Category: Sports

A group of six athletes from NYU Abu Dhabi, NYUAD, broke the Guinness World Records title for the most chest to ground burpees in 24 hours.

While the minimum number of burpees required to break the record was 6,000, the team managed to perform double the amount, finishing 12,502 burpees in the allocated time.

The winning team consisted of HUA Fitness Trainer at NYUAD, Guinness World Records record-breaker Eva Clarke, Post-doctoral Associate in Psychology at NYUAD Ivan Camponogara, Assistant Director of Wellness at NYUAD Daniel Gill, as well as NYUAD Class of 2020 alumni Tereza Petrovicova, Brandon Chin Loy, and Anna Erdi.

Throughout their attempt, the team was joined virtually by two official witnesses at a time and received encouraging messages during the live conference call held by the Guinness World Records team.

Gill said, “We are delighted to have had the opportunity to inspire the NYUAD community as well as the wider global community during this trying time. We are looking forward to continuing to lead conversations on maintaining an active lifestyle through NYUAD’s initiatives and programs.”

Clarke commented, “Attempting this record gave us the chance to take absolute ownership of the situation we found ourselves in. I wholeheartedly knew that our team would be setting a new record this year. None of the records I have ever set have been as rewarding and memorable as the one set with my NYUAD team mates.”

“My four years of training with Eva and the team culminated in this challenge, I never thought I could do this many burpees and especially not in my room in an online challenge. I hope that we inspired others to set their own fitness goals and stay active during the lockdown,” said Petrovicova, who celebrated her graduation on May 27, during a special virtual Commencement attended by over 7,100 viewers from around the world.

Erdi, who also celebrated her graduation on the same day added, “Mind and body are linked together. There is no time for moping around, as all it takes is just one decision to change your attitude 180 degrees. Once that decision is taken, normal will be different. It will not be the same normal, but it can be a better normal.”

Dubai Police and Dubai Sports Council held a workshop on Thursday with sporting events security firms to discuss the main issues relating to the return of spectators to sports events under the shadow of COVID-19.

The workshop was a follow-up to the forum organised by Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Police on Wednesday to discuss safety protocols for the “Future Return of Spectators to Sports Stadiums”, whenever authorities make a decision to allow them.

A number of top officials from Dubai Police and Dubai Sports Council were present at the workshop to discuss the issue with representatives of private event security firms, who specialize in sports events and have been managing security at sports venues and events in Dubai.

Brigadier General Rashid Khalifa Al Falasi, Assistant Director General of the General Department of Protective Security and Emergency, addressed the workshop along with Ahmed Salem Al Mahri, Manager of Sports Academies section at Dubai Sports Council, and Ahmed Al Wari, Public Relations Manager of First Security Group Group.

Lt. Col. Ahmed Al-Haddad and Major Abdullah Tarish of Dubai Police reviewed the proposed procedures for the return of fans to stadiums and sporting events, while the First Security Group gave a detailed presentation on the role that security firms will play at the events, and protocols for dealing with fans and keeping everyone safe, whenever the authorities allow sports events and clubs to open their doors to spectators.

The workshop discussed different scenarios, both in the lead up to the opening of stadiums to fans as well as during events and match days. They also talked about the sanitization of all areas inside the venues and the use of thermal cameras to check the temperature of every person entering the venue, as well as fogging tunnels and the type of permissible face masks keeping security concerns in mind, the control of movement inside the stadium and outside, as well as the possibility of reconfiguring seating arrangements inside stadiums and sports arenas.

The workshop also stressed on the need to constantly educate the public and to educate members of private security companies on how to deal with the public, and to adhere to the safety guidelines issued by Dubai’s Supreme Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management, Dubai Health Authority and the Ministry of Health and Prevention, as well as other relevant authorities.

Dubai Police also played a short film at the workshop, explaining the mechanism of receiving fans, examining them, sterilizing and distribution of seats, as a model that can be worked on in the event of the return of the public.

A huge knockout dealt by Brazilian Juscelino Ferreira to Syria’s Tarek Suleiman put an end to the main draw in the 10-fight card of the UAE Warriors 11 that was held behind closed doors in Zayed Sports City and telecast live on 27 TV channels across the world, including Abu Dhabi Sports.

Viewed by more than one billion fans worldwide, the two champs met tonight in the catchweight 90kg category. Ahead of the encounter, Suleiman was undefeated in two UAE Warriors appearances. He stopped UFC veteran Englishman Oli Thompson in the second round of the light heavyweight title fight in May 2019 and scored a similar victory over Steven Kennedy of Australia in November.

Mixed Martial Arts is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and is growing in popularity here in Abu Dhabi.