ABU DHABI // Rodolfo Vieira will return home to Brazil more than US$50,000 richer and with three championship titles from the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championships.
The 21-year-old completed a double in yesterday's main competition against compatriots Bruno Cruz, in the 92kg weight division, and Rubens Charles, in the open division, at the National Exhibition Centre in the capital.
He outclassed Cruz in a 15-0 unanimous points decision and returned an hour later to complete the double with a choke-lock on Charles to win the competition's top prize of $30,000 (Dh110,200).
He earlier had claimed the $15,000 cheque for the No-Gi absolute class in a lead-up event of the Abu Dhabi championship last weekend.
"I was pretty confident when I arrived here to win both, the No-Gi and the Gi titles," Vieira said. "I am not done yet. I am hungry for more and plan to be at the world championship in Los Angeles in June."
Vieira arrived in the capital city having won in his weight class and in the absolute class in last month's Pan American championships in California.
"It has been a fantastic two months for me to win back-to-back gold medals in my weight and the open class," said Vieira, who was the winner of the 92kg weight at the inaugural Abu Dhabi event in 2009.
"I had to give my title defence a miss because of an injury," he said. "But I came back as a stronger fighter. One year is a long time and, barring any injuries, I will be definitely back to defend my titles in Abu Dhabi."
Abdullah Hamed al Ketbi won the solitary gold medal for the host nation in over-35 competition for the white and blue belt over 80kg. He edged Noel Ang of the Philippines by a 3-1 score.
Faisal al Ketbi, the gold-medallist in the purple belt over 92kg last year, settled for a bronze, along with his compatriot Yahia Mansoor who also lost in the semi-finals.
It was a big day for the Brazilians. The world champion Gabrielle Garcia outclassed Penny Thomas, of South Africa, in the women's 63kg-and-over weight division.
"I felt like I was hit by a bus," Thomas said. "She was over me for almost the entire fight and I just couldn't get out of her grips. She is stronger and heavier and the only way I could avoid meeting her again is to go on a rigorous diet to compete in a lighter class.
"In terms of the competition, it is one of the few events that support the athletes with the prize monies. It makes everyone happy and obviously it brings the best fighters from around the world."
Garcia won the Abu Dhabi title for the second time.
apassela@thenational.ae
The%20Specs
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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.
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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Rating: 3/5
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info
Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Bournemouth 1
(Ake 45 2')
Red card: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Profile of Tamatem
Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.