SPORT Saturday 27 October 2018 PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 Tamimi faces Eain Crutchlow injured in opener as Qatar as Iannone clocks Classic begins fastest time Chinese stars dazzle as ‘King’ Kohei excels in Doha FAWAD HUSSAIN Another Chinese gymnast, With Team Russia ensuring THE PENINSULA Zou Jingyuan will go into the Par- their first place with 258.402 allel Bars final as top qualifier points, giants China, Japan, DOHA: Kohei Uchimura and Xiao after marking a whopping 15.800 USA and Great Britain forced Ruoteng lived up to their billings points with compatriot Lin a lot of shuffling atop the as top-ranked teams dominated Chaopan finishing the event’s points standings to qualify for the final day of men’s qualifi- qualification in third spot. the finals on an eventful day. cation round at 48th edition of Earlier in the day, all eyes Artistic Gymnastics World Cham- were on ten-time World and two- Russia, China, Japan, pionships Doha 2018 at Aspire time Olympic champion Uch- USA, Britain, Brazil, the Dome, yesterday. imura as Japanese gymnasts Netherlands, and Switzerland With Team Russia ensuring begun their titles hunt, showing wrapped up the team their first place with 258.402 remarkable form barring mis- qualification, securing points, giants China, Japan, USA takes in Pommel Horse. the top-eight positions and Great Britain forced a lot of Uchimura, hailed as ‘King’ respectively. shuffling atop the points Kohei, competed in three appa- standings to qualify for the finals ratus and showed his class by on an eventful day. topping the Horizontal Bar to top Kohei Uchimura of Japan competes in launched his Doha Worlds cam- Chinese gymnasts who per- the individual standings with a the men’s horizontal bar qualification paign on a high note as the Greek formed in yesterday’s last session, score of 14.600. during day two of the 48th FIG Artistic gymnasts secured 15.266 to finish heralded their presence with an “I come to the Worlds and Gymnastics Championships at Doha’s Rings qualification on top. outstanding show, finishing everybody is looking at me like I Aspire Dome yesterday. Pics: Syed Omar “It was a good performance second in team event qualifi- am the king,” said Uchimura, who if you think that I haven’t done cation after aggregating an is still recovering from an ankle anything since Europeans,” said aggregate of 257.836 points. injury. Japan finished the team qual- gymnasts also sparkled yesterday have ever been on this grand of Petrounias, referring to his gold Russia, China, Japan, USA, “The other Japanese gym- ification third with 253.312 points, finishing the team qualification a stage,” said Samuel. medal-winning performances at Britain, Brazil, the Netherlands, and nasts don’t look at me like that and the two-time 2017 World on 4th position with 250.362 “I stick to what I have been the European Championships in Switzerland wrapped up the team but when I compete I feel it, I feel Championship gold medallist points. Five-time US National doing. I keep my routines and my August, when he last performed qualification, securing the top- the pressure. I feel like I have to Kenzo Shirai also deserved the champion Mikulak Samuel rituals the same, and I just try to a full rings routine. “I used all my eight positions respectively with do well.” credit for a good start for them excelled for the side to finish third keep doing the same exact experience and everything was France slipping to 12th position. “If I competed in six events I as he took 6th spot in the Men’s in Men’s All-Around qualification process during this entire week.” good.” China’s World champion Xiao could say I was tired but I didn’t,” All-Around event with 83.198 after winning 86.598 points. He Britain’s Whitlock Max, the Today, will mark a start of Ruoteng was the star of the day Uchimura said. “But even though points. Shirai also finished second was second behind Uchimura in two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-day qualification round for as he replaced Russia’s Nagornyy I didn’t I felt kind of tired by in Men’s Floor qualification Horizontal Bar with 14.566 points. topped the Pommel Horse qual- star-studded women line-up with Nikita (87.098) in Men’s All- Pommel and I haven’t done good behind Russia’s Dalaloyan Artur “This has been a year and a ification with 14.966 points. Olympic superstar Simone Biles Around Qualification after col- training on Pommel (recently),” (14.833) half of work, and I feel that this Rio Olympics champion, set to make her return to inter- lecting 87.332 points. he added. Meanwhile, American is the most comfortable that I Petrounias Eleftherios also national events. Elkiky upbeat as ‘satisfied’ Al Dayani and Nabil bow out FAWAD HUSSAIN Qatar’s Ahmed THE PENINSULA Nabil competing in men’s parallel DOHA: Qatar’s only female bars qualification gymnast at the 48th edition of round yesterday. I am very excited and Artistic Gymnastics World ready for the event. Championships Doha 2018, I’ve been preparing Jana Elkiky is hopeful of for this event since showing an impressive performance as star-studded a long time and also women’s qualification round travelled for training begins today at Aspire Dome. abroad. I am looking Elkiky will take part in to give an improved qualification for Floor performance than my Exercise, Beam and Pommel previous competitions: Horse events which will feature several stars including Jana Elkiky quadruple Olympic champion Simone Biles. and friends were here, which The young Qatari gymnast boosted my morale. said she was excited about her “This experience will play participation alongside the a crucial role in my future superstars of the sport. plans,” he added. “I am very excited and Nabil said he enjoyed his ready for the event,” Elkiky experience of performing in said ahead of her front of home fans. qualification. “Yes, there was a bit of “I’ve been preparing for pressure but I enjoyed per- this event since a long time forming in that situation. This and also travelled for training points tally is not what I abroad. I am looking to give Qatari gymnast Jana ElKiky expected because I did a few an improved performance mistakes. This was my second than my previous competi- World Championships and if I tions,” she said. day of the 10-day competition, has to bring a lot of compete against the best ath- compare my performance with “I am hoping a lot of on which they took part in improvement, he was satisfied letes of the world. I did mis- my last experience, I did well support from home fans which qualification round for all the with his overall takes which I need to rectify and I am happy with my I expect will help me.” six events. performance. but overall I am satisfied,” he overall points,” he said. Meanwhile, Qatari duo of Seasoned Al Dayani “This was my seventh said. Nabil praised Al Dayani for Ahmed Al Dayani and Ahmed posted a score of 72.632 while World Championships, and I He said it was after three his support in preparation for Nabil were satisfied with their Nabil scored 59.966 in Men’s did better this time,” said the years that he participated in the event. overall performance at Doha All-Around qualification Qatari gymnast while all the six apparatus. “It was an honour to Worlds. which saw several big names speaking to reporters at Aspire “It was in Glasgow three prepare alongside Ahmed Al The two Qatari gymnasts in action. The duo failed to Dome yesterday. years ago. As I compared to Dayani. He was very sup- were seen in action on qualify for the finals. “It was a tough compe- that event I did fairly well in portive throughout our prep- Qatar’s Ahmed Al Dayani in action during Thursday night – the opening Al Dayani said though he tition as it’s never easy to Doha. All my family members arations,” he said. the qualifying round. SATURDAY 27 OCTOBER 2018 SPORT 17 Man City eye another Al Gharafa trounce Al Khor; Wembley win AFP Qatar SC edge Al Arabi 1-0 LONDON: Another meek ARMSTRONG VAS performance in losing for the well. With new coach Hatem Al fifth time this season in THE PENINSULA Al Gharafa’s Moaddeb opting to play with midweek to Juventus has put Wesley Sneijder only one striker (Mohammed Jose Mourinho’s position as DOHA: Al Gharafa slammed six (right) vies for Salah El Neel), Mailson Farias Manchester United manager past Al Khor without reply while ball possession started on the bench and Al back in peril ahead of in-form Qatar SC edged Al Arabi 1-0 in with an Al Khor Arabi’s attacks lacked teeth. Everton’s visit to Old Trafford their QNB Stars League Week 10 player during There were missed chances tomorrow. matches yesterday. their QNB Stars at both ends before the half-time On a run of just one win At the Al Gharafa Stadium, League match in whistle. in seven games in all compe- Amro Seraj (16th), Wesley Sne- Doha yesterday. Qatar SC’s striker Osama titions, United already look ijder (51st), Vladimir Weiss Omari hit wide from close out of the title race, nine (53rd), Mehdi Taremi (64th and range after 40 minutes, fol- points adrift of Manchester 83rd) and Ahmed Alaaeldin lowed by El Neel’s shot that was City and Liverpool, but are (72nd) scored the goals.