15 SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2019 sports

Global media celebrates Shaikh Khalid’s vision Bernal set for Tour title TDT | Manama orldwide media was Egan Bernal wraps up ‘incredible’ Tour de France after retaining yellow for ride to Paris Win attendance at the Copper Box Arena for BRAVE 24: London and left the are- Bernal remains in na with the impression they • had witnessed history in the overall lead following making. That was the over- penultimate stage all sentiment from media KNOW WHAT row, as members from web- Team Ineos sites and newspapers from teammate• Geraint England, Ireland, and Brazil Thomas second 22-year-old Egan were treated to an unfor- Bernal is set to gettable night of fights and in standings entertainment. become the Tour’s Before and after BRAVE 24, Bahrain Merida’s youngest winner media members were con- Vincenzo• Nibali since Francois Faber nected to BRAVE president wins stage 20 of in 1909 Mohammed Shahid through special interviews in which Tour de France they were presented with cool conditions in 12 Celsius HH Shaikh Khalid bin Ham- AFP | Val Thorens, France (53.6 Fahrenheit) atop the Val ad Al Khalifa’s vision for the Thorens ski resort at 2,356m sport, and were impressed gan Bernal all but altitude. to see it all unfold on fight clinched victory in the Egan Bernal is congratulated by his Team Ineos teammate and last year’s winner Geraint Thomas as they finish stage 20 Green jersey wearer Peter Sa- night. ETour de France defend- gan said he was delighted the The goal of connecting ing his overnight lead in the he raised his finger to his lips, Bernal and Thomas, co-cap- ished down the field to drop to race had been shortened today. the world through MMA was penultimate stage which left kissed it and raised it to the sky. tains at Team Ineos, crossed fifth place overall. “Tomorrow is Paris and one achieved with astounding the Colombian only needing to “I still have to get Paris but the winning line a few seconds Bernal, who is set to become for the sprinters, so let’s see, a success, as 350 VIP personal- cross the finish line in today’s it’s incredible,” said the rider ahead of their key rivals and Colombia’s first Tour winner, win in Paris would be great,” ities from around the world parade into Paris to win the 2019 who is set to become the Tour’s smiled broadly at each other as now leads Thomas by 1min 11sec said the Slovak gunning for the were treated to a night they edition. youngest winner since Francois they held hands in unity to mark and Jumbo-Visma’s Kruijswijk sprinter’s jersey for a record sev- will never forget, and the The champion in waiting said Faber in 1909. the moment. by 1min 31sec ahead of the pro- enth time. media was there to witness he was so nervous on the climb “I’m a little calmer now,” add- Ineos principal Dave Brails- cessionary day of racing ending “It’s been a beautiful Tour,” it all. he counted down the kilometres ed the modest Colombian. ford appears to have master- in the French capital. he said. The overall impression on the way up as defending “It’ll take a few days to realise minded seven tour wins from Nibali, who won in 2014, came Frenchman Romain Bardet was that BRAVE CF is, indeed, champion Welshman Geraint what I have achieved. the last eight editions with Brad- second on this year’s Giro d’Ita- redeemed what had looked like developing a global ecosys- Thomas ended the day in second “To be honest I was feeling ley Wiggins, Chris Froome and lia and while he looked wiped a disastrous three weeks for him tem for mixed martial arts, overall, with Dutch rider Steven good today, I kept thinking 5km, Thomas having taken six and out early in the Tour was radiant by rallying to win the ‘King of which will take MMA from Kruijswijk in third. 4km, 3km one less, one less to go Bernal within a parade of the when picking up a stage win late the Mountains’ polka dot jersey the event business to the The stage itself was won by each time. latest triumph. in the game. with two fine performances in sports business, focusing on 2014 winner Vincenzo Nibali “When we got to the finish Frenchman Julian Al - “To win here is a great joy,” th Alps. the development of the sport who broke from the main con- and Geraint held out his hand I aphilippe, who led for 14 days said Bahrain Merida’s Italian Today’s final parade to Paris instead of brands develop- tenders late in the final climb to realised it was over and I was go- before cracking on Friday’s captain. embarks late and is due to finish ing at the cost of the sport win by 17sec at the line where ing to win the Tour de France.” weather neutralised stage fin- Yesterday’s race embarked in beneath the Arc de Triomphe. itself.

Perez double as beat Iniesta’s Kobe Ayyad is a hero in the AFP | Kobe, Japan The World Cup-winner, who lifted 32 major trophies with making: Daley arles Perez scored his first Barcelona, signed for Kobe last Ctwo goals for Barcelona May in a deal worth a reported TDT | Manama as the Spanish giants won 2-0 $30 million a year. Iniesta, 34, against a side fea- became team captain in April. ritish MMA pioneer and turing Andres Iniesta, a legend Kobe also announced the Bcombat sports star Paul of the Catalan club. signing of Belgium defender Daley was just one of many VIP As Kobe’s Iniesta, David Villa , after the guests at the historic BRAVE 24: and Sergi Samper were all reu- 33-year-old reportedly turned London event, which shook up nited with their former team, it down an offer to join country- the mixed martial arts world was Perez who stole the lime- man Vincent Kompany at An- by connecting the sport to the light with a top-class double. derlecht. highest level of personalities The 21-year-old, a product of Yesterday’s win wrapped up from around the world. Da- Barcelona’s academy, played a Barcelona’s pre-season friend- ley was full of praise for the one-two inside the box and nut- lies in Japan following their 2-1 event, but left with one certain megged the goalkeeper for his loss to Chelsea earlier this week. thought: Bahrain’s Hussain first goal, and fired a stunning Barcelona’s forward Carles Perez shoots to score World Cup-winning French Ayyad will be a star. left-footer for his second in the striker Antoine Griezmann and Daley was impressed with dying minutes. “It was my first goal for Bar- my childhood,” he added. former Ajax midfielder Frenkie Ayyad’s performance, as “Iron” Hussain Ayyad during his fight Iniesta had his chances and celona and I’m glad to score Iniesta said: “I am glad Bar- de Jong, who both made their only needed a few minutes to 28,000 fans sighed their frus- even two,” Perez said. celona were able to come here unofficial debuts in the Chelsea submit Mitchell Johnson in the to support him because he can tration as he put a fierce shot “It’s been my dream to score and play. It was a good game match, played again yesterday first round of their BRAVE 24 become a superstar, I’ll tell you just wide. goals for this great team since honestly as we played well.” with no goals bout, which opened the high- that right now”, said Daley be- ly-anticipated fight card last fore meeting Ayyad himself for Thursday. a picture. “When I was invited to Meanwhile, Hussain was BRAVE 24, I started watch - very proud of his own perfor- De Bruyne, Sterling on target in Man City win ing the guys on the card be - mance and called Daley one of cause I love MMA and want his heroes. He couldn’t believe AFP | Yokohama, Japan just outside Tokyo, as the Bel- both sides including an attempt Guardiola’s City, who kicked it to know some of these guys. when he heard that “Semtex” gian cut inside and unleashed a by Sterling in the 58th minute off by arriving two days in China I was already impressed with had high hopes for him. evin De Bruyne, Raheem powerful shot with his left foot. that was ruled out for offside. and faced criticism in Chinese Hussain, and one of my team- “He said that? Wow, that is KSterling and Lukas Nmecha Keita Endo scored a surprise Kazaki Nakagawa was de - state media for their treatment mates talked to me about him awesome. I train really hard were all on target as Premier equaliser for Yokohama before nied by City goalkeeper Clau- of fans. too, so I came in early to catch and it’s great to reap the re - League champions Manchester De Bruyne released the pace of dio Bravo before Nmecha, 20, “It was an incredible test, him in action. I was not dis- wards of my hard work. I City wrapped up their Asian Sterling, who made no mistake bundled in the visitors’ third preparation for the next games appointed, as he just walked couldn’t do this without the tour with a 3-1 win over Japan’s as he slotted past the goalkeeper goal in the final minute after a in the future,” Guardiola said. through a very tough Mitchell support of KHK MMA, my head Yokohama Marinos yesterday. with two defenders in pursuit. cross from 18-year-old Adrian “It was perfect for us to play Johnson. I really think he will coach Eldar Eldarov and the Bernardo Silva fed De Bruyne The fast-paced first half gave Bernabe. this kind of game” before the be a star, and I know the whole support of BRAVE CF and HH for the game’s opener in front of way to a slower second period, The victory ended a some - season, he added. “We made Kingdom of Bahrain is already Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al 65,000 fans at Nissan Stadium, with a few missed chances for times difficult Asian tour for Pep mistakes but that’s good.” proud of him. Bahrain needs Khalifa”.