Safiya Al Sayegh will represent the UAE at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Photo: UAE Women's Cycling Team
Safiya Al Sayegh will represent the UAE at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Photo: UAE Women's Cycling Team
Safiya Al Sayegh will represent the UAE at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Photo: UAE Women's Cycling Team
Safiya Al Sayegh will represent the UAE at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Photo: UAE Women's Cycling Team

Safiya Al Sayegh makes history as first UAE female cyclist to qualify for Olympics


Reem Abulleil
  • English
  • Arabic

UAE cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh said she was "dreaming" after securing a historic qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 22-year-old is the first Emirati woman, and just the second rider from the country, to qualify for the road race at an Olympic Games, following in the footsteps of her compatriot Yousif Mirza.

Having accumulated the necessary points to guarantee her spot in Paris, Al Sayegh gets to write a new chapter in her book of historic achievements, which includes being the UAE’s first professional female cyclist, and the first to sign a contract with a women’s UCI World Team.

The road races at the 2024 Olympics will feature parity in field size between the men’s and women’s events for the first time, and Al Sayegh will be one of the 90 women lining up for the 158km trek, which will start and end at Paris’ Trocadero.

“Still can’t come to believe this, I think it will take some time, but all I know is that I’m over the clouds,” wrote Al Sayegh on Instagram. “Elhamdolillah. Time to work even harder.”

Last month, Al Sayegh made her World Tour debut with UAE Team ADQ, joining the squad at the Tour of Chongming Island in China. That came on the heels of a strong showing at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where she placed ninth in the individual time trial and 11th in the road race.

As she continues to blaze a trail for Emirati women in cycling, Al Sayegh cannot wait to fly the flag for her nation in Paris next year, which she describes as a “goal come true”.

“Am I dreaming? I’m going to be an Olympian?!? And the very first Emirati female cyclist?!?” the UAE national champion wrote in an Instagram post.

“This week my childhood dream, that had turned into a long-term goal became true. I made it to qualifying to the Olympics. Goals come true. It would’ve been a dream if I just sat and wished for it, but it’s a goal come true because there’s blood, sweat, pain, enjoyment, struggles, memories, tears, up to this historical and emotional achievement.

“I can’t be thankful enough towards all the stakeholders and supporters that are behind this achievement. Reaching this goal wasn’t easy, but the people beside me guided me into paving the journey up to this incredible milestone. And with all my strength I say, go for those dreams of yours, nothing is impossible.”

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Score

Third Test, Day 2

New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)

Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings

The chef's advice

Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.

“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”

Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.

The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport

Price, base: Dh5.1 million

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm

Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Xpanceo

Started: 2018

Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality

Funding: $40 million

Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

UAE squad v Australia

Rohan Mustafa (C), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Fahad Nawaz, Amjed Gul, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Muhammad Naveed, Amir Hayat, Ghulam Shabir (WK), Qadeer Ahmed, Tahir Latif, Zahoor Khan

Super Saturday results

4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).

4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, Brett Doyle, Charlie Appleby.

5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.

6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Old Persian, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.

7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.

Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Sour%20Grapes
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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Fighting with My Family

Director: Stephen Merchant 

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell        

Four stars

RESULTS

6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m

Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.

8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m

Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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If you go:

 

Getting there:

Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.

 

Getting around:

Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')

Fulham 0

Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)

Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)

Updated: May 02, 2024, 8:37 AM