14 Sports Monday, January 11, 2021 Saudi Al-Rajhi denies ‘Mr Dakar’ on marathon stage Explorer Horn in Saudi sands seeks a rally without petrol SAKAKA, Saudi Arabia: Toyota’s Saudi driver champion took the seventh stage win Yazeed Al-Rajhi took the marathon in a time of 4hr 37mins 44sec. The American, winner seventh stage honors yesterday, the home hope of the prologue, came in 2mins 07sec clear of denying Stephane Peterhansel, the overall leader in Honda’s Chilean rider Jose Ignacio Cornejo, the new pursuit of his 14th title. Mini driver Peterhansel was overall leader. on target to cross the line first at the end of the But only by one second from (KTM) arduous 453km timed special featuring sand moun- with , the British 2017 champion, in tains between Ha’il and Sakaka. third at 2min 11sec. Overnight leader Xavier de But Al-Rajhi had other ideas, and with the benefit Soultrait slipped to fourth, 2min 34sec off the pace. of his experienced co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz, an Botswanan Ross Branch suffered a spectacular spill 18-Dakar veteran, he took command around 100km from his Yamaha early in the stage but thankfully out. He secured his first stage win in the event since escaped uninjured. 2015 and his Dakar debut with 48sec to spare over Peterhansel, with third at 1min 15sec. In Rally without petrol fourth came Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah, who is now Mike Horn made his name by walking to some of 7min 53sec behind Peterhansel in the overall stand- the world’s remotest spots but as the Dakar Rally ings with last year’s champion Sainz over 40 min- resumed yesterday, he is in a diesel car, trying to utes adrift in third. navigate the Saudi Arabian desert with the aim of Peterhansel, 55, first competed in the Dakar in “conserving the planet”. Horn, a 54-year-old Swiss 1988, the year leader Ari Vatanen’s 405 based South African, is famed for exploits that SAKAKA, Saudi Arabia: Toyota’s driver Yazeed Al Rajhi of Saudi Arabia and co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz of Germany com- was infamously stolen in Bamako, with a ransom for include circling the Equator without using any pete during stage 7 of the Dakar Rally 2021, between Saudi Arabia’s northern cities of Hail and Sakaka yesterday. —AFP its return demanded. It turned up eventually, but too motorized transport and walking to the North Pole late for Vatanen. Since then Peterhansel has made in winter without dogs or motor vehicles. Commission (CEA) which plans to manufacture the carbon footprint. “There are three things that made motorsport’s toughest test an annual pilgrimage, He is competing in his second Dakar Rally, as prototype that will run on an electric motor pow- me come back,” he said: “First of all the human and with 13 wins on both two and four wheels he navigator for veteran French driver , in ered by a hydrogen fuel cell. “There’s a real goal adventure, then the competition, I like to win and to has rightly earned his nickname ‘Monsieur Dakar’. a traditional diesel-powered car with the objective behind all this, and it’s essential,” said the 46-year- reach the end of my expeditions and of course col- He now has six podium finishes in seven stages of making such cars obsolete. In addition to com- old Despres, who is in his 21st Dakar rally and has lect data for research and for future generations.” and will be hoping to get his first win of 2021 on the peting, the car is designed to collect data as part of won the motorbike category five times. “That’s “I can play an important part in changing the board on Monday’s eighth stage which sees the a project named Gen-Z which aims to enter a com- new for me.” way we participate in motor sports,” said Horn. Dakar travelling circus heading west from Sakaka to petitive hydrogen-powered car in the 2023 rally. Horn first raced last year, when he and Despres “To conserve the planet to be able to leave a the Red Sea resort of Neom. The car has been fitted with sensors by the lasted three stages. The explorer took heavy criti- future to the younger generation is one of my life In the motorbike category, defending motorbike French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy cism for participating in a rally with a notorious missions.” — AFP

contact tracing for Houston. Nuggets beat Nikola Jokic had 15 points and 12 assists and Large turnout of Gary Harris scored 21 points to lead the Nuggets. Jamal Murray and Will Barton had 14 points apiece registration for short-handed for the Nuggets, who broke open a close game after halftime. JaMychal Green and Monte Morris shooters’ tournament 76ers added 12 points apiece. Rookie Tyrese Maxey tallied a career-high 39 By Abdellatif Sharaa points on 18-of-33 shooting, Isaiah Joe added 13 WASHINGTON: The Philadelphia 76ers were and Dakota Mathias had 12 for Philadelphia, who KUWAIT: Sheikh Sabah Al- routed 115-103 by the visiting Denver Nuggets on lost their second in a row and had their 20-game Ahmad Olympic Shooting Saturday, with the team so badly depleted by home winning streak snapped. Complex is welcoming a large COVID-19 protocols and injuries that they were Cameroonian star center Embiid was sidelined number of shooters to partici- forced to dress an injured player. with back tightness while Australian guard pate in the late Sheikh Ali The short-handed Sixers were down to just sev- Simmons was out with knee stiffness. “With the Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah en healthy players, pushing coach Doc Rivers to minutes we would have to ask (from Embiid), it Tournament to be held on Jan activate Mike Scott, who had a left knee injury, just would be insane to play him,” Rivers said. 14-16. Club and National so they could meet the league requirement to have The Sixers started veterans Dwight Howard and Guard shooters will compete in a minimum of eight players. Scott sat on the team Danny Green alongside rookie guards Isaiah Joe, Olympic skeet and trap events bench but didn’t play. “COVID created this but the Tyrese Maxey and Dakota Mathias. The Nuggets for both men and women. Obaid Al-Osaimi concern is not COVID now,” Rivers said. “The con- were without Michael Porter, who is in quarantine Obaid Al-Osaimi, cern is injuries.” due to COVID-19 safety protocols. “They deemed Secretary General of Arab The Sixers were missing a number of starters, it safe enough to play,” Nuggets coach Mike and Kuwait Shooting Federations, thanked the family of including Seth Curry, who tested positive for the Malone said. “To be honest, I think we’re going to the late Sheikh Ali for joining Kuwait Shooting Sport coronavirus on Thursday. Because of contact trac- start seeing more of this.” Club’s chairman and board members in organizing this ing, COVID-19 health protocols and injuries sever- Elsewhere, LaMelo Ball became the youngest tournament, and their continued support and encour- al other stars were also missing including Ben player in NBA history to record a triple-double agement of Kuwait’s shooters to keep making Simmons, Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris. with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, and the achievements at all level. Before the game, Rivers said he felt it should Charlotte Hornets beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-105. Osaimi said the organizing committee held several have been postponed. “I don’t think we should The 19-year-old Ball is 177 days younger than meetings with various subcommittees in order to make (play) but it’s not for me to express that,” Rivers Markelle Fultz when he set the triple double sure everything is ready for the distinguished launch of said. “I do worry about our player health.” Also record. the tournament, which is being officiated by an elite missing were Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton and Ball shot nine-of-13 from the floor as the CHARLOTTE: LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets group of international Kuwaiti referees who are highly experienced. Shooting ranges are also ready with equip- Vincent Poirier. “I trust the league and I trust the Hornets handed the struggling Hawks their fourth shoots the ball on Saturday at Spectrum Center in straight defeat. Ball was the third overall pick in the ment and systems for this important event. doctors as far as health-wise,” Rivers said. “I’m Charlotte, North Carolina. — AFP more concerned with health on the floor.” 2020 entry draft. Tim Hardaway also scored 36 Notably, this tournament comes ahead of the HH the Saturday’s game had a chance to be the season’s points and Trey Burke added a season-high 29 to Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah second coronavirus-related game postponement. lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 112-98 victory over Jalen Brunson due to COVID-19 health and safety Annual International Grand Prix, which gives Kuwait The Houston Rockets had their season opener the visiting Orlando Magic. protocols. Hardaway made eight of 13 three-point shooters an opportunity to get ready in a competitive against the Oklahoma City Thunder postponed The Mavericks were without forward Dorian attempts as the Mavericks defeated Magic for the atmosphere. The HH the Amir tournament will be held because of a combination of positive tests and Finney-Smith and guards Josh Richardson and 14th time in the past 18 meetings. — AFP from Feb 12 to 19, 2021.

team by sections of the crowd. India battle to save Sydney Test The International Cricket Council launched an investigation with Cricket Australia apologizing to India and vow- marred by crowd abuse allegations ing anyone at fault faced “lengthy bans, further sanctions and referral to NSW SYDNEY: India were battling to avoid can put together a good performance,” Police”. “We’ve seen it happen in differ- defeat against Australia after losing two he added. ent parts of the world and I’m really sad wickets before the close of play yesterday Australia’s declaration came after to see it happen in Australia,” said in a third Test marred by allegations of Cameron Green fell on the stroke of tea for Australia coach Justin Langer. “I think racist abuse from the Sydney crowd. The an entertaining 84, his maiden Test half- our series so far has been played in such hosts declared their second innings at tea century, with captain Tim Paine unbeaten great spirits ... it’s shame to see it getting on day four at 312 for six, leaving India on 39. Steve Smith made 81 and Marnus marred by incidents like we’re hearing needing a mammoth 407 to win and they Labuschagne 73, with Ashwin and about today and last night.” reached 98-2 at stumps, still needing a fur- Navdeep Saini grabbing two wickets each. Australia had resumed the day on 103 TOKYO: Olympic Rings are seen near the National Stadium, the main venue for the Tokyo ther 309 runs with the four-match series Just before the break there was a near for two after India were bowled out for locked at 1-1. 10-minute interruption to play that saw 244 in the first innings in reply to 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Tokyo on January 8, 2021. — AFP No team has ever bettered 288 to six fans removed after Mohammed Siraj, Australia’s 338, with Smith on 29 and clinch victory in the fourth innings at the fielding on the boundary, complained to Labuschagne 47. Labuschagne survived in the greater Tokyo area this week Sydney Cricket Ground, with Australia the umpire. It was not clear what was an appalling dropped catch by Hanuma Support for over a surge in COVID-19 cases. achieving that mark against South Africa in said, but the incident followed India Vihari on the day’s second ball that left In yesterday’s national telephone 2006. India’s record run chase started lodging a complaint on Saturday after bowler Jasprit Bumrah clutching his face in Olympics hits poll, around 35 percent of people told steadily before losing openers Shubman allegations of racist abuse towards the disbelief. — AFP Kyodo they favored outright cancella- Gill for 31 and Rohit Sharma for 52, leaving tion, while some 45 percent said the their hopes resting on Cheteshwar Pujara, new low in Japan event should be postponed a second who was nine not out, and captain Ajinkya time. The month-long emergency in the Rahane, unbeaten on four. TOKYO: Support for holding the capital and surrounding regions is less Sharma and Gill lived dangerously coronavirus-postponed Tokyo strict than harsh lockdowns seen else- against some early torrid bowling by Josh Olympics this summer has hit a new where in the world and primarily tar- Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. But they set- low in Japan, a poll found yesterday as tled in during a 71-run stand to begin the country battles a third wave of gets restaurants and bars, which have playing their shots, with the graceful infections. Just over 80 percent of been asked to close early. Sharma bringing up an 11th Test 50 before those asked by Kyodo news agency Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said being caught at fine leg hooking a said the huge global event should be this week that Japan is committed to Cummins short ball. cancelled or postponed again — a holding a “safe and secure” Olympics. Gill, who has cemented his place in the jump from around 60 percent in a He said he believed the public mood side after making a debut this series, December 6 survey by the same outlet. will change when the country begins again looked at home until he nicked a Kyodo said the survey asked 1,041 vaccinations, currently scheduled for Hazlewood delivery to Tim Paine behind participants nationwide, who were late February. But senior International the stumps on 31. “The batsmen will walk selected by random dialing. Tokyo Olympic Committee official Dick Pound in tomorrow believing they can do it,” SYDNEY: A policeman (center) stands guard among sections of the crowd as the game was halted 2020 organizers have said another told the BBC he could not “be certain” said veteran Ravi Ashwin. “That belief is after allegedly some remarks were made by the spectators on the fourth day of the third cricket Test delay is out of the question and are the Games will go ahead, because “the ongoing elephant in the room would be very important when you step onto the match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney yesterday. —AFP insisting the Games will go ahead pitch. “As a team, we are very hopeful we despite a state of emergency declared the surges in the virus”. — AFP