CCRICKETRICKET | Page 2 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 4 Wood injury Vinicius rescues adds to draw for Real England’s Madrid at problems Levante Tuesday, August 24, 2021 TENNIS Muharram 16, 1443 AH Zverev adds GULF TIMES Cincy Masters to Olympic gold SPORT Page 3 FOCUS Tokyo Paralympics to open under shadow of pandemic The Games that open today will see 4,400 athletes from around 160 national teams competing for honours in 22 sports AFP ferent to how it was before the Olympics. Tokyo, Japan Abdulqader, Masoud It has deteriorated,” said Tokyo 2020 of- fi cial Hidemasa Nakamura on Friday. all set for Tokyo “And the local medical system is also he Tokyo Paralympics open to- Paralympics in a very tight situation.” day after a year-long pandemic The virus surge has caused tensions, delay and with the virus con- atar’s top Paralympians with some local regions and schools can- tinuing to cast a long shadow Abdulrahman Abdulqader celling planned trips to Games events Tas Japan battles a record surge in cases. Qand Sara Masoud are deter- despite support for the programme from As at the Olympics, the event will be mined to do their best and make the Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. marked by strict virus rules, with al- country proud in these Tokyo 2020 most all spectators banned and tough Paralympic Games. ‘BLADE JUMPER’ restrictions on athletes and other par- Qatar’s shot putter, Masoud, will kick The mood among Paralympians re- ticipants. off her competition on September 2, mains buoyant though, after the uncer- While a swell of domestic support while her teammate Abdulqader will tainties of the year-long delay. emerged during the Olympics af- start for the F34 glory on Septem- “It’s our time to take aim at gold!” ter months of negative polls, there is ber 4. tweeted US archer Matt Stutzman, a deep concern in Japan as the Paralym- The two champions are dreaming Paralympic silver medallist who uses pics approach with the country going big to bring new glorious achieve- the handle “Armless Archer”. through a fi fth virus wave. ments to Qatar. Masoud is the first Stutzman is among those likely to be More than 25,000 new cases were re- Team Qatar’s Sara Masoud and Abdulrahman Abdulqadir (right) had won silver medals in shot put competitions at 2016 Rio ever woman crowned with the Paral- appearing on the medal podium during corded on Thursday, and medics across Paralympic Games. ympic Games medal in the history of the Games, which will see 4,400 ath- the country have warned hospitals are the nation. She won the F33 Shot Put letes from around 160 national teams at breaking point with serious cases silver in Rio 2016 Paralympic Games competing. also at record highs. and added another silver in the 2017 There are 22 sports, with athletes It’s a challenging environment for Para Athletics World Championships. competing in diff erent categories and the most important sports event for Masoud has also an amazing record classes depending on the nature of their disabled athletes, and International at the Asian level, she won the gold disability. Badminton and taekwondo Paralympic Committee chief An- Volunteers clean a floor medal in both Shot Put and Discus are appearing for the fi rst time. drew Parsons has warned participants after a wheelchair rugby Throw at Incheon 2014 Asian Para Top names include Germany’s against complacency. training session at Yoyogi Games and later she raised up her Markus Rehm, dubbed the “Blade Despite the backdrop, IPC offi cials National Stadium in Tokyo medal tally by winning the silver Jumper” for his gravity-defying feats insist the reach of the event will be “in- ahead of the Tokyo 2020 medal at Jakarta 2018 Asian Para in long jump, which have earned him credible.” Paralympic Games. (AFP) Games. three gold medals and a bronze. “Of course the fact that we will not Abdulqader is the first ever para He has pushed to be included in the have spectators at the venues is a chal- athlete to reach the podium Qatar’s Olympics, but so far without success lenge,” Parsons told AFP in an inter- history. He claimed the silver medal over concerns that his prosthetic blade view. in Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, then gives him an advantage. “But we believe we will reach more spared no eff ort to win a silver at Other household names include than 4bn people through broadcast- 2017 Para Athletics World Champion- Tatyana McFadden, the American ing.” ships. In 2014, Abdulqader claimed wheelchair racer who will be compet- Local offi cials say the Games can the gold medal at Incheon 2014 ing in her fi fth summer Paralympics. be held safely, with athletes and other Asian Para Games. She also appeared at the Sochi Win- participants subject to the same anti- ter Games, where she won a silver med- infection rules that applied to the Ol- al in the country where she was born, ympics. mostly among Japan-based Olympic as her adoptive US mother and Russian offi cials, though at least four athletes birth mother cheered her on. VIRUS ‘SITUATION HAS have also tested positive. Japan will be hoping it can repeat DETERIORATED’ But Olympic offi cials say there is no the gold rush that saw it bring home a Competitors can only enter the Paral- evidence of infection spreading from record 58 gold Olympic medals. ympic Village shortly before their event the Games to the rest of Japan, where Among its top medal hopes is Shingo and must leave within 48 hours of the competition sites and the Village. ympics proved the restrictions work. residents employed by the Games or case numbers were already on the rise. Kunieda, the reigning world number end of their competition. The measures are intended to pre- There were 552 positive cases linked working as contractors. Still organisers acknowledge the one wheelchair men’s single champion They will be tested daily and limited vent the Games from becoming a super- to the Olympics reported from July 1 So far, 138 cases related to the Para- worsening environment. and considered one of the greatest fi g- to moving between training venues, spreader event — and offi cials say the Ol- until Sunday, the majority among Japan lympics have been confi rmed, also “The infection situation today is dif- ures in the sport. FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT QFA to host Champions League match between Messi’s Argentina to face Arsenal facing ‘challenging’ Saudi’s Al Nassr and Iran’s Tractor Neymar’s Brazil in qualifi er situation, says Arteta The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has agreed to the request AFP The two countries’ star play- Reuters team that will probably be un- of the Saudi Arabian Football As- Buenos Aires, Argentina ers are yet to play alongside London, England precedented in the history of sociation to host the AFC Champi- each other this season as both this football club. ons League match between Saudi have been given an extended “But credit to the boys... Al Nassr SC and Iranian Tractor SC uperstar Lionel Messi break by PSG following their rsenal are dealing They are playing with a lot of at Khalifa International Stadium was called up yesterday Copa exertions. with a challenging courage in this situation, which on September 14. to the Argentina squad After more than two decades situation with the is tough. They are trying their The host comes within the due to face his new Par- playing at Barcelona, Messi is squad hit by Covid-19 best — and at the moment it’s framework of the distinguished Sis Saint-Germain teammate widely expected to make his Acases and injuries, manager not enough to win.” bilateral relations that bind Neymar and Brazil in a World PSG debut this weekend away Mikel Arteta said after they Arsenal face another tough Qatar Football Association with Cup qualifi er next month. to Reims. lost to Chelsea, their second test when they travel to Pre- the brothers in the various The crunch CONMEBOL Argentina coach Lionel defeat in as many games at the mier League champions Man- federations, especially after the encounter on September 5 will Scaloni sprung no surprises in start of the Premier League chester City on Saturday, but great success in hosting and mark the fi rst time the two his squad with Inter Milan’s season. Arteta, who is under pressure organising many major tourna- icons face each other as PSG Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Lautaro Martinez and Paulo After a season-opening after successive defeats, said ments in the past period in light teammates, and will come less Messi (left) and Neymar. (AFP) Dybala of Juventus included loss at newcomers Brentford, the team cannot aff ord to feel of the challenges posed by the than two months after Messi among powerful-looking for- Arteta’s team were beaten 2-0 Thomas Partey were ruled out dejected. Covid-19 pandemic. inspired Argentina to a 1-0 a perfect 18 points from six ward options, although new by London rivals Chelsea at with injuries. “I don’t want to see anybody Qatar deserved the praise and victory over Brazil in the Copa matches, while Argentina are Barca signing Sergio Aguero home on Sunday. Arsenal were handed anoth- feeling sorry for themselves or appreciation it had received America fi nal. second with 12 points and also misses out through injury. It was the fi rst time Arse- er blow after left back Kieran the squad or the team, because for its implementation of strict The highly-anticipated en- unbeaten. Two other PSG players, An- nal lost their fi rst two league Tierney and forward Gabriel that’s not going to help us,” he health protocol in the AFC counter is sandwiched between Messi won his fi rst inter- gel Di Maria, who scored the games without scoring.