MONDAY 24 JUNE 2019 SPORT 18 Obviously heartbreaking to get on so close but not get over the West Indies narrow TODAY TOMORROW line. Devastated ... but also giving defeat to New Zealand Bangladesh vs Afghanistan vs Australia thanks for the performance. Even despite his swashbuck- 31st match 32nd match getting the team into the position ling 101-run knock. in Southampton in London we got into. 12:30pm (Qatar time) 12:30pm (Qatar time) eliminate SA, keep WC hopes alive

AFP Riaz take three each as since 2003, have LONDON South Africa surrendered without failed to reach the World Cup a fight. knockout stages. Pakistan condemned South ’s side had The post-mortem into a Africa to World Cup elimination already been roughed up by woeful World Cup campaign will and kept alive their own slender Haris Sohail’s brilliant 59-ball raise pointed questions about the ICC WORLD CUP 2019 chances of advancing to the of 89 in Pakistan’s 308-7. futures of Du Plessis and POINTS TABLE semi-finals with a 49-run win at South Africa’s fifth defeat in coach . Lord’s yesterday. seven World Cup matches con- South Africa have been beset 1: New Zealand 6 5 0 1 11 Chasing 309 to remain in the firmed their embarrassingly by problems on and off the field 2: Australia 6 5 1 0 10 hunt for a last four berth, South early exit, with matches against -- starting when AB de Villiers’ Africa’s survival bid petered out Sri Lanka and Australia still to late offer to come out of 3: India 5 4 0 1 9 on 259-9. play. retirement for the World Cup 4: England 6 4 2 0 8 Disciplined Pakistan bowling For just the second time in was rejected. 5: Sri Lanka 6 2 2 2 6 saw and Wahab their history, and the first time Their campaign got off to the worst possible start when they 6: Bangladesh 6 2 3 1 5 SCOREBOARD were thrashed by hosts England 7: Pakistan 6 2 3 1 5 in the tournament opener. PAKISTAN A. Markram b Shadab ...... 7 An injury that ruled key pace 8: West Indies 6 1 4 1 3 Imam-ul-Haq c & b Tahir ...... 44 H. van der Dussen c Hafeez b Shadab ...... 36 Pakistan’s bowler out of the 9: South Africa 7 1 5 1 3 c Amla b Tahir ...... 44 D. Miller b Shaheen ...... 31 tournament was another setback. Haris Sohail in c Ngidi b Phehlukwayo ...... 69 A. Phehlukwayo ...... 46 10: Afghanistan 6 0 6 0 0 action against lbw b Markram ...... 20 Their only win to date was C. Morris b Wahab ...... 16 South Africa, Haris Sohail c De Kock b Ngidi ...... 89 against minnows Afghanistan K. Rabada b Wahab ...... 3 yesterday. c sub (Duminy) b Ngidi ...... 23 L. Ngidi b Wahab ...... 1 and their mountain of issues b Ngidi ...... 4 not out ...... 1 proved too much for the unin- not out ...... 2 Extras: 1 (lb1, w5) ...... 6 spired Proteas players to Shadab Khan not out ...... 1 Total: (nine wkts; 50 overs) ...... 259 overcome as they slumped to a Extras: (lb6, nb1, w5) ...... 12 Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Amla), 2-91 (De Kock), Total: (for seven wkts; 50 overs) ...... 308 tame exit. to finish in the top four in the 38 from the first 10 overs and as, need. He perished for 63 when 3-103 (Markram), 4-136 (Du Plessis), 5-189 (Van Did not bat: , Shaheen Shah Pakistan were also playing 10-team group stage. the pressure mounted, Quinton a mistimed swipe against Amir der Dussen), 6-192 (Miller), 7-222 (Morris), 8-239 Afridi for their World Cup survival and Bangladesh’s 322-3 against de Kock fell for 47, caught on the ballooned high in the air for Sar- (Rabada), 9-246 (Ngidi) Fall of wickets: 1-81 (Zaman), 2-98 (Imam), mustered a far more whole- the West Indies was the only suc- boundary by the diving Imam- faraz to take a simple catch. 3-143 (Hafeez), 4-224 (Azam), 5-295 (Imad), Bowling: Hafeez 2-0-11-0 (1w); Amir 10-1-49-2 hearted effort in the must-win cessful chase of more than 250 ul-Haq for Shadab’s 50th ODI went 6-304 (Riaz), 7-307 (Sohail) (1w); Shaheen 8-0-54-1; Imad 10-0-48-0; Riaz clash. in this World Cup and South . in similar fashion, skying Shadab 10-0-46-3 (2w); Shadab 10-1-50-3 (1w) Bowling: Rabada 10-0-65-0 (1w); Ngidi 9-0-64- To the delight of their army Africa never looked like emu- On 91-2 in the 20th over and to give Mohammed Hafeez a 3; Morris 9-0-61-0; Phehlukwayo 8-0-49-1 (1nb, Result: Pakistan won by 49 runs Man-of-the-match: Haris Sohail of fans, who turned Lord’s into a lating that feat. with the required run-rate catch that pushed South Africa 2w); Tahir 10-0-41-2 (1w); Markram 4-0-22-1 vibrant mass of green, Sarfaraz Their task was made all the climbing, South Africa needed a towards the exit. (1w) Toss: Pakistan SOUTH AFRICA Umpires: (WIS) and Kumar Dhar- Ahmed’s side could still make the more difficult when veteran big innings from Du Plessis. Sohail’s dashing display had Hashim Amla lbw b Amir ...... 2 masena (SRI) semi-finals. Hashim Amla was trapped lbw Encapsulating a turbulent set the tone for a dispiriting day Q. de Kock c Imam b Shadab ...... 47 TV : Chris Gaffaney (NZL) Their second win of the tour- by Mohammad Amir for two in World Cup for the skipper and for South Africa. The 30-year- F. du Plessis c Sarfaraz b Amir ...... 63 Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI) nament gives them life with three the second over. his team, the skipper could not old hit nine fours and three sixes matches remaining in the battle The Proteas managed only get the job done in their hour of in his ruthless blitz,

Afghan captain Kohli fined for Naib hopes for win excessive in clash against appealing against Bangladesh Afghanistan REUTERS SOUTHAMPTON REUTERS SOUTHAMPTON Afghanistan have improved significantly in their last two matches in the Cricket World India captain has been fined Cup and it could be their day when they 25% of his match fee for excessive take on Bangladesh today in a group game appealing in Saturday’s tense World at Hampshire Bowl, captain Gulbadin Naib Cup contest against Afghanistan, the (pictured) said. International Cricket Council (ICC) has Afghanistan remain rooted to the bottom announced. of the points table after six defeats in as The two-time champions survived many matches in their second World Cup a scare against Afghanistan, who even- appearance. tually fell 11 runs short of a major upset They did not last their full 50 overs in Bangladesh’s English head coach Steve Rhodes after restricting India to 224-8 in the their first four matches, a streak they finally (centre) talks to his players during a training low-scoring contest. snapped in their comprehensive defeat by session in Southampton, yesterday. India were desperate for a break- England on Tuesday. through when Jasprit Bumrah struck Naib’s men, however, draw motivation Rahmat Shah on the pad and Kohli from Saturday’s narrow-miss against India looked unhappy after the leg-before when they fell 11 runs short of a major upset appeal was turned down. win over the two-time champions. Bangladesh coach Rhodes warns of “Saturday’s incident occurred in the “I think we cannot take it easy against 29th over of the Afghanistan innings, Bangladesh. They’re a good side and they when Kohli advanced towards umpire proved themselves in this stage,” Naib told boundary drought in Southampton in an aggressive manner reporters yesterday. when appealing an lbw decision,” the “But one thing about my team is that it’s REUTERS intimidated by them. “I think the governing body said in a statement. not an easy team. The first four or five SOUTHAMPTON word is respect,” Rhodes said. The India captain was found to games, we played very badly but we are “We do respect them but we have breached the ICC code of conduct improving day by day, and hopefully Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes don’t fear them. A lot of the lads have article relating to excessive appealing tomorrow will be our day.” reckons the slow track and big The wicket is right in the grown up playing on spinning during an international match. Naib said his team struggled to adjust outfield at the Hampshire Bowl may middle of the ground wickets, they faced a lot of spin “Kohli admitted the offence and to English conditions where their spinners result in a boundary drought and has and there are some huge bowlers. We’ll respect them because accepted the sanction proposed by found little help from the tracks. told his batsmen to run hard in they are top international bowlers.” match referee Chris Broad... and as “In the first three-four games, we today’s World Cup match against boundaries. So six-hitting Admiration is the other emotion he such, there was no need for a formal struggled a lot. The surface and the wickets Afghanistan. and four-hitting might has for the plucky Afghans in their hearing.” ICC added. are totally different. We didn’t expect it,” he Rhodes followed Saturday’s be less, like the other second World Cup appearance. Meanwhile, New Zealand have said. match in which India survived a day against India: Coach “We’re not fearful of them, but been fined for maintaining a slow over- They will play Bangladesh, who have mighty scare against Afghanistan in you know what, I’m really proud also rate in Saturday’s World Cup victory two wins from six matches. a low-scoring thriller. Steve Rhodes of Afghanistan’s rise in the cricketing over West Indies at Old Trafford, the On a conspicuously slow wicket, ranks,” Rhodes said. ICC said yesterday. India’s vaunted line-up managed “Bangladesh did a fine job in 20 Match referee David Boon adjudged 224-8, while Afghanistan fell 11 runs might be less, like the other day years internationally. Afghanistan that the Kiwis had bowled one over short when they returned to chase. against India. We’ll certainly have to are now doing a good job. I think short of their target after time allow- Only Virat Kohli, who topscored run hard for our singles and twos, these two countries are actually ances were taken into consideration. with 67, managed a 100-plus strike and turn them into threes. That’s an where cricket is thriving.” Skipper Kane Williamson pleaded rate, while both teams managed only important aspect.” Bangladesh suffered an injury guilty and was fined 20% of his match one six each. The track might suit his bowlers scare when Miraz suf- fees while his team mates were handed “I watched bit of the game live though, the Englishman said. fered a blow to the head while giving 10% fines in accordance with article and rest on TV. The wicket was a Afghanistan bowled with lot of an interview but Rhodes said the off- 2.22 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, the little bit slower and turned a little bit. discipline against India. Leg-spinner spinner was doing well. governing body said in a statement. We’re playing on the same wicket, Rashid Khan will be particularly “Mehidy just got a hit on the side “If New Zealand commit another so that’s useful to know,” Rhodes said pleased having bounced back from of his head when giving an interview, minor over-rate breach during the yesterday. his mauling by England captain Eoin the ball came flying out of the net. tournament with Williamson in the “The wicket is right in the middle Morgan to return figures He seems OK, he seems fine. The side, it will be deemed a second offence of the ground and there are some 10-0-38-1. physio is checking him. There was by him and he will face a suspension,” huge boundaries.” Rhodes said they respected the no blood or anything like that,” he the ICC statement added. “So six-hitting and four-hitting Afghan spinners but were not said. MONDAY 24 JUNE 2019 SPORT 19

QOC President attends opening of new IOC headquarters, signs MoU with ANOC

The President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, and guests attending the inauguration ceremony of the Olympic house, the new International Olympic Committee headquarters, in Lausanne, yesterday. RIGHT: QOC President Sheikh Joaan and Secretary General of QOC, Jassim Al Buenain, pose for a photograph with Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Senior Vice-President Robin Mitchel and ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg during an MOU signing ceremony which took place in Lausanne yesterday. According to the MoU, Doha will host the ANOC World Beach Games as well as the ANOC General Assembly in October.

Switzerland’s Roger Federer poses with the trophy as he celebrates his 10th win at the ATP Dominant Hamilton wins French event in Halle, western Germany, yesterday. Grand Prix in Mercedes one-two REUTERS Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates with his trophy on FRENCH GRAND PRIX RESULTS LE CASTELLET, FRANCE the podium after winning the Formula One Grand Prix de France at the 1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1hr 24min Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, southern France, yesterday. 31.198sec Lewis Hamilton put on a display of 2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) at 18.056sec domination at the French Grand Prix 3. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 18.985 yesterday to go 36 points clear in the 4. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda) 34.905 Formula One world championship 5. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:02.796 and stretch Mercedes’s winning run to 10 races. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS On a scorchingly hot afternoon Drivers in the south of France, Hamilton put 1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 187 pts the rest of the field in the shade as 2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 151 he led from start to finish to take his 3. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 111 fourth win in a row and sixth of the 4. Max Verstappen (NED) 100 season. The Briton finished 18 seconds 5. Charles Leclerc (MON) 87 ahead of Finnish team mate Valtteri Constructors Bottas, who was pushed hard at the 1. Mercedes 338 pts end by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in 2. Ferrari 198 a rare moment of tension, as Mer- 3. Red Bull-Honda 136 cedes celebrated their 50th one-two 4. McLaren-Renault 39 finish. 5. Renault 36 “We are creating history together and I’m so proud to be part of this team,” said Hamilton, who Mercedes have won all eight races Max Verstappen was fourth for some of the bits we brought didn’t also won from pole last year at Le this year as well as the last two of Red Bull while Ferrari’s Sebastian work and hopefully we can try again Castellet. 2018. Vettel moved up from seventh on and the track layout in Austria next “It wasn’t easy at all and every- Until the closing laps, the main the grid to fifth and gained an extra week will go our way.” thing is on the edge. I had quite big thrill on Sunday was provided by a point after pitting on the penultimate Spaniard Carlos Sainz finished Federer crushes blisters on the front two tyres - but marshal who darted across the track lap for fresh tyres to set the fastest sixth for McLaren ahead of Daniel this has been the best start of the to retrieve a broken bollard. lap. Ricciardo for Renault, but the Aus- year.” Hamilton made a clean start, was “This weekend, the biggest aim tralian was summoned to see Goffin to clinch The five-times world champion 2.3 seconds clear of Bottas after six was to close the gap as much as pos- stewards after the race. now has 79 career wins, 12 short of laps and continued to pull away sible and we failed,” said Vettel, now Kimi Raikkonen was eighth for 10th Halle title Michael Schumacher’s all-time despite complaining at one point that 76 points behind Hamilton -- the Alfa Romeo with Renault’s Nico record with 13 races remaining this something had broken on his seat - equivalent to more than three race Hulkenberg ninth and Lando Norris AFP season. a gripe undermined by the Briton wins. 10th for McLaren after losing three HALLE WESTFALEN, GERMANY He has 187 points to Bottas’s 151. lapping faster and faster. “We have to understand why places on the last lap. Roger Federer will head to Wimbledon in high spirits after waltzing past Belgium’s David Goffin in straight sets to win a record-extending 10th Abdulla battles back to snatch sixth place in Italy title at the ATP event in Halle yesterday. Federer, 37, beat Goffin 7-6 (7/2), 6-1 to secure THE PENINSULA more difficult for us now. Saying his 102nd career singles title and remain unbeaten Adel Abdulla in action in his Can-Am Maverick X3 during the sixth special PORDENONE, ITALY that, we have five races to go and on grass so far this season. stage of the Italian Baja in Pordenone, yesterday. we will see what happens.” “It’s unbelievable. I never thought when I first Qatar’s Adel Abdulla overcame his The Qatari began the third of the played here that I would win 10 titles,” said early windscreen wiper issues on runs through the 79.43km of the Bar- Federer. Saturday to finish the gruelling beano selective section in eighth “I’ve never won a tournament 10 times before, Italian Baja in sixth position in the overall in the T3 rankings, with so I will remember forever that I did so here in T3 category yesterday. Italy’s Amerigo Ventura leading the Halle.” The third round of the FIA World way from Vorobyev and Santiago The Swiss star is chasing a ninth Wimbledon Cup for Cross-Country Bajas was Navarro. crown in London next month as he looks to extend particularly demanding on this Poland’s Michal Goczal clocked and defend his record of 20 career majors. occasion. Heavy rain, mud and dif- the fastest time of 1hr 07min 49sec Long-term rival Rafael Nadal moved to within ficult passes through the Cosa and on a stage where Adel Abdullah was just two titles of Federer’s record with his 12th Tagliamento rivers made the going sixth quickest and moved up to French Open triumph earlier this month, while extremely difficult for the T3 cars, seventh overall when former leader world number one Novak Djokovic is just five which could not benefit from a Amerigo Ventura was sidelined at short with 15 career majors. windscreen or side windows like the night halt. Various time penalties Federer endured a rough ride in the early their T1 and T2 counterparts. were also imposed on several drivers rounds in Halle, battling to hard-fought, three- Abdulla and French co-driver and Vorobyev found himself leading set victories over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Roberto Jean-Michel Polato guided their the category by 1min 23.5sec from Bautista Agut. Can-Am Maverick X3 to the finish Navarro. Things got easier in the latter stages as he in a total time of 7hrs 05min 46sec Two runs through the revised thrashed Andy Murray’s new doubles partner and that put them 56min 34sec 80.15km of the Gradisca stage fol- Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the semi-finals before behind the eventual Russian winner lowed on Sunday before the return dispatching Goffin yesterday. Fedor Vorobyev, but enabled the to Pordenone for the ceremonial Federer held off three break points early in Doha-based driver to remain firmly finish. the first set before prevailing in the in contention for the T3 title after Michal Goczal set a second suc- tiebreaker. 2019 ITALIAN BAJA – T3 POSITIONS AFTER SS6: three rounds of the eight-race cessive fastest time of 1hr 08min An unsettled looking Goffin then gifted series. 1. Fedor Vorobyev (RUS)/Kirill Shubin (RUS) Can-Am Maverick X3: 6hrs 09min 11.4sec 53sec through the opener to consol- Federer the opening game of the second set with Running with support from the 2. Santiago Navarro (ESP)/Marc Sola (ESP) Can-Am Maverick X3: 6hrs 14min 12.9sec idate his fourth position, as Vorobyev a double fault on break point. FN Speed Team and Ooredoo, the 3. Michele Cinotto (ITA)/Mauricio Dominella (ITA) Polaris RZR 1000: 6hrs 33min 09.9sec increased his overall advantage over From there, the Swiss never looked back, Qatar telecommunications company, 4. Michal Goczal (POL)/Szymon Gospadarczyk (POL) Can-Am Maverick X3: 6hrs 36min 04.0sec Navarro to 3min 52.5sec and Adel breaking Goffin twice more on his way to a 10th Adel now has less than a month to 5. Aleksandr Dorosinskiy (LVA)/Oleg Uperenko (LVA) Can-Am Maverick X3: 6hrs 48min 34.4sec Abdulla maintained seventh with the Halle title. prepare for the fourth round in the 6. Adel Abdulla (QAT)/Jean-Michel Polato (FRA) Can-Am Maverick X3: 7hrs 05min 46.0sec fifth quickest time. “I thought David was actually better than me heat of Spain in July. Vorobyev sealed the win with a in the first 10 games,” said Federer. “We finished the race after a final stage time of 1hr 11min 29sec, Goffin added: “I thought I started really well, better final day than yesterday. We we had a slow rear-left puncture and the finish, the belt destroyed itself but the last stage win went to Michal there was great intensity in the first set. pushed on the first stage today, but I thought something was wrong with and we had to change it and lost Goczal, as Adel Abdulla confirmed It is the first time Federer has reached double there is no service between the the rear arm, but we still did a good around four or five minutes. We valuable championship points for figures at any individual tournament. stages. I had nothing to lose and I time,” Adel said yesterday. have more points now, but the finishing in sixth place after Omani He has triumphed eight times at both Wim- needed to catch up time. In the last “The second stage, we were fast Russian driver won and claimed the rival Abdullah Al-Zubair hit a tree bledon and the Dubai Open, and has won his 30km of the first stage this morning and clean until five kilometres from 25 points and that will make it a little and dropped out of contention. home tournament in Basel on nine occasions. MONDAY 24 JUNE 2019 20

PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 Pakistan Federer crushes eliminate South Goffin to Africa, keep WC clinch 10th hopes alive Halle title

Fighting Qatar sign off with one draw and two losses at the 12-team event Argentina through to Copa knockouts

THE PENINSULA PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL

Goals from Lautaro Martinez (4) and Sergio Aguero (82) sealed a berth in the last-eight stage for 14-time Copa America champions Argentina who beat Qatar 2-0 in their third Copa America clash yesterday. The final Group B clash which took place at Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, was a was a decisive one for both teams, with only the winners making it to the next round. Argentina, led by superstar Messi, after losing to Colombia and drawing with Paraguay in their first two matches, were looking to avoid an exit and pushed hard for a win against the fighting Asian champions. The same scenario applied to Qatar after the 2022 World Cup hosts claimed a draw with Par- aguay at the beginning of the tournament, before losing narrowly to Colombia. Messi and Martinez were both off target with presentable opportunities in the first few minutes, but the latter makes no mistake this time. The forward intercepted a pass made by Qatar’s Bassem Al Rawi and he tucked it past goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb with a good finish to make it 1-0 in favour of Argentina. Argentina netted a second goal that sealed their place in the last eight, when Aguero Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez shoots at the managed to get away from a couple of oppo- goal while Qatar’s Saad Al Sheeb, Salem sition players and then fired the ball across Al Al Hajri and Bassam Al Rawi try to defend Sheeb. during their Copa America Group B match The win lifted Argentina into second place played at Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, in the Group B standings, meaning that they will Brazil, yesterday. be joining Colombia in the next round. Colombia make Brazil crush Peru to reach last eight clean sweep REUTERS and lashed the ball into the roof of the Brazil’s Roberto SAO PAULO net. Substitute Willian made it five with Firmino celebrates REUTERS a vicious strike from outside the box in with team-mates after SALVADOR Brazil overwhelmed Peru with three the final minute, before Gallese made up scoring the team’s goals in a superb first half to set up a for his earlier error by saving a spot-kick second goal against Colombia enjoyed a 1-0 win over Paraguay crushing 5-0 victory on Saturday and from Gabriel Jesus in stoppage time. Peru, on Saturday. despite fielding a second-string side to make cruise into the Copa America quarter- After struggling in the first half of it a clean sweep of victories in their Copa finals. their previous two games, and failing to America group stage campaign, leaving Para- Looking like their imperious old score in both, the two early goals settled guay's hopes of staying in the tournament selves in front of 42,000 fans at the Cor- Brazil and gave them more space to play, hanging by a thread. inthians area, the host nation went ahead said coach Tite. Colombia were guaranteed a place in the after 12 minutes when Casemiro nodded The result, combined with Vene- last eight as Group B winners and made 10 home after a goalmouth scramble and zuela’s 3-1 win over Bolivia, means the changes from the side that beat Qatar in their Roberto Firmino made it two seven hosts top Group A and will play one of last outing but still dominated play while Par- minutes later after keeper Pedro Gallese the two third-placed teams at the Gremio aguay barely caused any danger. made a hash of his kick out. arena on Thursday. Midfielder Gustavo Cuellar put Colombia Firmino charged down the kick and The only down side for Brazil was a ahead just after the half-hour mark, sliding the ball rebounded off the post but the second yellow card in three games for the ball through the legs of Paraguay goal- forward picked up the rebound and Casemiro, which means the combative keeper Roberto Fernandez, while Luis Diaz rounded the keeper to roll the ball into Real Madrid midfielder will miss Thurs- struck in the second half but the goal was the empty goal. day’s quarter-final. ruled out by VAR. The technology was used Man of the Match Everton added a Second-placed Venezuela will face again in stoppage time to over-rule a penalty third when he cut in from the left and the second team in Group B on Friday at that had been awarded to Colombia. unleashed a low shot that sneaked inside the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Quieroz's Colombia side finished Gallese’s near post and Dani Alves made while Peru must wait to see if their four top of the group with nine points, while it 4-0 eight minutes into the second half points are enough to earn them a place Argentina came second with four and also when he finished off a neat team move as one of the two best third-placed sides. progressed to the quarter-finals. Barshim back in action with win in Poland

THE PENINSULA he suffered injury at the Gyulai Memorial four of the five highest jumps in 2018 SOPOT, POLAND in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, last July. before the unfortunate injury setback. Barshim after winning the Gyulai The two-time Olympic medallist Qatar’s world champion Mutaz Essa Memorial meet with a jump of 2.40m, returned to training just over two Barshim yesterday made a roaring attempted world record of 2.46m, and months ago and decided against com- return to action after a year-long injury he almost cleared Javier Sotomayor’s peting at the Asian Athletics Champion- layoff, leaping to 2.27m to win the high longstanding record of 2.45m, but landed ships, which took place in Doha in April. jump event at Sopot Grand Prix Athletics clutching his left ankle during his third The 2017 IAAF Athlete-of-the-Year in Sopot, Poland yesterday. attempt, only to see his season cut short. and the Rio Olympics silver medallist, It was after five years that the Barshim, who is the second best on will be looking to improve his perform- 27-year old Asian record holder returned the world all-time list since September ances ahead of the World Champion- to the Polish meet. 2014 when he scaled 2.43m at the ships, which will take place in Doha from Yesterday’s event was his first since Diamond League final in Brussels, had September 28-October 6.