ABU DHABI // Hundreds of spectators gathered at the finish line to cheer on the winners and all those who competed in the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon yesterday.
More than 1,500 athletes braved the warm weather to race on the taxing circuit and there were representatives from 51 countries, giving the event a truly international flavour in its second year.
Frederik Van Lierde of Belgium won the men's race, while defending champion Julie Dibens, from England, repeated her victory from last year's Abu Dhabi triathlon.
The Corniche was teeming with hundreds of waving and cheering spectators, many supporting family members and friends among the top triathletes and amateurs taking part in the punishing event.
Among the fans was David Morrison, 61, from Scotland, the father of one the top female triathletes.
"This is absolutely fantastic," he said after his daughter Catriona, 34, crossed the finish line in seven hours, 31 minutes and 12 seconds. "She's been suffering from Achilles problems, and this is her first long-distance run since recovering from her injury."
Morrison, who finished third, was the world duathlon champion in 2006 and 2010. She has participated in races "from Scotland to the Caribbean … too many to count", she said.
She trained for two months before this event and said she was well prepared. "It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be," Morrison said.
Another frequent competitor, Josh Rix, 32, from Australia, said it was his first triathlon in Abu Dhabi, having competed in races in the US, France, Japan, and Canada, among other countries.
"It was very well organised," said Rix, who finished 18th in seven hours, 27 minutes and 40 seconds. He said he looked forward to coming back next year.
The triathlon provided three distances for varying levels of competition.
The Long Course, with a first place cash prize of US$50,000 (Dh183,000), featured a three-kilometre swim, 200km bike ride and a 20km run. The Short Course featured a 1.5km swim, 100km bike ride and a 10km run, while the Sprint Course set a 750-metre swim, 50km bike ride and 5km run.
Emirati Adel al Areefi, the team captain of the Emirates Foundation's Takatof programme, said he and his team of volunteers began assembling at the Emirates Palace at about 4am.
Mr al Areefi said 60 volunteers, divided into two teams, handed out refreshments and assisting participants as they reached the finish line on the Corniche.
"I was also here during last year's triathlon," he said. "I'm really enjoying it and I'm proud that it is being held in our country."
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
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“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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