CrossFit icon Dani Speegle to headline 1st Saudi Arabia sports Expo

CrossFit icon Dani Speegle to headline 1st Saudi Arabia sports Expo
With CrossFit as her platform, Dani Speegle has been on a mission to make a positive impact beyond the sport – having also recently launched her Girls Who Eat campaign. (Supplied)
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Updated 18 May 2023
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CrossFit icon Dani Speegle to headline 1st Saudi Arabia sports Expo

CrossFit icon Dani Speegle to headline 1st Saudi Arabia sports Expo
  • Athlete will lead panel on Saturday discussing women’s empowerment

RIYADH: Iconic CrossFit athlete Dani Speegle is set to headline the first-ever Saudi Sports for All Federation Expo in the Kingdom on Saturday.

A past winner of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s “The Titan Games” on NBC, and a major sports personality with more than 2.3 million social media followers, Speegle will lead a panel titled “Women’s Empowerment – How to Overcome Obstacles and Reach Your Goals.”

The conference is being presented by the SFA – part of the Ministry of Sports – set up to promote a more active and healthier lifestyle for people of all ages in the Kingdom in support of Vision 2030.

Speegle said: “The SFA Expo is the first event of its kind in the country, and when I was invited to speak on a women’s empowerment panel alongside other strong ladies from the sports world, I was excited at the opportunity to play a small part in creating more positive change in the lives of women and society on the other side of the globe.

“I’m honored to be helping lead this very important conversation; inspiring girls to be strong and strive to reach their goals in whatever they want to do in life.”

With CrossFit as her platform, Speegle has been on a mission to make a positive impact beyond the sport – having also recently launched her Girls Who Eat campaign.

Her call to change the narrative on women, including outdated beauty standards and old notions of what they are capable of in athletics and life, has garnered international support.

The south California resident will also lead a CrossFit demonstration class earlier in the day – building upon the immense interest that has been growing around the sport among men and women in Saudi Arabia in recent years.


Al-Dawsari, Mitrovic on target as Al-Hilal beat Al-Tai

Al-Dawsari, Mitrovic on target as Al-Hilal beat Al-Tai
Updated 29 sec ago
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Al-Dawsari, Mitrovic on target as Al-Hilal beat Al-Tai

Al-Dawsari, Mitrovic on target as Al-Hilal beat Al-Tai
  • Saudi Pro League leaders wrack up 16th straight win in all competitions
  • Serbian striker first player since 2012 to score in 7 consecutive league matches

The Al-Hilal machine goes rolling on after the Saudi Pro League leaders defeated Al-Tai 2-1 on Friday to record a 16th successive victory in all competitions.

It was a strange game in that the Riyadh giants dominated but were never able to kill off their hosts, for whom goalkeeper Moataz Al-Baqawi was in fine form.

In the end, it did not matter as Hilal, threatening to pull away at the top of the table, went at Al-Tai from the start.

In the 15th minute, Kalidou Koulibaly’s smart half volley from outside the area drew a good diving save from Al-Baqawi and three minutes later the in-form Aleksandar Mitrovic should have opened the scoring.

A delightful volleyed through ball from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic freed the former Fulham forward who, with just the goalkeeper to beat, dragged his shot wide.

He was relieved in the 20th minute when a classic combination for both Al-Hilal and Saudi Arabia swung into action. Salman Al-Faraj crossed from the right and there was Salem Al-Dawsari to send a flying side-footed volley high into the net from near the penalty spot. The two club legends embraced in celebration of a beautiful and important goal.

Ten minutes later, Hilal were given a penalty after Ibrahim Al-Nakhli handled a shot from Mitrovic. The Serbian stepped up to grab his 14th league goal of the season and to get on the score sheet for the seventh successive game, a feat last achieved in Saudi Arabia in 2012 by Brazilian striker Wesley.

Five minutes before the break, the ball fell to Ruben Neves just outside the area and the Portuguese star curled home only for the goal to be ruled out due to an offside in the buildup, though it was a very tight call.

And it became painful for Hilal deep into added time thanks to another spectacular strike. Salman Al-Muwashar was twisting and turning in the middle of the Hilal half as he attempted to protect the ball from a group of blue-shirted players and then, suddenly, Tariq Abdullah stepped forward to side-foot a looping shot that beat the jumping Yassine Bounou, not far off his line on the edge of the 6-yard box.

Instead of 3-0 at the break, it was 2-1 and a game that had been dominated by the 18-time champions was suddenly looking very interesting indeed.

Al-Hilal were determined to make it as predictable as possible and within five minutes of the restart, Mitrovic’s half volley stung the hands of the goalkeeper. Moments later, a delicate chip from Neves just cleared the bar to land on the roof of the net.

Nobody will ever know how it was not 3-1 three minutes before the hour. Neves curled a delightful cross into the area. Milinkovic-Savic’s volley came back off the inside of the post but there was Al-Dawsari to react quickly and drive the rebound toward the top. Somehow, however, Al-Baqawi got there to tip the ball over.

The goalkeeper ensured that Hilal did not get a third goal but they picked up the points nonetheless.

Elsewhere, Al-Taawoun went third behind Al-Nassr with a 4-1 win at home to Al-Fayha, the losers perhaps tired after their Asian Champions League heroics in midweek when they won 4-1 at the Uzbekistan home of Pakhtakor to progress to the knockout stage.


Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister

Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister
Updated 08 December 2023
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Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister

Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister
  • Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal tells BBC Kingdom has proved itself able to host major events
  • Government has invested over $6.26bn in sports since 2021 as part of Vision 2030

LONDON: Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal has talked up the sporting and economic opportunities of the Kingdom hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, saying his country is ready to host the world’s biggest sporting event.
In an interview with the BBC, he raised the prospect of the Kingdom hosting the competition in the summer rather than the winter, noted the importance of sport in a country where the majority of citizens are below the age of 30, and discussed the progress made by the Saudi Pro League.
The government has invested over £5 billion ($6.26 billion) in sports since 2021 as part of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy away from dependence on fossil fuels.
With the FIFA Club World Cup set to begin in the Kingdom next month, Prince Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia is more than ready to host the biggest prize in football.
“We’ve showcased that — we’ve hosted more than 85 global events and we’ve delivered on the highest level,” he said.
“We want to attract the world through sports. Hopefully, by 2034, people will have an extraordinary World Cup.”
Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has hosted high-profile boxing matches, ATP tennis tournaments and Formula 1 racing.
The Public Investment Fund made waves when taking control of Premier League side Newcastle United and setting up the LIV Golf tour.
“Twenty million of our population are below the age of 30, so we need to get them engaged — we are playing our role to develop sports within the world and to be part of the international community,” Prince Abdulaziz said.
He added that lessons would be taken from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in neighboring Qatar, which had to be held in winter to avoid high temperatures.
He said Saudi Arabia is “definitely” looking into whether a summer contest would be feasible.
“Why not see what the possibilities are to do it in the summer? Whether it is summer or winter, it doesn’t matter for us, as long as we make sure that we (deliver) the right atmosphere to host such an event,” he added.
On the subject of the World Cup’s sustainability, Prince Abdulaziz said: “It’s a mandate on us in the Kingdom to make sure that we abide by the international regulations … to make sure that we play our role, to make sure that it’s eco-friendly.”
He addressed the progress of football in the Kingdom, which has taken on global significance since the £750 million influx of big names to the Saudi Pro League earlier this year, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar.
At grassroots, too, football is gaining in popularity, and the Kingdom even sees over 70,000 women and girls regularly taking part in the sport.
“All of our big matches have attracted record numbers so far … We’re broadcasting to 147 countries around the world,” Prince Abdulaziz said.
“When we planned to develop the league we never thought that we would do it with such pace, but to see that is actually refreshing and it actually showcases the importance of this. Our focus is to develop our league to attract the best in the world.”


Steven Gerrard: ‘Extremely nice’ to have Moussa Dembele back for Al-Ettifaq

Steven Gerrard: ‘Extremely nice’ to have Moussa Dembele back for Al-Ettifaq
Updated 08 December 2023
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Steven Gerrard: ‘Extremely nice’ to have Moussa Dembele back for Al-Ettifaq

Steven Gerrard: ‘Extremely nice’ to have Moussa Dembele back for Al-Ettifaq
  • French striker makes return in draw with Al-Shabab after 2 months out
  • Moussa ‘key to us winning games,’ teammate Jack Hendry says

RIYADH: Al-Ettifaq manager Steven Gerrard said it was “extremely nice” to have Moussa Dembele back in Roshn Saudi League action after his No. 9 made a substitute return following knee surgery.
The former Fulham, Celtic, Atletico Madrid and Lyon striker played the final 20 minutes of the 0-0 draw at Al-Shabab on Thursday night. The game at the new Al-Shabab Club Stadium in Riyadh saw Ettifaq finish with 10 men following Demarai Gray’s red card, while the hosts ended with nine after Ever Banega and Gustavo Cuellar were both dismissed.
While frustrated not to have taken all three points — Dembele nearly made the perfect return with a late header that went over the bar — Gerrard said that having his top scorer back was a boost. Al-Ettifaq have failed to score in five of the eight games since the French striker last played, drawing three and losing two.
“It’s extremely nice to see Moussa Dembele back, extremely nice,” Gerrard said.
“When we get Moussa back up in a better place physically and get more minutes into him then I’m sure we’ll carry more of a threat. Moussa Dembele brings goals and assists. The good thing is we have him back. He’s a goalscorer. We’ve missed that quality.”
The former Rangers manager’s comments on the return of Dembele, who netted seven goals in eight Roshn Saudi League matches before his injury at the beginning of October, were echoed by teammate Jack Hendry.
“It’s very big for us to have him back. He’s a figurehead for us up front,” the defender said.
“He’s going to be the key to us winning games and kind of turning our fortunes in the right direction. Moussa’s a proven goalscorer. I played with him at Celtic and I know what he can bring to a team, so to have a figurehead like him up front is going to be important for us moving forward.”
Dembele said: “We will continue to work hard to improve our finishing.”
Ahead of weekend fixtures, Al-Ettifaq — who next play Al-Taawoun at home on Saturday, Dec. 16 — sit eighth in the league table.
“The game as it progressed was certainly there for the taking,” Gerrard said. “When we had a man advantage, we made a tactical change to take a defender off and bring Moussa on to be more aggressive and more opportunities came. We’re a bit frustrated we haven’t gone and taken the big opportunity to go and win the game.
“We’ll continue to grind until we find our rhythm and confidence in the final third, but we want to challenge individuals and the collective to bring more in the final third.”


Rashford must fight for Man Utd place, says Ten Hag

Rashford must fight for Man Utd place, says Ten Hag
Updated 08 December 2023
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Rashford must fight for Man Utd place, says Ten Hag

Rashford must fight for Man Utd place, says Ten Hag
  • “Rashford is an incredible, good player,” Ten Hag said on Friday
  • “You can’t do it with 11 players, he can’t play every game”

LONDON: Erik ten Hag says it is up to Marcus Rashford to force his way back into the Manchester United side after he was dropped for the midweek win against Chelsea.
The England international was left out of the starting line-up for the 2-1 win at Old Trafford after a string of disappointing performances, with his attitude questioned after last week’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.
Rashford, 26, scored a career-high 30 times for United last season but has netted just twice in the current campaign.
“Rashford is an incredible, good player,” Ten Hag said on Friday. “You can’t do it with 11 players, he can’t play every game, he’s not in this moment in the form he was last year but I am sure he will get there.
“It is up to them (to get back into the side). The team will always line themselves up and the best players who form the best team will play.”
United face an in-form Bournemouth side at Old Trafford on Saturday, and Ten Hag has plenty to consider in his team selection with a must-win Champions League match against Bayern Munich to follow on Tuesday before they head to Liverpool next week.
“I think they have very good form, Bournemouth,” Ten Hag said.
“It’s a very good side, very well constructed, capable players, again you have to play your best.
“Everyone is killing everyone — you have to be 100 percent ready as a team for that game. That’s our job to do, to get there.”


SailGP’s first all-women F50 training session takes place in Dubai

SailGP’s first all-women F50 training session takes place in Dubai
Updated 08 December 2023
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SailGP’s first all-women F50 training session takes place in Dubai

SailGP’s first all-women F50 training session takes place in Dubai
  • Event took place ahead of weekend’s showpiece race

DUBAI: SailGP on Friday created a slice of history with the first ever all-women training session taking place in Dubai ahead of the weekend’s showpiece race.

The session took place on board the Switzerland F50 and was coached by team sailing adviser and former Japan driver Nathan Outteridge.

It marked the first time in SailGP history that an all-women crew has sailed together on the F50 and included 12 athletes from across SailGP’s 10 national teams, including Emirates GBR’s Hannah Mills, Switzerland’s Laurane Mettraux, New Zealand’s Jo Aleh and Liv Mackay, and Australia’s Tash Bryant.

Outteridge said it was “a great opportunity” for the women athletes to sail together.

“We had a quick briefing this morning to talk through the playbook of how we would sail the boat and the goal for everyone was to get a chance to be on the boat in a position they haven’t done before.” she added.

Since the launch of the women’s pathway midway through season two, female athletes have raced in all of the SailGP races — us ually in the role of strategist. The league’s ambition is to have a woman driver on the start line for season six.

The training was split into a morning and afternoon session, with the athletes rotating into different positions around the boat.

Australia’s Tash Bryant said she was “grateful” to the Swiss team for hosting the training session.

“We had a good start, no majors, nothing went wrong — I hope we get to do more,” she added.

Launched in season two, SailGP’s women’s pathway aims to create an inclusive sporting championship where the best athletes have equal opportunity to compete on the F50.