Street 2022 World Skateboarding Championships in Sharjah set for semifinal showdown

Chloe Covel at the the Street 2022 World Championships in Sharjah. (Arada)

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Updated 04 February 2023

Arab News

February 04, 2023 10:28

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Street 2022 World Skateboarding Championships in Sharjah set for semifinal showdown

Competition at Aljada Skate Park acts as a qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris
Australian star Chloe Covell, 12, in confident mood after quarterfinal success

Updated 04 February 2023

Arab News

February 04, 2023 10:28

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SHARJAH: The quarterfinals of the Street 2022 World Skateboarding Championships at Aljada Skate Park in Sharjah on Friday saw big tricks and a dramatic day of action that set up the highly anticipated semifinals on Saturday for some of the sports finest athletes.

Among them was Chloe Covell, at 12 years old the youngest competitor in the field, who said: “I feel good after that, I got a pretty big score and it’s definitely given me more confidence leading into the finals. I think what got me the score was me doing switch tricks — standing the opposite way to do a trick — which gets you more points. I hope the semifinal will go well and I think everything will go to plan if I just do what I can do and not overthink it too much.”

The Street 2022 World Skateboarding Championships’ grand finale for both men and women at Aljada Skate Park is on Sunday, Feb. 5.

The Park 2022 World Skateboarding Championships begin that day as well, with the Sharjah hub hosting the tournament’s quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 10, semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 11, and the final on Sunday, Feb. 12.

Both competitions act as qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris — with all 12 Olympic medallists from the 2020 Games competing in the star-studded Sharjah line up.

A record-breaking total of more than 450 of the world’s best skateboarders are starring at the Street 2022 and Park 2022 World Championships for a prize pool of $500,000. Gold-medal winners in each discipline, in both the male and female categories, receive a $50,000 prize.

In the men’s Street event, the following skateboarders qualified for Saturday’s semifinal at Aljada Skate Park: Jagger Eaton (US); Kelvin Hoefler (Brazil); Aurelien Giraud (France); Ginwoo Onodera (Japan); Kairi Matsumoto (Japan); Ryan Decenzo (Canada); Alexander Midler (US); Sora Shirai (Japan); Joseph Garbaccio (France); Richard Tury (Slovakia); Chris Joslin (US); Angelo Caro (Peru); Gustavo Ribeiro (Portugal); Toa Sasaki (Japan); Giovanni Vianna (Brazil); Jhancarlos Gonzalez Ortiz (Colombia).

The competition in the women’s Street event was just as close, with the following skateboarders reaching the semifinals: Heat 1: Daniela Terol (Spain); Rayssa Leal (Brazil); Haylie Powell (Australia); Nonoka Nakajima (Japan); Momiji Nishiya (Japan); Aoi Uemura (Japan), Gabriela Mazetto (Brazil); Mariah Duran (US). Heat 2: Liv Lovelace (Australia); Funa Nakayama (Japan); Pamela Rosa (Brazil); Paige Heyn (US); Yumeka Oda (Japan); Chloe Covell (Australia); Rizu Akama (Japan); Roos Zwetsloot (Netherlands).

The Street 2022 and Park 2022 World Championships is co-organized by World Skate and UAE-based developer Arada.

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Saudi Women’s U-17 national team captain aims to inspire Saudi girls

Updated 13 sec ago

Lama Alhamawi

April 01, 2023 19:29

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Saudi Women’s U-17 national team captain aims to inspire Saudi girls

At 16, Majd Alotaibi is one of the youngest players in the women’s First Division

Updated 13 sec ago

Lama Alhamawi

April 01, 2023 19:29

RIYADH: Majd Alotaibi is dreaming big.

The captain of the U-17 Saudi Women’s National Football Team — established in February —hopes to inspire other girls across the Kingdom and dreams of winning the FIFA World Cup with the Green Falcons.

The U-17 team, led by Croatian coach Stella Gutal, consists of 28 players and is captained by Alotaibi, who is one of the youngest players in the Saudi women’s First Division, in which she represents Al-Yamamah FC.

Alotaibi started playing football in 2013, aged six, in a team coached by her father, who was a professional football player himself.

“My dad used to be a player so I felt like football was in my blood,” Alotaibi told Arab News. “It’s been a big part of my life since I was young.” Her family and friends “and everyone cheering me on” are her main motivation, she added. And she hopes to be a source of motivation for others too. “Being one of the youngest players in the (league and national team) means that I have to inspire younger girls,” she added.

She is quick to credit her teammates at Al-Yamamah as well, saying: “I would like to thank my teammates first of all, because they helped make it easier for me; because I’m one of the youngest, they take care of me.”

Alotaibi stressed that discipline and dedication are crucial for anyone hoping to become a professional.

“If you love the game and you want to do amazing things and achieve a lot, you need to believe 100 percent in what you’re doing,” she explained. “Always being there on time, always the first person on the field, last person off the field. If you have passion for something, you’re going to achieve a lot of great things.”

On March 24, Saudi Arabia’s Women’s National Team entered the FIFA world rankings after nine international matches over the previous year.

“Currently the Saudi national team is ranked 171 out of 188 national teams. That just proves how hard we have been working in such a short time so, inshallah, in the future you will see how far we come,” Alotaibi said.

After a recent victory in an international friendly match, the team gathered for official pictures, and Alotaibi mimicked Manchester City star Erling Haaland’s ‘yoga meditation’ goal celebration.

“I know it’s Haaland’s move, but I was happy and wanted to celebrate and that was the first thing that came to mind,” she said. “Now it’s become a thing.”

She has another signature pose where she brings her hands together to create the letter “M.”

“It’s M for Majd,” she said. “Inshallah, for upcoming matches when I score, I will do it.”

For now, Alotaibi is focusing on her career with Al-Yamamah and the Saudi national team, but would she consider a move in the future?

“What’s next for me is I want to become the best player in the league,” she said. “Regarding (other) clubs… to be continued.”

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Topics: football soccer Saudi Arabia Women's Football Saudi women sports

Gabriel Jesus ends drought as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 in EPL

Updated 11 min 8 sec ago

April 01, 2023 19:23

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Gabriel Jesus ends drought as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 in EPL

Jesus converted a first-half penalty for his first goal since Oct. 1 to give Arsenal the lead
Ben White added the second goal shortly after the halftime break

Updated 11 min 8 sec ago

April 01, 2023 19:23

LONDON: Gabriel Jesus ended a six-month scoring drought by netting twice as Premier League leader Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 on Saturday to maintain some breathing space atop the standings.
Jesus converted a first-half penalty for his first goal since Oct. 1 to give Arsenal the lead, and then made it 3-0 with a simple finish from close range in the 55th. The Brazilian striker had played 17 games for club and country without a goal, a stretch that was also interrupted by a lengthy spell on the sidelines after being injured at the World Cup.
Ben White added the second goal shortly after the halftime break and Granit Xhaka headed in a late fourth as Arsenal maintained an eight-point gap over defending champion Manchester City, which have a game in hand.
Leeds pulled a goal back with a deflected shot by Rasmus Kristensen to make it 3-1 in the 76th, but the loss leaves the visitors just a point above the relegation zone.
After City battered Liverpool 4-1 in the early game, Arsenal were under pressure to respond but nearly went behind inside 10 seconds for the second time in their last three home league games. Leeds almost replicated Bournemouth’s feat of scoring straight from the kickoff at the Emirates with a quick attack down the right flank, but Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale kept out Kristensen’s shot that time.
Bukayo Saka was on the bench for Arsenal for the first time in the league since December 2021 because of a minor illness, and the Gunners’ attack seemed to lack their normal fluidity for the opening 30 minutes — although Jesus wasted a great chance in the 11th when he headed over the bar from six yards out. Instead it was Ramsdale that had saves to make as he had to deny Crysencio Summerville and Jack Harrison in quick succession shortly after the half-hour mark.
But Arsenal went ahead after Luke Ayling tripped Jesus in the area and the Brazilian converted the spot kick by sending Illan Meslier the wrong way and slotting his shot down the middle.
It was all Arsenal in the second half, as White was on hand at the far post to steer in a low cross from Gabriel Martinelli in the 47th to double the lead.
Jesus then played a neat interchange with Leandro Trossard, who broke into the area and squared the ball back for the striker to slot into an empty net.
While Kristensen gave the visitors some hope when his shot deflected off the back of Oleksandr Zinchenko to wrongfoot Ramsdale, Arsenal responded with a rare headed goal from Xhaka, as the Switzerland midfielder met a cross from Martin Odegaard to seal the win.

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Topics: Arsenal leeds united Premier league Gabriel Jesus

Man City rout Liverpool 4-1 without injured Haaland

Updated 01 April 2023

April 01, 2023 17:14

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Man City rout Liverpool 4-1 without injured Haaland

The game represented one of the biggest remaining tests in City's league campaign
Defeat would have given Arsenal the chance to extend their lead at the top to 11 points

Updated 01 April 2023

April 01, 2023 17:14

MANCHESTER, England: No Erling Haaland, no problem for Manchester City.
Even without the Premier League’s leading scorer, Pep Guardiola’s team came from behind to rout Liverpool 4-1 on Saturday and stay in pursuit of first-place Arsenal.
Haaland, who has scored 42 goals in all competitions this season, was ruled out of the game at Etihad Stadium after failing to recover from a groin injury.
But even after falling behind to a 20th-minute strike from Mohamed Salah, City powered back with goals from Julian Alvarez, Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish to keep the pressure on Arsenal and deliver another blow to Liverpool’s Champions League qualification hopes.
The game represented one of the biggest remaining tests in City’s league campaign. Defeat would have given Arsenal the chance to extend their lead at the top to 11 points.
And that looked like a real possibility when Liverpool scored against the run of play early on, with Diogo Jota bursting past City’s high defensive line and laying off to Salah to sweep a shot into the corner.
But City evened the score when Alvarez, Argentina’s World Cup winning striker, converted Grealish’s cross in the 27th.
Liverpool had no answer to City’s attacking quality in the second half, with De Bruyne poking home a cross from Riyad Mahrez less than a minute after the restart.
Gundogan added a third from close range in the 54th, and Grealish got a deserved goal to round off the scoring in the 74th.
The win moved City to within 5 points of Arsenal before the Londoners’ game against Leeds later in the day.
Liverpool remain seven points off fourth-place Tottenham and still hasn’t won a league match at Etihad Stadium since 2015.
Jurgen Klopp’s team have now lost three straight games since routing Manchester United 7-0 last month.

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Topics: Liverpool Manchester city Kevin De Bruyne Premier league

Verstappen on pole in Australia as Mercedes bounce back

Updated 01 April 2023

AFP

April 01, 2023 07:09

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Verstappen on pole in Australia as Mercedes bounce back

Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes was third ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso
Last year’s winner Charles Leclerc came seventh in the Ferrari

Updated 01 April 2023

AFP

April 01, 2023 07:09

MELBOURNE: Double world champion Max Verstappen claimed pole on Saturday for the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, but his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez had a torrid time and will start last.
In overcast and cool conditions, Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes was third ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in a tight session that went to the wire.
Last year’s winner Charles Leclerc came seventh in the Ferrari, with his teammate Carlos Sainz fifth.
It was a huge performance from Mercedes, whose W14 has struggled for speed but is clearly improving as they bettered Ferrari.
Lance Stroll in the other Aston Martin will start sixth ahead of Leclerc with Williams’ Alexander Albon a shock eighth.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was ninth with Nico Hulkenberg in a Haas rounding out the top 10.
It was a second pole of the year for Dutchman Verstappen, and the 22nd of his career, after the season-opening race in Bahrain, which he went on to win.
He started from 15th in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago after mechanical problems, but sliced through the field to come second behind Perez.
The 25-year-old knocked out his rivals with a flying lap at the death of one minute 16.732, 0.236 secs ahead of Britain’s Russell.
“I think the last run was very good, the whole weekend has been tough to get the tires in the right window,” said Verstappen, who has never won in Australia and will start on pole for the first time at Albert Park.
“Very happy to be on pole, already looking forward to tomorrow. I think we have a good race car but it is tricky on the tires, so going to be an interesting race for sure.”
But Mexico’s Perez — one point behind Verstappen in the championship standings — had a horror of a day, struggling with grip and balance.
He left the track four times during the third practice and it didn’t get any better in qualifying when he locked up and careened into the gravel at Turn 3 on his first lap.
His car beached and had to be removed by a crane, with the session red flagged.
“It was the same issue again,” the dejected Perez said on the team radio.
Russell, who came fourth in Saudi Arabia, was stunned with Mercedes’ performance, saying “we weren’t expecting that, that’s for sure.”
“What a session for us. The car felt alive, and to be honest I’m disappointed I didn’t get pole as the car felt awesome,” he added.
“We are learning more and more about the car, it’s still not where we want it to be, but it’s evolved from Bahrain to Jeddah to here.”
Seven-time world champion Hamilton, who has been the pole-sitter eight times in Melbourne, was briefly at the top of the timesheets and was ecstatic to be starting on the second row.
“I’m so happy with this. This is totally unexpected — just really proud of the team,” said the Briton.
“It’s a dream for us, to be this close to the Red Bull is incredible. We hope to give them a run for their money.
“Everything came together today. We’ll give it our best shot tomorrow.”
Verstappen topped Q2 from Alonso and Sainz with Alpine’s Gasly a casualty.
AlphaTauri pair Nyck De Vries and Yuki Tsunoda also missed out, along with Kevin Magnussen in his Haas and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Verstappen was also fastest in Q1 ahead of Russell and Hamilton.
Along with Perez, Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, Williams’ Logan Sargeant and rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri all failed to get out of Q1.

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Topics: Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing Australian Grand Prix Formula 1

Newcastle United is an ‘ambitious, long-term project,’ says club’s chief exec

Updated 01 April 2023

Arab News

April 01, 2023 08:07

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Newcastle United is an ‘ambitious, long-term project,’ says club’s chief exec

Latest round of financial results revealed $87.2m loss, along with a need to increase revenues and secure more-lucrative sponsorship deals
Newcastle face Man United on Sunday in a Premier League re-run of February’s Carabao Cup final, which ended in defeat for Magpies

Updated 01 April 2023

Arab News

April 01, 2023 08:07

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United Chief Executive Darren Eales spoke on Friday about the “ambitious, long-term project” that is underway at St James’ Park.

It followed the release of the club’s latest financial results, the main takeaway from which was a need to significantly increase revenues and secure more-lucrative sponsorship deals.

The accounts for the year ending June 30, 2022, were the first filed under the majority ownership of the club by Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, whose tutelage covered about nine months of that period.

Newcastle reported a loss, after tax, of £70.7 million ($87.2 million), over the 12 months, a significant increase on the £12.2m loss reported in 2021. It was mostly attributed to transfer market costs, and a significant increase in the ratio of wages to turnover, which now sits at an unsustainable-looking 94.6 percent.

Turnover, however, was up, with the club reporting revenues of £180 million, an increase of almost £40m compared with the previous year.

“This is an ambitious, long-term project,” said Eales. “The financial success of the club goes hand-in-hand with our performances on the pitch.

“We have come a long way in the past few months. There’s still a long way to go but we are looking to the future with confidence.”

In the immediate future, Newcastle will take on Manchester United on Sunday in a Premier League re-run of February’s Carabao Cup final, in which the Magpies ended up on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline.

Newcastle have been plagued by injuries to some key players recently, including top scorer Miguel Almiron, and major January signing Anthony Gordon.

“Anthony did a very small part of training on Wednesday,” head coach Eddie Howe said on Friday. “We’ll see how he has responded to that.”

As for Almiron, Howe said: “I’d love him to beat the timescale given but I just don’t see it, currently. He’s making really good progress. I think he’s pain-free. I don’t think there’s any long-term issues. I think it’s just a case of that’s the time it will take for the muscle to fully heal.

“So I think we’re four weeks off (a return to action), maybe slightly less. But yeah, he’s making really good progress.”

Three other players were also under supervision during last week’s international break, which Newcastle spent in Dubai: Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Nick Pope. Schar and Pope were both withdrawn from the Swiss and English national teams respectively, while Botman was sent home by the Netherlands.

“I think it’s been good for some players,” Howe said of the international break. “It gave us an opportunity to rest a couple that were carrying niggles and problems.

“Fabian would be a prime example of someone that has played through pain and different things. It came at a good time for him and Anthony Gordon to improve his injury and try to get him closer to returning.

“Nick felt a problem in his thigh after the Wolves game. He didn’t train in preparation for the Nottingham Forest game but completed the game with some discomfort. He didn’t train in Dubai but has trained this week, so the signs are good.”

Regarding Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman’s decision to withdraw Botman from international duty, Howe said: “Sven, I think, suffered food poisoning; quite a nasty bout of illness. I don’t think he was alone in the Holland camp, there were few players suffering the same thing.

“He left the camp early to try and get himself back up to speed. He has trained with us since he’s returned, so he should be fine.”

One player who will be back in action this weekend is Joelinton, who missed the 2-1 wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest through suspension.

“Joe’s a huge presence, not just physically but the other lads know how good of a player he is,” said Howe. “So to have him back among the squad is a huge boost for us.

“He’s been very consistent this season, a huge player for us, very versatile. To have him back is a big lift but, as you say, the other players in his absence have performed very well. It’s great to have competition for players.”

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Topics: Newcastle United Darren Eales

Street 2022 World Skateboarding Championships in Sharjah set for semifinal showdown

Street 2022 World Skateboarding Championships in Sharjah set for semifinal showdown

Olympic skateboarders set for Street and Park World Championships at Sharjah’s Aljada Skate Park

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Gabriel Jesus ends drought as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-1 in EPL

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Street 2022 World Skateboarding Championships in Sharjah set for semifinal showdown

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