Qatar Handball Team Inches Closer to Asian Games Medal
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SPORT Saturday 25 August 2018 PAGE | 14 PAGE | 15 Raikkonen keeps Bairstow may Ferrari on top in play as specialist Belgian GP practice batsman Qatar handball team inches closer to Asian Games medal CHINTHANA WASALA THE PENINSULA MEDAL TABLE (TOP 10) Rank Country G S B Total DOHA: Qatari handball players main- 1 China 66 46 27 139 tained their dominant run by defeating 2 Japan 29 31 43 103 Japan 24-17 to storm into the semi- 3 South Korea 23 26 29 78 finals while beach volleyball team of 4 Iran 12 11 8 31 Ahmed Janko and Cherif Samba booked a place in the quarter-finals to raise 5 Indonesia 9 9 14 32 medal hopes at the Asian Games in 6 DPR Korea 8 5 6 19 Indonesia yesterday. 7 Chinese Taipei 6 7 12 25 Qatari handball team took an early 8 India 6 5 14 25 lead in yesterday’s final group match 9 Thailand 6 4 20 30 but Japan equalised on multiple occa- 10 Uzbekistan 4 10 7 21 sions in the first half. However, the 11 Kazakhstan 3 7 24 34 deadlock was broken at 10 and Qatar 12 Mongolia 3 2 4 9 secured the lead at the half-fime whistle at 13-10. 13 Hong Kong 2 5 12 19 In the second half, Al Annabi 14 UAE 2 3 0 5 players tightened the grip by adding 11 15 Singapore 2 1 6 9 more goals against Japan’s seven to 16 Vietnam 1 6 9 16 break the opponents’ hearts by winning 28 Afghanistan 0 0 1 1 their fifth game in a row in 28 Pakistan 0 0 1 1 Indonesia. 28 Qatar 0 0 1 1 Anis Zouaui scored six goals while Bertrand Roine was on target on five occasions. Allaedine Berrached (3), Rafael Capote (3), Moustafa Heiba (4), Ahmad Madadi (2) and Abdulrazzaq Murad (1) also made valuable additions Qatar’s Ahmed Janko and Cherif Samba in action against Kazakhstan’s Alexey to the total score. Kuleshov and Alexandr Babichev at the JSC Beach Volley Arena in Palembang, Yesterday’s win also secured the top spot for Qatar in Group 1. They had Indonesia yesterday. already made it to the semis. Japan, who were placed second in the points Kazakhstan’s Alexey Kuleshov and after their recent win at the AVC Men’s table, were badly in need of a win yes- Alexandr Babichev 21-8, 21-19 to storm Cup in Chinese Taipei, prevailed 25-16, terday as the top two teams in each into the quarter-finals. The Qatari duo 25-22, 25-18 at the end. group were offered berths in the remain unbeaten so far in the beach The win secured full points for semi-finals. volleyball competition and is one of the Qatar who finished the preliminary But the loss against Qatar made top favourites win a medal at the 2018 round as the group leaders, having won little impact as Saudi Arabia and Iraq Games. all their three matches. were involved in a rare 20-20 draw in Jenko and Cherif will be up against In the men’s 3x3 basketball prelim- the previous group match, and Japan Iranians Arash Vakili and Bahman Sale- inaries, Qatar beat Jordan 21-7 in their sealed the remaining spot in the miinjehboroun in today’s semi-final. Pool C match in the morning session semi-finals. Meanwhile, Qatari volleyball yesterday, before going down fighting Qatar will meet South Korea in the players also maintained their unbeaten to Japan 21-15 in the evening session. Qatar’s Wajdi first semi-final on Monday while Japan streak with a resounding 3-0 win Qatari female cagers did not have Sinen in action will lock horns with Group 2 leaders against Hong Kong yesterday. any luck yesterday as they lost both of during the 2018 Bahrain. The East Asian team was only able their matches in the preliminary round Asian Games in At the JSC Beach Volley Arena in to put up a strong fight in the second against Vietnam (12-6) and Malaysia Jakarta. Palembang, Jenko and Cherif defeated set but Qatar, who are in stunning form (18-7). Tamimi goes down fighting in squash thriller THE PENINSULA lead before clinching his win in beat Ammar Altamimi 11-5, 11-4, Abdulla Games,” continued the teenager semi-finals and I’m very happy exactly one hour. 11-7. Al Tamimi who recently won the Malaysian with the way I played,” said DOHA: In a major upset in “It was really a tough fight Following Adnan’s win yes- national title. Nicol, who now faces Indian quarter-finals of the squash but it’s worth it because at least terday, Malaysia are in line for “It’s really a big thing getting rival Dipika Pallikal Karthik for competition at the 2018 Asian there will be a medal for a triple squash medal haul in through into the top four but a place in her sixth successive Games in Indonesia yesterday, Malaysia,” said the 32-year-old Indonesia after Sivasangari now I have to reset and focus final. the reigning Malaysian Open world No.40. Subramaniam and Nicol David again because I have another Top men’s seed Saurav champion, Qatar’s Abdulla Al “I feel awesome and very also pulled off major upsets in big match tomorrow.” Ghosal, bidding to become the Tamimi lost to Malaysia’s Nafi- glad to win today and contrib- the quarter-finals to secure The player she will now face first Indian gold medallist in the izwan Adnan 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, uting a medal to my beloved places in the semi-finals. in a bid to reach the final is event, had a tough quarter-final 5-11, 11-9. country, especially in this Subramaniam, a 19-year- Joshna Chinappa, a 3/4 seed battle on his hands against At the at the Gelora Bung special “Merdeka” (inde- old from Kedah, scored the from India who needed four fellow countryman Harinder Pal Karno Sports Complex in pendence) month. It was a biggest win of her career when games to overcome Hong Kong Sandhu. After dropping the Jakarta, the Qatari star, who is tough match and now I am she beat second seed Annie Au, left-hander Joey Chan 11-5, opening game, the favourite ranked career-high 28th in the looking forward to a good rest the world No.11 from Hong “She’s the second seed in 12-10, 5-11, 12-10. regained control of the match world, put up a tremendous this evening - and hopefully Kong, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5, 3-11, 11-5. the tournament and ranked as David kept alive her hopes to prevail 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 effort against the 2018 Com- tomorrow, I’ll do even better “I still can’t believe that I’ve high as number 11 in the world. of a record fifth gold medal after 70 minutes. monwealth Games bronze med- than today.” managed to produce a win over “I went on court just when she despatched one of the The world No.12 from allist, who went on to secure the Adnan progresses to face Annie,” the jubilant Subra- looking to play my best squash, women’s game’s rising stars Kolkata now takes on Hong semi-finals berth. Max Lee, the No.2 seed from maniam (pictured above, left, which I did and I’m just so Satomi Watanabe, of Japan, Kong’s Leo Au in a bid to reach Ranked 12 places behind the Hong Kong who ended Kuwaiti in quarter-final action) told happy to get through to the 11-6, 11-4, 11-3. the final for the second time in Qatari, Adnan squandered a 2/0 interest in the event when he www.squashmad.com. semi-finals in my first Asian “It’s great to be in the a row. Abdulla Al Tamimi (right) in action during the squash competition at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on Thursday. 14 SPORT SATURDAY 25 AUGUST 2018 Ikee takes Yesterday’s Samba leads Qatar’s medal highlights record haul REUTERS REUTERS JAKARTA: Highlights of day hunt on Asian Games track seven of the 18th Asian Games JAKARTA: Teenager Rikako in Jakarta and Palembang ARMSTRONG VAS London Olympic Games Ikee became the first metres event. Tosin has not com- chalelnge will be led by Mohd Al yesterday: bronze medallist Nasser Al swimmer to win six gold THE PENINSULA peted in the 100 metres dash this Mannai today. medals at a single Asian Saleh Al Attiyah begins his year, but he won the silver medal High Jumper Mahamat Sun cruises to another Games on a thrilling final DOHA: Abderrahman Samba will gold quest in shooting. in 60 metres event during the Hamdi will be the one Qatari fans freestyle gold night in the Jakarta pool lead Qatar’s gold quest in track Asian Indoor Championships will be looking forward to get China’s three-times Olympic which left continental powers and field events of the 18th Asian Athletes Abdalelah Haroun, held in Tehran, earlier this year. them the medal in the absanse of champion Sun Yang claimed a Japan and China with 19 gold Games in Indonesia which begins Mohamed Nasir Abbas, In the 400 metres Abdalelah Barshim, while another Qatari record-equalling 14th swimming medals apiece. today. Tosin Ogunode, Mahamat Haroun is expected to lead the athlete Rania Alnaji will vie for medal at the Asian Games after Three-times Olympic The athletics competition at Hamdi, Rania Alnaji and Qatari charge along with , honours in the Women’s winning the men’s 1500 metres champion Sun Yang also the Games will take place without Mohamed Al Mannai in Mohamed Nasir Abbas.