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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 SPORTS Japanese Arc hopes rise after inconclusive trials

PARIS: Japan’s long held dream of lifting tively while , beaten in a Group and then to the assembled media. bookmakers took a dim view of her third impressively and earn a 7/1 quote. Europe’s most prestigious race, the Prix One by last time out, is gener- “Don’t rule her out of the Arc,” said successive defeat and she drifted from “It is a position I would rather be in de l’Arc de Triomphe, took on a more ally around 16/1. Head-Maarek, who had taken the bold 7/2 out to as long as 10/1 for the race in than not to have a choice to make at all,” realistic hue after Sunday’s trials at Gold Ship is, however, thought to be decision earlier in the week to replace three weeks time. said Benoist, who had to wait till Longchamp despite none of their three the one who will take to the generally legendary Italian jockey Frankie Dettori The biggest obstacle to the Japanese November last year for his first ever hopefuls running. softer ground in October better and with French veteran Thierry Jarnet, who challenge looks set to come from two Group One win. “I will talk to both camps It may appear a paradox in that the could be the horse to fulfil a dream that rode her to her Arc success. other fillies, unbeaten French Guineas and then make my mind up. It may be at trio-, Harp Star and Gold Ship- has captivated a nation and which began “This was a good effort by her, don’t and Oaks champion and the last moment.” are still to arrive in France but nothing for them with their first runner 45 years forget she was out for a month because Epsom Oaks winner , trained Should Benoist opt for Avenir Certain came out of the three principal Arc prep ago. Sunday’s fare will only have served of an injury so this is a good return. “You in England by John Gosden, who is yet to then that could let in Dettori to ride races that would have dimmed their con- to encourage them. , the fearsome are always disappointed when you lose win the Arc. as the latter is part-owned by fidence. filly that put Orfevre in his place last year, but let us not have a kneejerk reaction. I Neither of them ran in the trials with Sheikh Joaan-the Italian, though, could If anything they will arrive next looks to have left her best form behind will do everything to have her ready for Avenir Certain’s trainer Jean-Claude also remain loyal to Sunday’s Saturday with realistic hopes of going her as she ran fourth in the Group One the Arc. Rouget preferring to keep her fresh for winner and last year’s Epsom Derby vic- one better than the gallant Orfevre, who failing to produce her phe- “You can never entirely get rid of a her first ever run over a mile and a half tor, Ruler of The World. was second in the last two editions at nomenal acceleration she possessed in cyst in a hoof but the ground should be (2400metres) and now generally share “He gave me a lot of confidence he Longchamp. 2013. softer on Arc day and that will suit her,” favourite status at 5/1. stays well so hopefully it (the Arc) doesn’t Both Just A Way, winner of a Group Her trainer Criquette Head-Maarek added the 65-year-old. For Avenir Certain’s regular jockey turn into a sprint,” said the 42-year-old One race in Dubai in March by six produced a sterling defence of the filly’s Gregory Benoist, however, a tough deci- Italian, whose winner was cut to 16/1. “If lengths, and three-year-old filly Harp Star performance firstly to the entourage of Dim view sion awaits as Ectot returned after a five it was raining he would be knocking on are rated as short as 6/1 and 15/2 respec- her Qatari owner Sheikh Joaan Al-Thani The arbiters of form, though, the month absence to win the the door (in the Arc).” — AFP Japan ready to renew rivalry with S Korea

SEOUL: Japan has stoked its sporting rival- Weightlifter Hiromi Miyake, who won sil- ry with neighbours South Korea ahead of ver at the 2012 London Olympics, has been this month’s Asian Games and said it plans named captain while the flagbearer is to use the multi-sport event in Incheon, archer Kaori Kawanaka. west of Seoul, as a springboard to success Once an Asian Games powerhouse, at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Japan dominated the medals table from The 17th Asiad officially opens on Friday the inaugural Games in New Delhi in 1951 with hosts South Korea and Japan expect- through the 1978 Bangkok Asiad. China ed to be fighting it out for second place on took control at New Delhi in 1982 and the medals table behind sporting power- Japan has battled neighbours Korea for house China. second place ever since. The Koreans, who have targeted 90 gold Japan’s delegation to Incheon includes a medals in Incheon, have finished runners- powerful swim team who delivered a up to China at the last four Asian Games, strong performance at the Pan Pacific winning 76 golds in Guangzhou four years Championships last month in . ago while Japan took 48. Kosuke Hagino laid down his claim as “I hear South Korea is aiming for 90 gold the world’s best all-round swimmer at pres- medals. I don’t think they have ever ent when he scored a stunning win over achieved that before,” Kyodo news agency Michael Phelps to win the 200m individual quoted Japan delegation official Yuji medley after beating Tyler Clary in the Takada as saying at a news conference on 400m medley. Sunday. “Our goal is to get around 50 gold “We, of course, in Japan would like to do medals,” Takada added. the same.” South Korea have actually “I think at the Asian Games we histori- breached the 90 gold medal mark on two cally had a strong contingent in swimming, occasions, both times on home soil, win- and also if the athletes in athletics perform ning 93 in Seoul (1986) and 96 in Busan well, this is target we can definitely (2002). achieve.” Japan chef de mission Tsuyoshi “There are a lot of political issues, not Aoki said the main aim was for the team to among the athletes themselves, but the improve on their performance four years reality is our rivalry isn’t with China but ago. SEOUL: North Korea’s Ri Hyok-Chol (2nd R) dribbles the ball against China during the first round of the men’s football match between North with South Korea,” added Takada at a cere- “Looking toward the 2020 Games, we Korea and China during day -4 of the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, west of Seoul, yesterday. The 17th Asian Games will open in Incheon on mony to mark the launch of the team’s can see that we are on a strong trajectory September 19, with 45 nations and territories competing in 36 sports ranging from athletics and swimming to kabaddi and sepaktakraw. — AFP campaign at the Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 Games. after the London Olympics and Sochi Japan heads to the Asian Games with Games,” said Aoki. “Our biggest goal for the team’s top two symbolic leadership these Games is to surpass what we did at roles filled by women for the first time. the previous tournament.” — Reuters N Korea footballers make winning start

INCHEON: North Korea’s footballers disman- well as others with North Korea’s colours. chance. North Korea’s visit is sensitive and tled China 3-0 yesterday as they got off to a The North Koreans were frequently allowed organisers have removed all national flags from rousing start at the Incheon Asian Games to run at China and they went ahead in the Incheon’s streets, fearful they may be a target cheered on by fans waving the Korean 10th minute at Incheon Football Stadium when for anti-Pyongyang protesters. Unification Flag. Sim arrowed a shot past goalkeeper Fang Later, Japan’s all-conquering “Nadeshiko” got Goals from Sim Hyon-Jin, So Kyong-Jin and Jingqi. off to a slow start in the women’s competition Ri Hyok-Chol gave North Korea’s men an easy So Hyon-Uk’s close-range shot deflected off when they were held to a 0-0 by three-time win as the large delegation from across the mil- Fang and on to the crossbar, and Sim ran into winners China. itarised border tasted its first competition. the box but fired over as North Korea enjoyed a Coach Norio Sasaki displayed a face like North Korea is flying in more than 250 ath- commanding first half. thunder as Japan, whose women are the world, letes for the Asian Games, at which the usually So Kyong-Jin doubled their advantage on 57 Asian and defending Asiad champions, couldn’t reclusive state will hope to excel for the sake of minutes when, receiving the ball on the edge find a way past China’s “Steel Roses”. its sports-loving leader, Kim Jong-Un. of the box, he had time and space to pick his Among other results, Vietnam’s men With football underway before Friday’s spot. North Korea made it three when Ri was swamped Iran 4-1 and Ferdinand Sinaga hit opening ceremony, the group game drew fans played in with a neat ball through the defence- four as Indonesia ran riot in a 7-0 rout of tiny holding the blue-and-white Unification Flag as and with Fang exposed, he gobbled up the East Timor. — AFP

GLASGOW: India’s Gold medalist Sathish Kumar Sivalingam celebrates during the men’s weightlifting 77kg class at the SECC Precinct during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on July 27, 2014. India’s weightlifters will be looking to Mayweather says he build on their new-found clean status at the Asian Games in Incheon after bagging 12 medals at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. — AFP India weightlifters throw isn’t evading Pacquiao

off spectre of doping LAS VEGAS: Boxer Floyd Mayweather have held talks about Mayweather, fresh off his lopsided staging a mega-fight before but HONG KONG: India’s weightlifters will which food supplements to take and victory over Marcos Maidana, they always broke down before a be looking to build on their new-found which ones to avoid,” he said. denied he is trying to safeguard deal could be signed. clean status at the Asian Games in Baisya conceded that although India’s his undefeated record by avoiding It is unlikely Pacquiao would Incheon after bagging 12 medals at this dark days were now behind them, it was Filipino superstar Manny agree to the terms that Maidana summer’s Commonwealth Games in important to remain vigilant when it Pacquiao. did for his rematch, allowing Glasgow. came to performance-enhancing drugs. Mayweather has admitted he Mayweather to handpick his refer- Indian weightlifting, dogged by ram- “Its not easy to keep weightlifting dope handpicked opponents in the past ee, Kenny Bayless, and change pant doping scandals in the past, free. That is the nature of our sport,” he but says there is nothing two of the three judges from the appeared to turn a new leaf at the said. unscrupulous about not fighting first fight. Commonwealth Games in Glasgow when “So there is no question of taking it Pacquiao, one of the few fighters Mayweather says Pacquiao is no positive tests were reported and they easy. The lifters will continue to be edu- who can match the American’s too worried about fighting him hand speed. and forgets to train for his regular emerged as the top nation in the event. cated on the menace and the harm it “I am not ducking or dodging fights. If it was an improvement on four years does. Hopefully the worst is over.” no opponent,” said Mayweather, “In the past, if you look at earlier at the Commonwealth Games in The 10-strong team of five men and who turns 38 in February. “If a Pacquiao when he fought (Juan New Delhi, where the tally was eight five women heading for Incheon, where Pacquiao fight presents itself then Manuel) Marquez, he was too medals with two golds, it was light years competition begins on September 20, let’s make it happen.” focused on Floyd Mayweather ahead of where they were in 2006. includes nine who competed in Glasgow Mayweather said Saturday instead of the guy in front of him Back then Indian lifting hit a nadir and all three gold medallists: Sathish after beating Maidana for the sec- and you saw what happened,” he when a 12-month ban was imposed on Sivalingam (men’s 77kg), Sukhen Dey ond time in four months that he is said, recalling Pacquiao’s knockout the national federation after four athletes (men’s 56kg) and Sanjita Khumukchan open to a fight against Pacquiao, defeat. tested positive within a year, forcing (women’s 48kg). but it would have to be on “I never think about Pacquiao. them to miss the Doha Asiad completely. India have never won gold at the Mayweather’s terms. That’s not my focus. I could care The haul in Glasgow was a reward for Asian Games and will face tough compe- On Sunday, Stephen Espinoza, less what Pacquiao does. If it hap- the years of effort spent cleaning up the tition in South Korea against the vice president of sports cable pens, it happens. “I want to enjoy sport in conjunction with the National weightlifting powerhouses of China, Iran, channel Showtime, told the Los my time off. We don’t know who Anti-Doping Agency, according to India’s Kazakhstan as well as the host nation. Angeles Times that Pacquiao is we going to be fighting. We are weightlifting chief. But it is a challenge they can face with “absolutely” his first choice as not in a rush. We are the A side “I am not surprised at all, we have optimism after years of work to rid the Mayweather’s next opponent. and we are going to take our worked very hard to remove doping sport of its doping reputation, a fact Mayweather is in the middle of time.” from our sport,” Weightlifting Federation echoed by their leading medal hope a six-fight deal with Showtime. In Another possible opponent is of India president Biren Baisya told AFP. Sivalingam, who set a Commonwealth the past, Mayweather (47-0) has British boxer Amir Khan, who sat always tried to sidestep questions ringside at Saturday’s fight. He added that every athlete was now Games record by lifting 149kg in the about facing Pacquiao, who is get- “Of course, Amir Kahn would monitored regularly and there was an snatch in Glasgow. ting set to fight in Macau in be a potential opponent,” said education programme to steer lifters “Yes, I see some changes and I am November against Chris Algieri. Leonard Ellerbe, chief executive of away from the temptation of doping. happy that people have started realising “Pacquiao needs to focus on Mayweather Promotions. “Amir LAS VEGAS: Floyd Mayweather Jr gets up from the canvas after being “There is a strict process in place to that success is possible without doping the guy in front of him. Then we’ll Khan is a very good fighter, just pushed down by Marcos Maidana in the 10th round of their WBC/WBA monitor each lifter and the quality of in weightlifting,” he told the Asian Age see what the future holds,” like a lot of other potential oppo- welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, their training and diet. “They are taught newspaper. —AFP Mayweather said. Pacquiao and nents.” —AFP Nevada. — AFP