan’s world champion Shohei Ono, the eventual gold medal winner, in the third round.
The UAE Wrestling and Judo Federation is hopeful the Moldovan-born judoka can replicate his former teammate Sergiu Toma’s run at Rio, however, when he collected a bronze medal.
Scvortov, 33, has had a consistent run since Rio and arrives at Tokyo ranked 20th in the world.
Since Rio, he has won bronze at the 2018 Asian Games and followed up with bronze at the Asian-Oceanic Championships in Fujairah in 2019; silver at the Grand Prix in Montreal and bronze at the Grand Slam in Kazan in 2021.
Scvortov shoulders the nation’s medal hope after Toma retired because of a back injury in 2018.
Ivan Remarenco (judo)
Ivan Remarenco is another member of the UAE Olympic contingent with medal prospects.
Remarenco has struggled in recent years with back injuries but finished fifth in the Asia-Oceanic Championships in Fujairah in April for his first tournament in more than two years.
The 32-year-old won the World Cup in Almaty in 2011 representing Moldova and was Romanian champion in 2012 before joining Toma and Scvortov in the UAE squad in 2013. He won a World Championships bronze in 2014 in the 100kg.
Tokyo will be Remarenco's third Olympics. He represented Moldova at London 2012 and the UAE at Rio.
Yousuf Al Matrooshi (swimming)
For young Emirati swimmer Yousuf Al Matrooshi, Tokyo will mostly be about soaking up the Olympic experience.
The Dubai resident, 18, received a wildcard for the 100-metre freestyle at Tokyo.
“The Olympics is an experience that I can take forward to the Worlds and compete in front of my people, family and friends,” Al Matrooshi said.
Al Matrooshi first came into the spotlight when he broke the national age-group record in the 100m butterfly that had stood for more than 23 years.
A gold medal in 100m freestyle at the Gulf Championship in Kuwait in 2019 remains his best result so far.
He has competed at the Asian Age Group Championships in Uzbekistan in 2017, Fina World Junior Swimming Championships in Hungary and the Arab Championships in Morocco, both in 2019, and the Egyptian National Championships this April.
Hassan Al Noobi (track and field)
The UAE's lone representative on the track runs in the 100m heats on Saturday, July 31.
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Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press
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Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
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Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
Grand slam winners since July 2003
Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam
Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)
Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)
Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)
Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)
Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)
Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open)
Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)
Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)
Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)
Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
More about Middle East geopolitics
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
