ABU DHABI // Victor Scvortov appeared to be an Olympic medal prospect for the UAE after an impressive victory over Mansur Isaev of Russia in the Abu Dhabi Judo Grand Prix.
The Bolivian-born competitor had his opponent down with a spectacular flick of his right foot to win with more than a minute left in the 73kg weight division to bag one of the seven gold medals on offer on Friday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
“I have been training for more than six months in Abu Dhabi and really happy to win a gold medal for them,” he said.
“I don’t know what is next for me. I will wait for the UAE Judo Federation to decide. It has been two tough days of competition and I am just happy with the performance.”
The UAE had nine other entries, including Jaleela Al Nuaimi, in the women’s division. But none of them went beyond the first round.
Scvortov edged out Zurab Nozadze of Georgia and Hungary’s Miklos Ungvari on points, and he beat Christopher Volk of Germany with an ippon in the semi-finals.
In other bouts, Amandine Buchard of France kept alive her ambition of representing her country in the Olympics with Grand Prix debut victory in the 48kg.
The 18 year old clinched a thriller, winning a point in the last second of the five-minute time period from Aleysa Kuznetsova of Russia.
“It is a great start to win a GP event in my first appearance,” she said through an interpreter.
“The obvious goal is the 2016 Olympics. It is a very long road and a long time, but with this win I feel I am going in the right direction.”
Miryam Roper made it third-time lucky in Abu Dhabi by winning the 57kg final over Romanian Corina Caprioriu. Roper, 31, finished fifth in her two previous visits to the capital in 2010 and 2011 and was eliminated in the first round in the London Olympics last year.
However, 2013 has turned out to be her best – winning the Grand Slam in Moscow and Baku, and the Grand Prix in Croatia. She was also third in the world championship.
“It has been a wonderful year so far. I am off to Tokyo next week and hopefully round off the year on a high,” she said.
The competition continues on Saturday.
apassela@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
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Shower or bath after being outside.
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WWE Evolution results
- Trish Stratus and Lita beat Alicia Fox and Mickie James in a tag match
- Nia Jax won a battle royal, eliminating Ember Moon last to win
- Toni Storm beat Io Shirai to win the Mae Young Classic
- Natalya, Sasha Banks and Bayley beat The Riott Squad in a six-woman tag match
- Shayna Baszler won the NXT Women’s title by defeating Kairi Sane
- Becky Lynch retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match
- Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women’s title by beating Nikki Bella
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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
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