The Phoenix – April 2016
Page 43
SPORT - WITH STEVE WILLIAMS
Semi-pro star, Jai, breaking new ground in Dubai
l Easah Suliman
Youngster, Suliman, hoping to be a ‘first’ in a new Villa
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l Jai Verma footballer from the West Midlands is swapping his life as a semi-professional, over here, to play the game, at the highest level, in Dubai. Jai Verma, from Birmingham, is the first UK footballer to join Al Shabab, in the UAE and is living the ultimate schoolboy dream. The 23-year-old, a Sports Science student at university in Nottingham, who played junior football with Park Village, was
scouted by the United Arab Emirates Arabian Gulf League side said; “I will be flying over for a trial session and they will see what my skills are like and then be able to make the decision as to whether or not they want me in the team.” He said "I am so excited to see where this takes me and commit football to my life. I’m so excited to be playing football in Dubai.” Verma will be travelling to the Gulf for trials with the left winger concentrating hard on his training schedule and if successful he would be the first United Kingdom player to join a squad in the Arabian Gulf League.
Usain Bolt T Confirmed To Light Up Friday Night Of London Anniversary Games
l Usain Bolt
he world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, has confirmed that he will compete on the night of Friday July 22 at the two day London Anniversary Games this summer. The world record holder will take to the track for the IAAF Diamond League meeting at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London for what will be one of the best athletics meetings in the world and one of the showpiece events in the British sporting summer. Staged at the former Olympic Stadium in Stratford, East London on 22-23 July 2016, the event will provide the final races for many of the world’s best athletes before they head to Rio for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 2015, Bolt successfully defended his 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles at the Beijing World Championships and is the twotime Olympic Champion at 100m, 200m and 4x100m. He has previously flourished under the floodlights on the Friday night of the London Anniversary Games, winning the 100m in both 2013 and 2015 with world class
Edgbaston ranked best for atmosphere in spectator report
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times of 9.85 and 9.87, and is looking forward to experiencing the ‘special atmosphere’ again. Bolt said: “The London Anniversary Games will be one of my last races before the Olympic Games in Rio. It will be good to return to the Olympic Stadium on the Friday night and get more of the special atmosphere that the fans always produce. I always get great support in the UK and I expect the stadium to be packed. See you in July.” Niels de Vos, Chief Executive of British Athletics said: “Usain Bolt is a global sporting icon and this will be one of the last opportunities for families to attend the Anniversary Games and see him compete.” “I’m sure the British fans will create a special atmosphere under the floodlights in this amazing venue. The London Anniversary Games is one of the very best sporting events in Britain and in particular the Friday night will be an incredible exhibition of some of the world’s best athletes, made even more special this year due to its proximity to the Olympic Games.”
irmingham's Edgbaston Stadium has been officially recognised for having the best atmosphere of UK cricket venues in a study of all match days in 2015 undertaken by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The atmosphere on the third day of last summer's Investec Ashes Test Match at Edgbaston received a score of 9.5 out of 10 by the spectators in attendance, which was the highest score of any international fixture or final played in the summer of 2015. Gareth Roberts, Commercial Director at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, said:
s his seniors signal the ‘death knell’ of the once proud Premier League giants, for Easah Suliman, it’s the ideal chance to shine and become a ‘first’ in a new beginning. The promising young centreback will be hoping to be one of the ‘new broom’ that will see Aston Villa return to greatness in double-quick time. The Moseley-born player has been gaining great reviews and acknowledgement during his progression through the ranks, at Villa Park, and is eager to be part of a new chapter as the claret and blues prepare for life in the Championship. On a personal level, he has already been a winner after been voted the 2016 Youth Sport Trust Young Sports Person of the Year at the British Ethnic Diversity Sports Award (BEDSA), at the Grosvenor Hotel, in London. A jubilant Suliman says; "Winning a BEDSA is an honour and a confidence boost for me. To see us lose our place in the top flight has been painful, but, on a personal level, it might mean to grasp the opportunity to stake a claim in a new Aston Villa. So, from now, I will be working towards my dream of making my Aston Villa debut." And when that happens, Easah will be the first South Asian player to don the Lion crest on the hollowed turf of the former European Champions.
"The atmosphere at Edgbaston is world renowned and differentiates the stadium from any other cricket venue in the country. We are very proud that the atmosphere is ranked by the spectators in attendance as the best in the country. It's fantastic to see our investment recognised in the scores given by spectators who attended our matches in 2015." The ECB issues postmatch surveys to ticket buyers of all UK international and NatWest T20 Blast games, with an opportunity to score 10 elements of the match day experience, including atmosphere, seating, public announcements and
the food and drink offering. Steve Elworthy, ECB's Director of Events said: "Putting fans at the heart of the game is one of the ECB's key priorities and the atmosphere at Edgbaston last summer shows how passionate people are about this sport. The team at Edgbaston are to be congratulated on tapping into this passion and the needs of their community in order to deliver a great event for everyone involved." This summer Edgbaston hosts England in the Royal London One-Day International (ODI) and the Investec Test Match against Pakistan. It also hosts NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day in August.
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