Three Emirati drivers have high aspirations when the Sodi World Series (SWS) Grand Finals take place at Paris over the weekend.
Atef Al Barwani, Abdullah Al Ali and Hussein Umid Ali all say that they can achieve podium finishes at the RKC track in the biggest prize in international leisure karting.
“This is the fourth invitation for these finals that I’ve received,” Al Barwani said.
“But it’s only the third time I’m taking part, as the first time I was unable to attend for personal reasons, and it is the second time for me on this track.
“It’s a very technical, very difficult circuit. But for the last two years I feel that as a driver I have progressed in a very big way.”
Al Barwani, 33, first took up karting in 2004 while pursuing his studies in Malaysia, and continued racing on his return, mostly at Dubai Autodrome.
He has since become one of the country’s most decorated racers.
Al Barwani is the first Emirati to win the Dubai leg of the SWS four times in a row, from 2011 to 2014.
“Hopefully at the end of the year it will be the fifth time as well,” said Al Barwani, who stated that the standard of karting in the UAE has been raised in recent years, pushing drivers harder.
“You have people from all over the world racing in the Emirates,” he said.
“The number of Emiratis taking part is on the rise too. It makes me proud to see locals taking part from a very young age, from as young as six years.
“The sport is being taken seriously now, so it’s not just people taking up sports like football.”
Having other Emirati drivers competing has helped increase competition and at the same time the camaraderie between them.
“We always discuss racing,” Al Barwani said. “I’m grateful that I’ve won six competitions and the boys have never been anything less than supportive. We all want to win but also try to raise each other’s spirits.
“There are no disagreements between us, and if one of us is absent from a race we always feel something is missing.”
Al Ali, 33, said being friends has not stopped them from being competitive.
“Inside and outside the tracks we are all friends, but the competitiveness is always there,” he said. “Race time is race time. Everyone looks after themselves. We have similar ambitions but the competition is there.
“For the past five years, if there is a race here you would find me on the circuit. SWS in Dubai gives you a taste of what is to come in France. It prepares you physically and mentally for the big races.”
Umid Ali is itching to prove himself in France against the best.
“It is an honour to represent the UAE on the international stage. I am inspired to do the best possible performance and hopefully we can bring back some silverware,” he said.
“We are a strong team, and although this is a solo sport we drivers from the UAE can work together to ensure that we are well represented on the grid when the Super Finals take place.”
Al Barwani agreed that displaying the nation’s flag on the podium is the ultimate aim.
“The UAE comes above everything else. The rest is secondary,” he said.
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Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
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Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
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