MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2018 19 Bahrain eyes Chelimo blasts heat, handball medal pollution after victory

AFP |

orld champion made light It was bad, it was Wof brutal conditions too hot. I felt yesterday to scoop something in my gold for Bahrain with a runaway throat too. The air win in the women’s . here, you feel like The Kenyan-born athlete it’s hard to breathe. produced a devastating break from the leading pack after the I felt like I wasn’t 25-kilometre mark in Jakarta going to finish but I and ploughed a lonely furrow found some morale Bahrain’s Nijad Al Gosaibi in action as she crossed the line to win in and hope to keep a modest time of two hours, 34 going. Thank God TDT | Manama Meanwhile, Nijad Al Gosai- minutes and 51 seconds. I finished with no bi crashed out of the jiu jitsu Chelimo’s gold continued harm ahrain look to secure a new medal race. He won his last-16 Bahrain’s recent Asian Games Bmedal at the 18th Asian round fight in the men’s un- success in the marathon after ROSE CHELIMO Games, being held in Jakarta der-77kg against Abdul Reh- and Hasan Mah- and Palembang, today, when man of Pakistan 100-0, but lost boob -- both also born in Noguchi, who won Olympic they take on Japan in the hand- out to Erkhbayar Batkhuyag -- won the women’s and men’s gold in 2000 and 2004. ball championship semi-finals of Mongolia 0-100 later in the titles in 2014. “It’s still only the silver but at Gor Popki Cibubur sports quarter-finals. Despite smashing her rivals in I hope to use this as a spring- hall. In shooting, Maryam Has- a slow race to take gold, Cheli- board,” said Nogami. The nationals made it to this sani and Hasan Mohammed mo admitted that Jakarta’s heat “I have still things to work on stage after winning all their were ranked 16th and 17th, re- and poor air quality had caused but this experience will make previous matches in the com- spectively in the shotgun skeet her problems. me a better runner. I’ll be ready petition. Bahrain kicked off event, while Abdulla Janahi is “It was bad, it was too hot,” (for Tokyo).” their campaign winning top presently eighth after six races the 29-year-old told AFP. “I felt Nogami, whose countryman spot in the main round rob- on the third day of his Laser something in my throat too. The Bahrain’s Rose Chelimo runs in the women’s marathon athletics event Hiroto Inoue won the men’s in stage with wins over Iran, Standard sailing with 42 points air here, you feel like it’s hard to marathon a day earlier, also South Korea and Hong Kong. in total and 33 net points. breathe. year. Tokyo target complained about the heat de- Bahrain, coached by Aron Elsewhere, Olympic Coun- “I felt like I wasn’t going to “I just spoke to my family on spite the early morning start. Kristjansson from Iceland, will cil of Asia president Shaikh finish but I found some morale the phone and they were all Nogami bit her tongue when “When I threw my sunglasses relay on their goalkeeper Mo- Ahmed Al Fahd Al Subah and hope to keep going. Thank praying for me,” added the gold asked if she had any sore feel- away late in the race my eyes hammed Abdulhussain, who received Bahrain Olympic God I finished with no harm.” medallist, who grew weary of ings about being beaten by a were really stinging,” she said. showed some impressive skills Committee board member Chelimo had already crossed the snail’s pace the leaders were runner born in Kenya. “I felt then it was because of in the team’s matches earlier in and Bahrain chef de mission the finish line when Japan’s running at to break away after “Maybe, but she came first the air pollution but to be hon- the tournament. Bader Nasser at his residence Keiko Nogami entered the stadi- 25km. regardless of her nationality,” est the heat was worse.” Kristjansson will also bank in Jakarta. um to claim silver over a minute “I planned to break away said the Japanese runner. Kirwa followed her Asian on Mohammed Abdulreda, Shaikh Ahmed welcomed and a half behind. North Korea’s around 35km but I saw my “Perhaps I should just focus Games gold medal with a silver Hasan Madan, Mohammed Nasser and commended the Kim Hye Song took bronze. chance and decided to go for on my own shortcomings.” at the Rio Olympics two years Mirtza, Mohammed Habib, efforts of the administrative “But I’m very proud to be the it,” said Chelimo. Nogami quickly set her sights ago and Chelimo signalled her Ali Mirza, Hasan Al Samahiji, delegation of Bahrain at the Asian champion,” said Chelimo, “Nobody followed me so I on Tokyo 2020 when she will intent to race at the 2020 Tokyo Bilal Basham and Husain Al games, and the contributions one of 10 siblings who captured continued to push the pace and look to emulate countrywomen Games -- mindful that severe Sayyad. of Bahrain athletics. the world title in London last then I was on my own.” and Mizuki heat could be a factor. Tears as N Korea’s Rim follows little sister Weightlifter heartbroken over sister’s death AFP | Jakarta AFP | Jakarta crying too, said he was the first im Jong Sim bagged North to find out. RKorea’s seventh weightlift- Palestinian weightlift- “The news had a big impact ing gold of the Asian Games in Aer wept as he belatedly on me because I had a similar Indonesia yesterday to com- KNOW WHAT learned of his young sister’s situation with my sister,” said plete a remarkable family dou- tragic death from illness -- a Hamada, who also comes from ble, just a day after a victory by day after he competed in the Gaza, where medical facilities her little sister. N Korea’s previous best Asian Games. are generally poor. Like her 22-year-old sibling Hani al-Qassass’s family and “I tried to hide the news Rim Un Sim in Saturday’s 69kg at the Games had been team kept the news from him from Hani, as far as I could.” category, the reigning Olympic four weightlifting golds until after his appearance at But Qassass, 23, realised champion enjoyed a comforta- at the Incheon Asiad the Games, the first interna- something was going on. ble margin of victory in the 75kg four years ago tional competition he had per- “Their behaviour with me was class -- this time by a massive mission to attend. unnatural. I told them ‘What is 26kg. Korean delegation including the His five-year-old sister, who happening? Tell me!’,” he said. “I was a bit nervous after my sports minister. had fallen into a coma, died It was the first time that Qa- sister won, just hoping I could A few minutes earlier, South in Gaza three days before he ssass had left the Gaza Strip to do the same,” said a delighted Korea’s Mun Min-hee had was due to take his turn in the take part in a championship. Jong Sim, 25, who was watched screamed with delight after 77kg class. In 2017 he was invited to North Korea’s Rim Jong Sim lifts during the snatch women’s 75kg weightlifting by her sister Un Sim as she fur- personal bests of 106kg in the “They did not tell me until a compete in the Islamic Soli- group A event ther extended North Korea’s snatch and 130kg in the clean day after my participation,” a darity Games in Baku, but the record weightlifting haul at the and jerk had propelled her into tearful Qassass told AFP. Israeli authorities denied him Asian Games. for the seventh time in seven weights China, who topped the the silver medal position on His coach Hossam Hamada, permission. The sisters couldn’t hold back days of competition. Incheon weightlifting medals 236kg. their emotions after Jong Sim After wiping away her tears, with seven golds, and Kazakh- But Uzbekistan’s Omadoy was presented with her gold Un Sim told AFP: “I was so hap- stan currently under a doping Otakuziyeva, who had one lift medal by North Korean Sports py for ‘Onni’ (‘big sister’). I knew suspension, the North Koreans remaining, increased her clean Minister Kim Il Guk and the se- she could win but I couldn’t have dominated the event. and jerk lifetime best by 6kg to cretive country’s anthem played hold back when I thought of her leapfrog Mun and snatch the and my country.” Six of the best silver by just 1kg. It was a sentiment echoed by Rim was so in control that her Later another Uzbek, Rio Jong Sim. “This gold is not just opening weights in each disci- Olympic champion Ruslan Nu- for me but for my country,” she pline would have been enough ridinov, went one better and told reporters. “I cried when to win, and she used the rest of smashed two Asian Games re- I thought about my country. I the competition like a training cords on his way to gold in the 26kg can’t wait to go back home now.” exercise with a flawless series men’s heavyweight 105kg class. Rim Jong Sim enjoyed a comfortable margin of North Korea’s previous best culminating in a snatch of 116kg The Olympic record holder victory in the 75kg class performance at the Games had and clean and jerk of 147kg. broke the long-standing clean -- this time by a massive been four weightlifting golds at After her sixth and final suc- and jerk mark of Qatar’s Assad 26kg the Incheon Asiad four years cessful lift she broke into a huge Saif Assad set at the 2002 Asiad ago. smile and waved to the packed in Busan by 5kg with his second Palestine’s Ahmed Alqassass takes part in the men’s 85kg Group B But with regional heavy - crowd containing a large North lift of 230kg. weightlifting event