Squash is fast and highly competitive. If you rest on your laurels it is easy to be left behind. The same applies for players on the hunt for world ranking points. The game moves so fast, if a player does not compete regularly they slip quickly down the pack.
This is the problem facing Abu Dhabi's Aamir Khan. The talented 17-year-old is battling to raise his international profile by competing in tournaments across Europe for ranking points.
Currently 25th in the junior world rankings, Khan is a proven performer, backed up by an impressive sixth-place finish at the Nordic Junior Open Squash Championship in Malmo, Sweden last week.
Sponsorship is his biggest issue. An official squash federation is yet to grace these shores, leaving players like Khan to find their own path into international competition. "It is very difficult to find the money to send Aamir abroad, and that is really the only way for him to get the competitive experience he needs," said his father Iqbal Khan, a squash coach who finances his son's trips for European tournaments.
AD Box Media and Events stepped in to sponsor Khan's trip to the Swedish championship where his sixth place in a field of 64 competitors came in the men's Under 19 event.
"It was a really tough tournament. I had expected to be in the final, but I had cramps in the final game of my quarter final match and I just couldn't hold out," said Khan, who was fasting for Ramadan during the tournament, "it's OK as I came sixth, which is still good. It was difficult to fast and play.
"I was tired and kept cramping in my knees and hands, but I still did well. It is important to have even a little bit of sponsorship. My dad usually has to pay for everything, which is hard. If anyone can give even a little sponsorship it would help."
The sponsorship of Khan is AD Box's latest step in their attempts to help the development of squash. The company recently helped finance the Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Squash Championship, where 150 players competed at the Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel from July 28 to August 17.
Khan is aiming for a top 10 world ranking by the end of the year, with three tournaments remaining. He will head to Belgium on November 5, then Scotland from December 28 to 31 before the British Open from January 2 to 6, 2010.
"I want to be ranked in the top 10 by the end of the year," Khan continued, "I'm training hard for my final three tournaments. The British Open is a very tough tournament - it's like playing in a world championship. I'm aiming for a top 10 finish there.
"A big problem is not having enough tournaments in the UAE. It is hard to get experience between European tournaments, which adds pressure when you travel abroad. Hopefully one day we will have more sponsorships and more local tournaments, both would make a big difference."
sports@thenational.ae
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
Superpower%20
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
