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A determined Abu Dhabi resident has stepped up his support for the UAE by running 50 kilometres in honour of the Golden Jubilee.
Sadique Ahamed embarked on his golden run in front of the Adnoc building at 2am on Thursday, taking in the Corniche, Mina Zayed and Qasr Al Watan on his scenic route, before returning to the oil company headquarters about four hours later.
The Indian citizen, from Kerala, is a shining example of the Emirates' bold motto that "nothing is impossible".
Before the pandemic struck he occasionally went on 1-2km runs, but nothing that compared to what was to come.
He was inspired to put his best foot forward when stay-at-home measures were eased in the capital in the early stages of the outbreak, taking advantage of the opportunity to exercise outdoors.
“When corona happened we were allowed to go running outside and I became a runner,” said Mr Ahamed, who works in the health and safety department of Adnoc.
“Now I motivate people to get active. The UAE gives us many opportunities and this is my tribute.”
The 30-year-old frequently posts about the thrill of running and his new-found passion for long distance.
He has racked up 10,000 Instagram followers with motivational tips to encourage others to take up sport.
“Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done,” is a post on his Instagram and a statement he uses to encourage beginners who ask him for advice.
Two days before the 50km, he ran 30km on Commemoration Day to honour the UAE’s military who lost their lives while serving the country.
Mr Ahamed ran his first half marathon distance in November last year and followed that with the full 42.1km in January.
The Indian resident has taken up the triathlon and ultramarathons, and he aims to run overseas once Covid-19 restrictions ease.
He runs with the Kerala Riders UAE, Abu Dhabi Running Team and 5:30 Run, and clocks in 10-12km a day, and double the distance on Fridays.
“When people see my posts, they ask many questions about how I manage to run without any experience,” he said.
“Running frees the mind. My motto is that I want to encourage people to get involved in activities so they get fit.”
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PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
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
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
if you go
The flights
Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.
The trip
Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
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