ALULA: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar provided the big winners on Day 2 of the second annual AlUla Camel Cup.

Held in unseasonably hot conditions, Thursday’s competition consisted of two 5 km categories, the Hagayeg and the Lagaya, with two races run in each.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif won the first Hagayeg race, much to the delight of spectators.

The Prince’s camel, aptly named AlUla, won in a time of 5 minutes 59.3 seconds. In the second Hagayeg race of the day, Shart, owned by Emirati Mohammed Al-Kutbi, took first place in a time of 5:57.8.

The day’s total prize pool of $6.83 million was split equally between the two categories.

Winners in each of the races received $870,000, second-place finishers earned $266,666, and those in third place received $133,333. The balance of the prize pool was distributed among the other finishers.

The event was organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla as part of the AlUla Moments calendar, in partnership with the Saudi Camel Racing Federation.

The 2024 AlUla Camel Cup offers spectators and participants a new and more expansive experience after the inaugural edition in March last year.

This year, designated Year of the Camel by the UN and the Ministry of Culture, the event pays homage to the desert animal that is so integral to the Kingdom’s heritage.

“The AlUla Camel Cup attracts the best riders and the best camels throughout not just the region, but the world,” said Mahmoud AlBalawi, executive director of the SCRF. “Qualification for the AlUla Camel Cup is deliberately challenging, with 11 camel races taking place under the federation’s jurisdiction throughout the season to qualify for this illustrious competition.”

AlBalawi said that the Saudi Camel Racing Federation’s programs “target all corners of Saudi Arabia in a bid to continue to grow and improve the cherished sport of camel racing. There are more than 50 camel racing tracks across the country, including the elite AlUla venue where the AlUla Camel Cup takes place.”

RCU’s chief sports officer, Ziad Al-Suhaibani, praised the participants and said: “The AlUla Camel Cup reflects the importance of camel racing as a symbol of the Kingdom’s heritage and culture.”

While the heritage sport dates from the seventh century, the event this year includes a more contemporary setup that caters to all the family. There are opportunities to take camel selfies, sample camel smoothies or listen to live folk music by local performers.

The final races take place on Saturday.

SAO PAULO: Brazilian soccer hero Romario returned to training on Thursday at age 58, almost two decades after he retired from the sport, and needed just a few minutes to show he remains a prolific scorer.

The 1994 World Cup winner turned politician netted two goals as he practiced with much younger players at struggling Rio de Janeiro club America, of which he is the president.

America will play in Rio state’s second division championship this year. Romarinho, one of the sons of the former Barcelona star, is in its squad.

“My biggest goal here is to have the chance to play with my son,” an exhausted Romario told journalists after the training. “Many athletes have that objective. LeBron James wants to play with his son next year (in the NBA). Rivaldo also had that chance. I want that too.”

Also famous for his sharp tongue, which has Pele, Zico and Mario Zagallo among its victims, Romario chose himself as a target this time.

“I am very tired. I will soon need a stretcher to pick me up,” he said. “For a man who has not trained for 16 years, in general, I managed to run a little. But I want to make one thing very clear — I will not play the entire championship. My idea is to play for a few minutes in some matches. What matters the most in this competition is America.”

America will play their first league match on May 18. Romario became its president in 2023, aiming to get the club back in the state’s first division with local giants Flamengo, Fluminense, Vasco da Gama and Botafogo.

Both goals Romario scored came in a reduced pitch section of the practice, both in his old style; sharp finishes from close range in the penalty box.

Famously not a fan of penalty kicks, Romario has apparently changed his mind for his return to the sport.

“If there is a penalty, our club president will ask to take it,” Romario jokingly said. “If the coach says no, he will be fired and the club president will take the penalty anyway.”