DUBAI // For the next two weeks, a set of swimming pools in Dubai will become an enclave of Serbia as four of the country's leading swimmers plot their route to the London Olympics as a team.
Velimir Stjepanovic, the UAE-based Serb, was due to collect Radovan Siljevski from Dubai International Airport in the early hours of this morning.
With Stefan Sorak, another Dubai resident, and George Markovic already here, the four-man team targeting a place at the Games via the 4x200 metres relay event should now be complete.
The Serbians, who will train under the guidance of the Hamilton Aquatics academy, aim to secure one of the remaining four places available via the European Aquatics Championships in Hungary in two weeks' time.
The relay event could be the best route to the Games for Sorak, but he says being part of a team brings with it added concerns.
"It is extra pressure because, if they do good and I do bad, I will be so disappointed," said Sorak, who has lived in Dubai since August.
"I don't know how I'll be able to come back from that mentally. Then again, I think that will motivate me more, and I will overcome the pressure from being scared of letting people down."
Sorak and Stjepanovic are likely to go in direct competition with one of the Hamilton Aquatics clubmates as part of the relay event.
Tiago Venancio, who is also focused on meeting individual Olympic qualifying standards in Hungary, will go as part of the Portuguese relay team.
"When it gets to that point, there are no friends," Venancio said.
"If you want to make it to the Olympics you have to beat them, so you have to give it 100 per cent of what you have got. That is life."
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh