Georgia Taylor-Brown, left, and Flora Duffy, right, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. EPA
Georgia Taylor-Brown, left, and Flora Duffy, right, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. EPA
Georgia Taylor-Brown, left, and Flora Duffy, right, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. EPA
Georgia Taylor-Brown, left, and Flora Duffy, right, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. EPA

Olympic stars to face off at World Triathlon Finals in Abu Dhabi


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

An intense battle is on the cards when Flora Duffy and Georgia Taylor-Brown fight it out for the women’s crown in the Abu Dhabi World Triathlon Finals on Yas Island on Friday.

Duffy, the Bermudian gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, and Britain's Taylor-Brown, whom she beat for that victory, go into the final race of the world championship series with three wins apiece.

A similar scenario awaits in Saturday’s men’s event between Briton Alex Lee and New Zealander Hayden Wilde, who shared the podium with gold medalist Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway at the Tokyo Games.

Aref Al Awani, general secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said they are delighted to host the World Triathlon Championship Finals.

“This further endorses Abu Dhabi as a growing epicentre for world sport, having already hosted the NBA, UFC, F1 and world championship boxing in recent weeks,” Al Awani said at the launch ceremony of the event on Wednesday.

“We wish all athletes competing the absolute best of luck and look forward to some incredible competition.”

From left, Stuart Leatherby, HE Excellency Aref Awani, Marisol Casado, Khaled Al Fahim, Hana Al Nabulsi, Sharon Bayon, Hayden Wilde, and Jetze Plat ahead of the upcoming Abu Dhabi World Triathlon Finals at Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
From left, Stuart Leatherby, HE Excellency Aref Awani, Marisol Casado, Khaled Al Fahim, Hana Al Nabulsi, Sharon Bayon, Hayden Wilde, and Jetze Plat ahead of the upcoming Abu Dhabi World Triathlon Finals at Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

At the finals, the top 10 triathletes will assemble in both the men’s and women’s elite races.

Marisol Casado, president of World Triathlon and IOC board member, said: “The excitement around the event as incredible and reflects the quality of the fields in places across elite, age group, and para categories.

“The world’s best will be in Abu Dhabi. We cannot wait to crown the champions here on Yas Island.”

Khaled Al Fahim, president of UAE Triathlon, described the World Triathlon Championship Finals as not only wonderful for Abu Dhabi, but the UAE.

“Our Team UAE triathletes will get the opportunity to compete against the world’s best, on home soil, which is an incredible experience. We will also have hundreds of community athletes competing on the same stage as the biggest names in the world."

Meanwhile, the world’s best para triathletes will go head-to-head on Thursday morning. All eyes will no doubt be on Netherlands’ Jetze Plan, who has gone undefeated in World Triathlon events since 2016.

Other world-class para triathletes include USA’s Allysa Seely and Kendal Gretsch, Great Britain’s four-time Paralympian Lauren Steadman, and Spanish four-time world champion in paratriathlon and Paralympic gold medalist Susana Rodriguez Gacio.

The three-day event has drawn 80 international federations, showing the incredible strength and reach of the sport.

The opening day on Thursday will see the World Triathlon Para Championships and World Triathlon Age-Group Super-Sprint Championships.

The Under-23 Championship takes place on Friday and Saturday is a bumper day which will see champions crowned across the Open Para Triathlon Mixed Relay, the Age-Group Standard Championships World Championships, and the Aquabike Age-Group World Championships.

Community triathletes are also expected to take part this week, with a kids and junior event on Friday, and age-group community races taking place on the final day.

Hana Al Nabulsi, UAE Age Group World Championship athlete, ahead of the Abu Dhabi World Triathlon Finals. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Hana Al Nabulsi, UAE Age Group World Championship athlete, ahead of the Abu Dhabi World Triathlon Finals. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

War

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor

Rating: Two out of five stars 

What is Reform?

Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.

Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.

After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.

The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

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Profile

Company: Libra Project

Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware

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Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time

Sector: Renewable energy

Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.

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  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000 
  • HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000 
  • Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000 
  • Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000 
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  • Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000 
  • Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000 
  • Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
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About Krews

Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: January 2019

Number of employees: 10

Sector: Technology/Social media 

Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support

 

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

'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai, 
HBKU Press 

Updated: November 23, 2022, 6:16 PM`