GULF TIMES FOOTBALL Duhail Gun for Record-Equalling Ninth Straight
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GGOLFOLF | Page 4 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 7 DeChambeau Bale, Benzema claims win strike as Real in FedEx Madrid survive Cup opener scare Tuesday, August 28, 2018 TENNIS Dhul-Hijja 17, 1439 AH Top seed Halep GULF TIMES endures historic US Open defeat SPORT Page 5 FOCUS SPOTLIGHT Doha 2019 a SSambaamba dancesdances toto 4400m00m chance for unity, hhurdlesurdles goldgold iinn JJakartaakarta says Asia athletics chief Asian Athletics Association president Dahlan al-Hamad. AFP Jakarta he head of Asia’s ath- letics governing body said he hopes the po- litical tensions gripping Tthe Gulf region will be resolved Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba celebrates before next year’s Doha world after crossing the finish line to win the men’s championships, telling AFP the 400m hurdles final during the 2018 Asian competition could be a chance Games in Jakarta yesterday. (AFP) for unity. Qatar’s Dahlan al-Hamad was speaking at the Asian Games amid concerns over countries Samba potentially boycotting the com- petition in country next Sep- smashes tember. “We hope that things will Games record pass before we embrace the 2019 world championship,” the head to win Qatar’s of the Asian Athletics Associa- tion (AAA) told AFP in Jakarta. third gold “Qatar said since the begin- ning of the crisis that everyone is By Anil John most welcome.” Jakarta Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, along with Egypt, cut off diplomatic t’s becoming a familiar ties with Qatar in June 2017, ac- and much sought-after cusing Doha of supporting ter- routine at athletics ven- rorism. Qatar has vehemently ues around the world: Ab- denied the allegations and the Iderrahman Samba wins a race, blockading countries have not hugs his coach, grabs a Qatari Qatar’s Ashraf Elseify celebrates after receiving the gold medal for his Sunday victory in the men’s Silver medallist Qatar’s Yaser Bagharab celebrates during the been able to produce any proof fl ag and breaks into a celebra- hammer throw competition during the podium ceremony yesterday. podium ceremony for the men’s 3,000m steeplechase event. to substantiate their charges. tory jig in front of fans sitting The countries imposed pu- close to the fi nish line. seems destined for greatness times don’t notice who was “He will be running the posted the best throw by an nitive measures including pre- Does he have to do it, the under coach Hennie Kotze. behind you.” fi rst lap in the 4x400m relay. Asian with an impressive 87.43 venting Qatar Airways from dance part, because his sur- The 23-year-old had made it Samba and Kotze are plotting Hopefully, it will help Qatar metres at the Diamond League using its airspace, and closing name happens to be Samba? amply clear that his fi rst Asian an assault on Kevin Young’s win another gold.” meeting in Doha in May. The Qatar’s only land border, with “Maybe,” he said, fl ashing a Games meant a lot to him, say- world record of 46.78 seconds Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Games cham- Saudi Arabia. smile, after winning the 400m ing it was an honour to be part set at the Barcelona Olympics young Bagharab clocked pion bettered even that last Qatar claims the Saudi-led hurdles gold last night in Ja- of the country’s contingent at in 1992, hoping it comes at the 8mins28.21secs to bag the night, leaving the others scrap- countries are seeking regime karta and smashing the Asian his fi rst multi-sport event and IAAF World Championships in 3,000m steeplechase silver ping for lesser honours. change in Doha. Games record in the process. trying to win the gold. Doha next year. behind Iran’s Hossein Keyhani “The competition was quite Al-Hamad’s comments come “This is my biggest win so He was so caught up in the The Asian Games race was who timed 8:22.79. Japan’s tough. I am happy with my after world athletics chief Se- far, my fi rst Asian Games gold emotion of his success last part of that plan and Kotze Kazuya Shiojiri was third in performance,” said the long- bastian Coe dismissed concerns at my fi rst attempt. I couldn’t night that he was at a loss was all smiles at having got 8:29.42. haired star. over a boycott, saying he ex- be happier,” he added fol- for words and didn’t seem to the continental gold out of Qatar’s Ahmed Bedeir failed China’s Wang Yu leapt 2.30 pected all the national athletics lowing a blistering run at the know who was placed second their way. to impress in the javelin throw, metres to claim the gold in federations to take part in the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, when asked what he thought “It’s going to be a memory of fi nishing sixth among 13 par- the men’s high jump, ahead of competition beginning on Sep- his time of 47.66 seconds of India’s Dharun Ayyaswamy a lifetime to work for Qatar and ticipants with a throw of 78.23 South Korea’s Woo Sang-hyeok tember 28, 2019. eclipsing the previous mark who won the silver with 48.96, to see my guy winning the gold metres. whose 2.28 fetched him the sil- “We, as the organising com- of 48.82 set by Saudi Arabia’s more than a second behind. medal at the Asian Games,” the The fi eld was totally out- ver. Syrian Majd Eddin Ghzal mittee, have no restrictions, and Hadi Soua’an al-Somaily in ly on the cards as the Games Takatoshi Abe of Japan bagged South African said. classed by India’s Neeraj Cho- and Japan’s Naoto Tobe both Qatar is open to all,” said Hamad, Busan in 2002. enter the fi nal straight, al- the bronze in 49.12 “I am very happy with pra who did 88.06m for the cleared 2.24 to share the bronze. adding that it was “very impor- With steeplechaser Yasser though it would be stretching “Sorry, I didn’t notice,” his time. He did it in style, gold, ahead of China’s Qizhen Vietnam’s Bui Thi Thu Thao tant not to mix politics with Bagharab adding a silver later, the imagination a bit to think Samba said, sounding not in he broke the championship Liu who managed 82.22, while took the women’s long jump sports”. Qatar moved up three notches Qatar would surpass their tally the least arrogant but slightly record, he is very consistent.” Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem took gold with her season’s best “Sports is the unifying activ- on the medals table to 17th of 10 gold won at Incheon four embarrassed. “I mean in a big Kotze added that Samba is bronze with a distance of 80.75. leap of 6.55m. India’s Neena ity that brings together the world with three gold, three silver years ago. race you are racing against in line for a second possible The 20-year-old Chopra, Varakil won silver while the despite their political and eco- and one bronze in the bag. For the moment, however, yourself. You are so focused gold when the 4x400m relay who carried India’s fl ag at the bronze was claimed by China’s nomic matters... We hope that A booming fi nish looks like- let’s celebrate Samba, who that when you win you some- is held today. opening ceremony, had already Xu Xiaoling. sport will not enter the political arena.” Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, August 28, 2018 ASIAN GAMES ROUND-UP Qatar to clash with Bahrain Rivera’s boys, who beat South Korea in semis, are on a hot streak, having gone unbeaten in in handball fi nal the Asian Games for five games so far By Our Correspondent Jakarta Qatar riders stay in hunt in jumping By Our Correspondent atar has owned hand- Jakarta ball as far as Asia is concerned. They won the last three editions atar equestrian riders Qof the Asian Cup and are also were firmly in conten- the defending champions at the Qtion for a medal in the Asian Games. showjumping event at the Yesterday, they took another Asian Games yesterday. After step towards a possible second round one of the qualifications straight Asiad title with a con- at the Jakarta International vincing 27-20 victory over South Equestrian Park, Qatar was in Korea in the semi-fi nals. second spot. The win earned them the right Qatar’s team consists of Sheikh to clash with Bahrain in the ti- Ali bin Khalid al-Thani, Hamad tle match on August 31, Qatar’s al-Attiyah, Basem Mohamed neighbours accounting for Ja- and Salman al-Suwaidi. The four pan 31-20 in yesterday’s second riders had a combined scoring semi-fi nal. of 8.50, while Saudi Arabia led Valero Rivera’s boys are on a the standings with a score of hot streak, having gone unbeaten 1.90 points. Japan was in third Qatar Equestrian Federation president Hamad bin Abdulrahman in the Asian Games for fi ve games position with 10.74 points, al-Attiyah watches the proceedings in Jakarta yesterday. so far. They would be hoping it followed by UAE in fourth with continues when they clash with 12.36 points. Bahrain in the fi nal match. There will be another round of Both teams were neck and neck qualification today, followed by during the fi rst 11 minutes after the final at 10am Qatar time. which they were tied 4-4.