IMMAF Youth World Championships concludes in Al-Ain
IMMAF Youth World Championships concludes in Al-Ain/node/2609727/sport
IMMAF Youth World Championships concludes in Al-Ain
The IMMAF Youth World Championships concluded in AL-Ain on Sunday. (Supplied)
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Updated 13 sec ago
Arab News
IMMAF Youth World Championships concludes in Al-Ain
UAE adds another medal to take tally for the tournament to 13
Updated 13 sec ago
Arab News
AL-IN: The sixth edition of the IMMAF Youth World Championships officially concluded on Sunday with the UAE claiming another medal to take its total for the tournament to 13.
This year’s edition welcomed more than 1,000 athletes from 60 countries, competing in four youth divisions — making it the largest and most advanced championship in the history of the International Mixed Martial Ats Federation. At the conclusion of the event, Ukraine was crowned overall champion, followed by England in second place and Tajikistan in third. The winning teams were honoured at the conclusion of the event on Sunday.
The UAE national youth team made a notable impact, securing 13 medals in the gold, silver and bronze categories. The results reflect the national federation’s ongoing investment in youth development and technical excellence, strengthening the country’s growing reputation on the global MMA stage.
The final day also featured a ceremony to honor key partners and individuals who contributed to the success of the championship.
Mohammed bin Dalmouj Al-Dhaheri, board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation and chairman of the MMA Committee, expressed his pride in the event’s success.
“This championship reflects the confidence the international MMA community places in the UAE’s capabilities. Hosting this global event in Al-Ain underscores our growing reputation for excellence in sports organisation,” he said.
“We are also proud of the outstanding performance of our young athletes. Their determination and discipline represent the spirit of our nation and reaffirm our leadership’s vision to create opportunities for future generations in sport.”
Organised by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation and hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, the championship was held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and ran from July 21-27.
Saleh Mohamed Al-Geziry, director general for tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, said: “The rising popularity of combat sports in Abu Dhabi reflects a growing passion for athletic excellence and global sporting prestige. We are proud to welcome to the emirate the IMMAF Youth World Championships, a landmark event that highlights our commitment to nurturing young talent and advancing mixed martial arts on the world stage.”
He said hosting the championship in Al-Ain for the first time would “elevate Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a premier hub for international sports.”
ISLAMABAD: Former captain and ex-Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Saurav Ganguly has backed India playing Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament in the UAE, saying that “sports must go on” despite surging tensions between the two countries.
Pakistan and India are set to lock horns in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament to be played from September 9-28. The two traditional archrivals are expected to meet each other on the cricket field on September 14 in a high-stakes group clash to be held in the UAE.
India and Pakistan have not hosted each other for a bilateral series in over a decade, with political and security concerns consistently spilling over into cricketing ties. Former Indian cricketers, including Head Coach Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan, have publicly called for India to boycott matches against Pakistan after the two countries engaged in a brief military conflict in May.
“Yeah, I’m okay, I’m okay. Sport must go on,” Ganguly told Asian News International on Sunday. “At the same time Pahalgam must not happen but sports must go on.”
The former BCCI president was talking about an attack on April 22 at Pahalgam, a tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir, where gunmen killed 26 people.
The incident sparked an armed conflict between the two countries, with New Delhi blaming Islamabad for supporting the attack. Pakistan denied the allegations and called for an international, transparent inquiry into the incident.
India and Pakistan enjoy one of the fiercest sports rivalries when it comes to cricket. Separated after partition in 1947, both nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars against each other over the past seven decades, with diplomatic ties between them remaining mostly bitter.
The political tensions make for an enthralling contest every time the two teams compete against each other. India and Pakistan clashes have been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated matches of every multilateral cricket tournament, drawing thousands to stadiums across the globe and millions to TV sets worldwide.
OpTic Gaming scoop Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 title at 2025 Esports World Cup
4-game sweep in the club’s first title win as EWC crowns 11th unique winner
Updated 28 July 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: OpTic Gaming have won the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 contest at the 2025 Esports World Cup, beating Vancouver Surge 4-0 in the final to become the 11th unique champion at the tournament.
The American team, which finished in the top four last year, beat Vancouver Surge in a best-of-seven matchup on Sunday without dropping a game, having also beaten them in the Call of Duty League Championship final a few weeks ago.
The tournament, which is one of the biggest on the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 calendar, had 18 of the world’s best teams battle for a prize pool of over $1.8 million.
OpTic Gaming took home $600,000 and qualified for the EWC in 2026. This is their first world title, and welcome relief after facing a tough start to the 2025 season.
Struggling to overcome those difficulties, OpTic made two changes for this year’s event, bringing in Cuyler “Huke” Garland and Mason “Mercules” Ramsey, who both pulled off big performances to help win the trophy.
“Well, last time we played them, we knew we probably should have won 5-1, so we just honed in on our mistakes and made that look easy,” said Ramsey.
“Honestly, once we won against Team Heretics, we knew we were winning it as long as we just played our game. Definitely proud of myself, super thankful to my teammates. You guys are the best in the world.”
Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro was named the SONY MVP and will receive an additional $10,000. “Undeniably, the players on this team are unbelievably talented,” he said. “It feels like we are cheating at times.”
OpTic Gaming earns 1000 Club Championship points for their victory and are in joint ninth place.
Imperious Pogacar wins Tour de France for fourth time
Updated 28 July 2025
AFP
The Slovenian has now won the Tour four times in six years and finished runner-up twice
Despite the rain, tens of thousands of spectators packed Montmartre to follow Pogacar’s progress through the narrow streets of the popular tourist spot
AFP PARIS: Tadej Pogacar completed a supreme performance to win the Tour de France in a rainy Paris on Sunday, crushing his rivals to collect a fourth title.
Wout van Aert triumphed in the final-day cliffhanger around Montmartre, but Pogacar was spared any late challenge to his overall lead when the weather forced organizers to neutralize times to avoid accidents on the slippery cobbled roads.
However, Pogacar more than played his part in a thrilling finale before Belgian rider Van Aert pulled away on the last climb.
“I was really happy they neutralized the times of the GC (general classification),” Pogacar said. “Then it was more relaxed to race and you just had to have good legs to be in front. I tried but hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong. It was a really nice race.”
The Slovenian has now won the Tour four times in six years and finished runner-up twice.
“It’s six years in a row on the podium and this one feels especially amazing,” he said.
Second-placed Jonas Vingegaard was unable to contend with Pogacar, but the winner paid tribute to the Dane.
“I spoke to Jonas today. We’ve been racing each other for five years now and we have raised each other to a higher level,” he said.
Despite the rain, tens of thousands of spectators packed Montmartre to follow Pogacar’s progress through the narrow streets of the popular tourist spot.
He played to the delighted crowds by racing to the head of the peloton near the Moulin Rouge cabaret at the foot of the climb before Van Aert produced a well-timed attack to drop Pogacar and charge to the finish line on the Champs-Elysees avenue.
Pogacar was fourth on the day but after wins in 2020, 2021 and 2024, he again proved untouchable in the world’s greatest bike race.
Vingegaard, the champion in 2022 and 2023, suffered two shocking off-days and ended second overall, 4min 24sec adrift.
“I had some of my worst days here and some of the best,” he said after the race, adding he would turn his attention to the Tour of Spain.
“I’ll have a week off now, and then start training for the Vuelta,” he said.
Breakout German star Florian Lipowitz, 24, took third on his debut, rounding out the podium a distant 11 minutes off the pace in third.
Defending his title, Pogacar embarked from the start in Lille as clear favorite and won four stages along the way.
In the first week, he struck on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne.
He then turned the screw on the slopes of the Pyrenees in week two with his rivals as good as vanquished.
Vingegaard suffered on the stage-five time trial, and again in the second week at the Hautacam mountain, leaving the Dane in shock as his form abandoned him.
In need of a massive turn around in the Alps, Pogacar adopted mature tactics and sat on his rival’s wheel.
After it was all over, a beaming Pogacar said he could finally relax.
“Everybody has different ideas about how to celebrate. I want some peace and beautiful weather, enjoying some quiet days at home,” he said.
A barnstorming first week of the Tour revealed a raft of emerging stars.
Lipowitz was given a run for his money for third place by 22-year-old Scot Oscar Onley, whose steady ride propelled him to fourth overall.
The pair came first and second a minute adrift in the white jersey battle for the best under-26 rider, raising hopes of a new Tour rivalry in the making.
Ireland’s Ben Healy bagged a stage win and a two-day stint in the yellow jersey.
Adding a heroic near-miss on Mont Ventoux was enough to earn Healy the prize for combativity, voted for by the public.
The return of one-time guru Dave Brailsford from his role at Manchester United to Ineos Grenadiers was overshadowed by the team’s Italian powerhouse Filippo Ganna falling early on stage one. He was withdrawn due to concussion.
Having previously masterminded seven overall Tour de France wins, Brailsford dug in and the team’s Dutch climber Thymen Arensman pulled off heists in the Pyrenees and the Alps to win two stages.
France’s sole and unexpected stage win came on the lunar-like summit of Mont Ventoux when Valentin Paret-Peintre won an enthralling war of attrition with Healy.
The 2025 Tour though will be remembered for Pogacar’s all-round dominance.
Niemann, Legion XII rule LIV Golf UK by JCB to maintain dominance in 2025
Niemann won for a record fifth time this season, shooting a 3-under 68 to finish at 17 under
Legion XIII won their second consecutive and fourth team title of the year, this time led by their youngest player, 21-year-old Caleb Surratt
Updated 28 July 2025
Arab News
ROCESTER, England: On a day of familiar winners but high drama, Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann and Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII exerted their dominance Sunday at LIV Golf UK by JCB, continuing the winning form that keeps them atop the season-long standings.
Niemann won for a record fifth time this season, shooting a 3-under 68 to finish at 17 under and hold off a spectacular back-nine challenge from RangeGoats GC captain Bubba Watson.
Legion XIII won their second consecutive and fourth team title of the year, this time led by their youngest player, 21-year-old Caleb Surratt, who earned the first podium finish of his LIV Golf career.
With the three-shot victory, Niemann extended his lead in the individual points race to 37.64 points over Rahm and now can clinch the individual championship at next month’s LIV Golf Chicago on Aug. 8-10. Niemann becomes the first player to win five times in a season; the 26-year-old from Chile now has seven LIV Golf wins, most of any individual player.
“If I play my best game, I know I can win,” Niemann said. “I think that’s the only thing that kind of matters for me, is to find that A-game more often.”
Individual champion, captain Joaquin Niemann of Torque GC, poses with the trophy after the final round of LIV Golf UK by JCB. (LIV Golf)
After entering the final round with a six-shot advantage, Niemann admittedly didn’t have his A-game on Sunday, but his steady play allowed him to build his advantage to eight shots with 10 holes to play.
That’s when Watson, the 46-year-old from Florida, produced the best six-hole stretch in LIV Golf history.
It started with a birdie at the par-3 ninth when his tee shot landed inside 3 feet. He then eagled the par-5 10th with a brilliant driver off the deck on his second shot that finished inside 6 feet. He followed with birdies at the 11th and 12th hole, then used another driver off the deck at the par-5 13th to set up another eagle from 21 feet. He finished the amazing stretch with a birdie at the par-3 14th from 12 feet.
“It’s almost like you black out,” Watson said. “When that stretch happens, you’re just kind of unconscious, right? One of those moments, an hour-long stretch, that was unbelievable. … That was crazy. Throwing in the eagles with two drivers off the deck was pretty special, pretty spectacular.”
Watson’s 8-under stretch allowed him to move within two shots of the lead going into the par-4 15th. That’s when Niemann responded with a terrific approach shot from 140 yards off a difficult lie in the rough, followed by a 5-foot birdie putt that stemmed the tide and gave him some much-needed breathing room.
“I never thought he was in the picture,” Niemann said of Watson. “(Then] he started making those moves, started making a big charge, and I was in a way feeling a little bit more uncomfortable with my lead. … Was able to hit a great shot on 15. That put me back into my place.”
Watson ultimately shot 65 to finish solo second at 14 under, while Surratt also shot 65 to finish another stroke back, the best individual results for each player since joining LIV Golf
Members of the team champions Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, and Caleb Surratt celebrate on the podium following the final round of LIV Golf UK by JCB (LIV Golf)
Surratt’s play was especially important on the team side, as it sparked Legion XIII to produce another final-round rally with a cumulative 14-under total on Sunday to win by eight strokes over Torque, with Rahm also shooting 65 to tie for fifth. Not only was it Surratt’s first-ever top 10 finish on LIV Golf, it was the first time he had led his team in scoring after a tournament.
“It means a lot,” Surratt said. “Shows me a lot. It’s very hard to be at the top of the leaderboard out here, especially for the first time … To be able to do it on a day where I knew it was going to be really, really hard means a lot to myself.”
Said Rahm: “Getting his first top 10 and finishing third is a big deal, a big week.”
Legion XIII has now won two consecutive tournaments, and their lead is 46.66 points over Crushers GC. Rahm’s team has the opportunity to guarantee itself the top seed in the Team Championship with a good result in Chicago.
As for Niemann, he’s close to wrapping up the most successful regular season by any player in LIV Golf’s young history. Only Rahm or DeChambeau can catch him for the championship now.
“Obviously I want to win the season,” Niemann said. “I think there is a lot of golf to play yet. Jon, we know how good of a player he is, also Bryson.
“There is not much I can think about other than worry about what I’m doing, how I can improve and get better and play my best golf for the next two weeks. I feel like that’s all I’m worrying about it right now.”
TEAM SCORES
Here are the results and scores for each team after Sunday’s Rd. 3 of LIV Golf UK by JCB:
Kitayama captures PGA 3M Open title with big birdie weekend
The 32-year-old American fired a six-under-par 65 to finish 72 holes on 23-under-par 261 at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota
He sank 20 birdies in the final two rounds — the most by any PGA Tour winner since 2003
Updated 28 July 2025
AFP
CHICAGO: Kurt Kitayama birdied six of the first eight holes then hung on down the stretch to win the 3M Open on Sunday for his second career US PGA Tour title.
With his older brother Daniel serving as his caddie, the 32-year-old American fired a six-under-par 65 to finish 72 holes on 23-under-par 261 at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota.
That was good enough for a one-stroke victory over countryman Sam Stevens, who had five back-nine birdies to keep the pressure on Kitayama to the finish.
“I feel like the game has been trending and for it to finally pay off now has been awesome,” said Kitayama, who was one off the 72-hole tournament record set by Lee Hodges in 2023.
Kitayama, who fired a career-low 60 on Saturday after fighting to make the cut on Friday, sank 20 birdies in the final two rounds — the most by any PGA Tour winner since 2003.
“On Friday I was like finding my swing and grinding to make the cut,” Kitayama said. “Went to the range to find something and obviously found something on Saturday and it continued today with that unbelievable start that I had. Just kind of went from there.”
Kurt Kitayama hits from the first fairway during the final round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club on uly 27, 2025, in Blaine, Minnessota. (AP)
Kitayama also won in 2023 at Bay Hill but this time was even better with his brother as bagman.
“It’s very special. It has been awesome having him on the bag,” Kitayama said.
Kitayama jumped from 110th to 53rd in the season points chase ahead of next week’s regular-season finale at Greensboro, ensuring his spot among the top 70 in points who advance to next month’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
Kitayama’s stunning start put him on 23-under with a three-stroke lead at the turn.
He birdied first on a putt from just inside six feet, the second on a tap-in after his approach landed inches from the hole and the third on a 22-foot putt.
A tap-in birdie at the fifth, a 10-footer for birdie at six and a four-foot birdie putt completed the early surge.
Kitayama found the deep left rough at 11 and made bogey, but answered with a six-foot birdie putt on 12 and restored his three-shot lead with a tap-in birdie at 14 after dropping his approach two feet from the hole.
Stevens reeled off three birdies in a row to reach 22-under with a birdie putt from just inside five feet at the 16th and Kitayama’s three-putt bogey at the par-three 17th sent the drama to the par-five 18th.
Stevens found the rough on his first three shots but salvaged par to stay one back.
