TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016 SPORTS

PAS shooting tourney concludes

By Abdellatif Sharaa All” Waleed Al-Sultan. Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, his Results of the tournament are as fol- and Mohammad Adel. The tournament was held over three deputies and all employees there for lows: KUWAIT: The second Public Authority days from 12th to 14th February in the their efforts in the interest of sports in 50 meter rifle prone - women: for Sports Shooting Tournament con- 50m pistol and rifle, as well as archery. general and shooting in particular. 50 meter air rifle, prone: Amal Al-Asem, Neeran Irzouqi and cluded on Sunday at Sheikh Sabah Al- Obaid Al-Osaimi said shooting com- Al-Osaimi lauded the large participa- Khalid Al-Subaie, Abdallah Al-Harby Heba Irzouqi. Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex. munity is happy to organize the PAS tion of shooters from the club and and Mishref Al-Daihani. The ceremony was attended by tournament which saw strong competi- National Guard, as this tournament is Olympic archery: President of Kuwait and Arab Shooting tion between shooters, and that the being held while the club is preparing 50 meter pistol: Bader Saleh, Faisal Al-Rashidi and Federations Eng Duaij Al-Otaibi, KSSF KSSC and KSSF highly appreciates the for HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Hassan Al-Mulla, Saad Mane, Ali Al- Abdallah Al-Harmy. and ASF Secretary General Obaid Al- role of Information Minister, State Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sixth Annual Shooting Mutairi. Osaimi and Kuwait Shooting Sport Club Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Grand Prix which begins from 1st to 8th Compound archery: Vice-president Mohammad Mustafa Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, March, with the participation of nearly 50 meter rifle 3 positions: Faisal Mislem, Ahmad Al-Shatti and Karam and PAS supervisor of “Sports For Director General of PAS Sheikh Ahmad 45 countries. Abdallah Al-Harby, Khalid Al-Subaie Amer Al-Hajiri.

Jones looks to Joseph as Ireland loom for England

ROME: While Eddie Jones has a “pretty tal point of view,” said Italy captain Sergio good idea” of his squad for a crucial Six Parisse. Nations clash against Ireland in a fortnight, The speed and alertness of England’s there is a pretty good chance Jonathan replacements was soon felt, and error- Joseph will be in his starting XV. stricken Italy were hastened to a chasten- England, who flopped out of the World ing defeat when Joseph added another Cup as hosts last autumn, saw Joseph score two and Owen Farrell one. three second-half tries on his second con- For Jones, who was manager of Australia secutive start as Jones’ men followed last when ’s last-minute drop week’s battling 15-9 win over Scotland at goal secured England the 2003 World Cup, Murrayfield with a 40-9 dismantling of Italy it was all part of the plan. in Rome. “We weren’t expecting to score a lot of Having escaped the injuries so dreaded points in the first half, we were expecting against the usually physical Italians, to do that in the second half and that’s how England are now set for two weeks of it turned out,” he said. intense focus on beating Ireland in a fort- “We could have easily scored 60 points night. out there.” “We’ve had two games and two wins Italy’s only real complaint was the mid- and no major injuries, so we’re sailing along air tackle dished out to Luke McLean by pretty well at the moment,” said Jones, who James Haskell, but Parisse said it could not became England’s first foreign head coach excuse Italy’s deficiencies. “When you con- when he replaced Stuart Lancaster in the cede 40 points and lose like this, you can’t wake of their World Cup flop. start complaining about certain decisions England have finished runners-up in the made by the referee,” said Parisse, who last four Six Nations and are set to welcome missed a late drop goal that would have an Irish side bent on atoning for an open- secured victory over France last week. ing draw with Wales and Saturday’s 10-9 Jones, meanwhile, was quick to credit defeat to France in Paris. the 24-year-old Joseph, while taking the But Jones, sounding jovial and bullish media to task for suggesting the Bath cen- after a much-improved second-half per- tre had previously fallen out of favour. formance saw Bath’s Joseph score his maid- The Australian said it was “a lot of talk en England hat-trick, says he has already from you guys, not from me. Let’s get that seen enough to know the nucleus of his right. He wasn’t under pressure for his spot. matchday squad. You guys had him under pressure.” MEMPHIS: Kei Nishikori, right, of Japan and Taylor Fritz of the United States pose with their trophies after Nishikori beat Fritz in the singles “I’ve got a pretty good idea in my head He added: “I thought he was very good. championship at the Memphis Open tennis tournament Sunday, in Memphis, Tenn. Nishikori won 6-4, 6-4. —AP at the moment,” said the Australian. Last week, his defence was outstanding... He added: “For each game we’ll have a sometimes, in a 13’s job, you don’t get a lot particular gameplan and depending on of ball. Today he did, and he was sharp on who is suitable for that game will play.” his feet.” Nishikori captures fourth Jones ruffled a few feathers when he Fly-half Farrell, who finished with 17 demanded England give Italy a good points, said of Joseph: “He’s sharp... he’s a ‘smacking’ in Rome, but after resisting on classy rugby player at the same time. He Memphis title in a row their way to trailing 11-9 at half-time Italy doesn’t make many mistakes and makes a finally caved in. lot of good decisions.” Joseph, who also When an alert Joseph intercepted played a full game against Scotland, played WASHINGTON: Japan’s seventh-ranked Kei Leonardo Sarto’s misplaced pass to Michele down suggestions had been trying to Nishikori captured his fourth consecutive ATP Campagnaro in the 52nd minute, Italy’s prove a point. “I wouldn’t say so. It was Memphis Open title on Sunday by defeating heads began to drop. more a case of just wanting to do my coun- 18-year-old US wildcard Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4. Taylor ends drought try proud, my family proud. I don’t take any ALERTNESS game lightly, I want to prove myself every Top seed Nishikori won his 11th career ATP “The turning point was the interception game and put in as much effort as I possi- crown by taking his 17th consecutive at Pebble Beach try. It changed the game for us from a men- bly can,” he said.—AFP Memphis match victory. He joins Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the only active players to have won the same LOS ANGELES: Journeyman Vaughn Taylor in the Ryder Cup in 2006, but fluctuating Goromaru not going event four years in a row. surged to victory in the PGA Tour’s Pebble form saw him lose his tour card, and he has “It has been amazing,” Nishikori said as he Beach Pro-Am on Sunday, firing a seven- bounced between the US tour and the under 65 for a one-shot victory over five- developmental Web.com tour in recent accepted the guitar-shaped champion’s tro- time major winner Phil Mickelson. For seasons. to Toulon, say Reds phy. “It was really fun on the court. This is Taylor, it was the end of a victory drought something I’ve never done before, something stretching to 2005, while Mickelson LONG TIME COMING new. I’m very happy for that.” BRISBANE: Australia’s remained in search of his first US PGA Tour In addition to struggles on the course, yesterday said there was no truth in French Fritz, in only his third tour-level event, was title since the 2012 British Open. he endured a frightening boat accident reports that their star Japanese recruit the youngest American in an ATP final since a Mickelson had birdied 17 and had a while fishing on a river near his home in Ayumu Goromaru will join European cham- 17-year-old Michael Chang won at Wembley chance to force a playoff with a birdie at 18, 2014 — one in which he feared he would pions Toulon next season. in 1989. “It was a great week for me,” Fritz said. but to his shock his five-foot putt lipped drown. France’s Canal Plus on Sunday said full- “Winning the tournament four times, that’s out to leave Taylor to celebrate his victory “It has been a long time,” Taylor said, back Goromaru, who rose to fame during incredible. He was too tough for me today.” last year’s World Cup, had signed a one- on 17-under par 270. becoming more emotional as he spoke. “I Fritz smashed a backhand winner down year deal with the option of a second year Mickelson had looked poised to end his didn’t think it was going to happen. I’ve the line to break Nishikori’s first service game with the lavish-spending French outfit. long dry spell when he took a two-shot worked so hard and just kept getting of the match-his lone break of the contest- But a Queensland lead into the final round of the Northern knocked down and knocked down. I can’t spokesperson said the reports were “not and then held at love himself for a 3-0 edge. California tournament he has won four believe it. “I can’t believe it happened true”, without elaborating. But the Asian ace bounced back by winning times. again.” Goromaru shot to prominence when he six of the next seven games. But an even par round of 72 that includ- Taylor’s nine birdies on the par-72 scored 58 points as Japan won three of A double fault cost Fritz a break in the fifth ed four bogeys and two birdies wasn’t Pebble Beach Golf Links included four in a their four matches at the World Cup, includ- game and he struggled to hold in the sev- enough to get the job done and he settled row from the 13th. He capped that run by ing a stunning win over South Africa. He is enth, denying Nishikori break points on two set to make his debut in just for second on 271. “I’m certainly disap- rattling in a 29-footer at the 16th. “I wasn’t aces and a service winner. Nishikori broke in pointed that I wasn’t able to put it togeth- even thinking about making that putt,” under two weeks’ time with the Reds, who the ninth game on a forehand winner and already have Wallabies Quade Cooper and er,” Mickelson said. “But it makes me a little Taylor said. “I just tried to put a good roll on held at love to claim the first set after 36 min- James O’Connor playing in France with bit more determined to get this back it ... I just flushed it.” Toulon. utes. In the second set, Nishikori broke on a where I want it. With the win, Taylor-who calls Augusta, Goromaru, 29, caused a stir in his home- forehand winner for a 3-2 lead and forced Fritz “I played a little tighter than I wanted,” Georgia, home-booked a return to the land when he opted to join the Reds for the to save two match points in the ninth game he added. “A few more mistakes in the Masters for the first time since 2008. “Oh upcoming Super season rather than Japan’s before holding in the 10th on a forehand win- short game around the greens.” Sweden’s my God,” he said. “I’m thinking about the first ever participants, the newly formed ner to end it after 79 minutes. Jonas Blixt challenged early, aided by an Masters. I mean, are you kidding? . After starting the week 1-2 in ATP play, Fritz eagle at the par-five sixth, but finished with “I just wanted to play next week,” added French reports last week named him as will jump from 145th to 103rd in the world a 69 for 272. Taylor, is now qualified to do so. “I wasn’t world rugby’s best paid player, saying he rankings. “I’m sure he has got a bright future was earning 200,000 euros per month, Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata, tied for the lead even thinking about winning. Things were and is going to be among the top players very after his third birdie of the day at the 11th, just magical out there.” World number one mostly from sponsorships and endorse- soon,” Nishikori said of Fritz. ments. That would place him ahead of bogeyed 16 and 18 and finished tied for Jordan Spieth ended a disappointing week Fritz, last year’s US Open junior champion, newly-retired All Black Dan Carter, who fourth on 273 alongside Sweden’s Freddie on a relatively strong note. After just mak- helped New Zealand seal back-to-back made his ATP debut last year at Nottingham, Jacobson, who carded a 71. ing the cut-made after 54 holes to allow all World Cups in November before signing a beating Carreno Busta before a second-round Taylor, 39, captured his third tour title, to the field to play each of three courses used three-year deal with Paris club Racing exit. He lost to compatriot Jack Sock in five go with back-to-back victories in the Reno- in the event-Spieth carded a bogey-free six- Metro said to be worth about 1.78 million sets in the first round of last month’s Tahoe Open in 2004 and 2005. He played under 66 to finished tied for 21st. — AFP Ayumu Goromaru euros a season. —AFP Australian Open. — AFP