CCRICKETRICKET | Page 3 RRUGBYUGBY | Page 6 Indian selectors All Blacks bet on Pant as defence denies Dhoni’s future Pumas historic remains unclear result with win Monday, July 22, 2019 SWIMMING Dhul-Qa’da 19, 1440 AH Sun, Horton drama GULF TIMES overshadows Peaty’s WR, Ledecky shock SPORT Page 4 ATHLETICS Barshim strong on Diamond League return in London Agencies International Stadium in the Qatari quickly in the 100m fi nal and never ASIAN 200M RECORD London capital in September. looked like being caught by home China’s Xie Zhenye set a new “First of all I am really happy to favourite Dina Asher-Smith, win- Asian record in winning the men’s be back,” Barshim said yesterday. ning in a time of 10.78 seconds. 200m in 19.88sec while Jamaica’s atar’s world champion “It has been a while since I have World 200m champion Dafne Akeem Bloomfi eld won the 400m Mutaz Essa Barshim is been in an arena and the Diamond Schippers was disqualifi ed after a in 44.40sec. fl ying strong on his way League, July last year. false start at the Diamond League China’s Xie Wenjun won the back from an injury as “I feel great especially coming event. 110m hurdles in a time of 13.28sec. Qthe high jumper made a fantastic back to London. I have so many No Americans were in the 100m World indoor 1500m record holder return to Diamond League action in great memories of being here. I fi eld at the London Stadium be- Samuel Tefera of Ethiopia ran the London yesterday. wanted to do better of course but I cause their world championship fastest mile of the year so far in a time The 28-year-old jumped 2.27m have things I can work on and I just qualifi ers are coming up this week. of 3:49.45, beating Norway’s Filip In- yesterday to fi nish second at the need to compete more. Kenya’s Obiri, world champion gebrigtsen by just 0.15sec. London Anniversary Games yes- “High jump is very technical and in the women’s 5000m, posted a The mile is not an Olympic or terday as Syrian Majd Eddin Ghazal you need time to get back into your time of 14 minutes 20.36 seconds — world championship distance. took his fi rst Diamond League vic- rhythm but I am in the right place, I the best of the year so far. Ingebrigtsen, 26, who set a new tory with a 2.30m eff ort. did not feel any pain today which is Dutch runner Sifan Hassan, who Norwegian record, is the older The 2017 World Athlete of the a good thing and I just need to com- broke the 23-year-old women’s brother of 18-year-old Jakob In- Year returned to training in April pete more. mile record in Monaco last week, gebrigtsen, who fi nished second in this year, and has now breached the “It is very important to fi t and had to settle for bronze. Saturday’s 5000m. Sweden’s Dan- 2.27m mark twice since returning healthy to perform on home soil in Britain’s Lynsey Sharp was a iel Stahl won the men’s discus with to competitive action last month in Doha.” popular winner in the women’s a throw of 68.56m. Sopot, Poland. 800m, outlasting Australia’s Ca- Britain’s men’s sprinters won the Barshim, who suff ered a liga- SPRINT QUEEN triona Bisset to win in a time of 4x100m relay, clocking 37.60sec, ment injury in his left ankle last FRASER-PRYCE CRUISES 1:58.61. the fastest time of the year. year in Hungary while attempting a Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce fi red a In other women’s track events, There are Diamond League world record height of 2.46m after warning to her sprint rivals ahead Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton won the events to come in Birmingham, clearing 2.40m for a win, is aim- of the world championships as Hel- 400m hurdles in 54.16 sec. Paris, Zurich and Brussels in the ing to peak at the right time for the len Obiri set the fastest time of the Germany’s Malaika Mihambo lead-up to the world champion- IAAF World Championships Doha year in the 5000 metres yesterday. won the women’s long jump with a ships in Doha, which start on Sep- Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim celebrates as he clears 2.27m in the men’s High Jump event during the 2019, which will be held at Khalifa Jamaica’s Fraser-Pryce got away leap of 7.02 metres. tember 27. IAAF Diamond League Anniversary Games in London yesterday. (AFP) GOLF Irishman Lowry weathers storm to win British Open Cheered on by a sellout crowd, the 32-year-old from Ireland lifted the Claret Jug by a six-stroke victory in Portrush Reuters Portrush, United Kingdom rishman Shane Lowry staved off the biggest nerves of his golfi ng life and handled dif- fi cult conditions to win the IBritish Open by six strokes amid emotional scenes at Royal Por- trush yesterday. Fervently cheered on every shot by the sellout crowd, the 32-year- old from Clara was never seriously troubled in the fi nal round as he carded one-over-par 72 in strong winds and intermittent rain which buff eted the late starters. “My mum and dad, they sac- rifi ced so much for me when I Lowry poses with his family and the Claret Jug, the winner’s trophy at was younger and I’m so happy I The Open, in Portrush, United Kingdom, yesterday. (AFP) can hand them this trophy to- night,” Lowry said as he clutched the Claret Jug, his voice cracking with emotion. He fi nished at 15-under 269, while Englishman Tommy Fleet- wood, the only player to apply any semblance of pressure on Lowry, shot 74 for second place. Lowry had teed off with a four-shot lead and as the other contenders fell away it quickly turned into a head-to-head duel between Lowry and Fleetwood. “I got off to a very shaky start,” said Lowry, who had to sink a six- foot putt to salvage bogey at the fi rst. “I didn’t feel great out there. It’s probably the most uncom- fortable I’ve ever felt on a golf Ireland’s Shane Lowry celebrates after his win in The Open Championships at Royal Portrush golf club in Northern Ireland yesterday. (AFP) course. You’re trying to win an Lowry celebrates with his father Brendan after the win. (Reuters) Open in your home country, it’s Even three straight bogeys just keep the ball in play and if I own by the singing gallery who from south of the border, after incredibly diffi cult.” around the turn hardly dented his make the odd par it will be pretty packed the stands. Padraig Harrington in 2007 and Claret Jug. “We’re all one country when it But once he settled down and lead, and a six-foot birdie at the good. After hitting his fi nal approach 2008, to lift the Claret Jug, a fi t- Harrington and 2010 US Open comes to golf,” Lowry said. looked at a leaderboard he no- 15th hole that extended his margin “It turned into a two-horse shot he held his arms aloft in cel- ting end to the fi rst Open played champion Graeme McDowell “I said to my caddie walking ticed that nobody was making a to six strokes allowed him to al- race between me and Tommy to- ebration and hugged his caddie, in Northern Ireland since 1951. were among those who greeted down the last, ‘I can’t believe this run at him. most enjoy a processional victory wards the at the end which was assured fi nally that there would Players from Ireland and Lowry next to the 18th green, is me, this is mine’. He needed to avoid any big march up the fi nal three holes. quite nice because I could keep be no late disaster. Northern Ireland have won while McIlroy, the local favour- “I’ve watched the Open since numbers on his card and duly did “It was just so diffi cult,” he an eye on him.” fi ve of the past 13 Opens, with ite who missed the cut, was no I was a little kid and to be named so, making nothing worse than said. “I kept telling myself bogeys Lowry savoured the walk up GREETED BY HARRINGTON Darren Clarke (2011) and Rory doubt cheering from afar, Irish champion golfer of the year is bogey. are not going to hurt you, let’s the 18th, greeted as one of their He became the second player McIlroy (2014) also hoisting the eyes smiling all over. just incredible.” Gulf Times 2 Monday, July 22, 2019 SPORT GOLF SPOTLIGHT Clanton and Jasmine sizzle Lowry’s career to win inaugural LPGA team event AFP Los Angeles pile up six straight birdies from comes full circle the 12th through the 17th holes. “It’s so funny, this is the tour- ydney Clanton and nament that I wanted to come Jasmine Suwannapura and play in. I was like, ‘Team combined to fi re an event, I’m in, let’s go.’ 11-under 59 in Satur- “So, I’m blessed for the op- Cday’s fi nal-round four-ball to portunity, I’m blessed that Jas- win the LPGA’s Dow Great Lakes mine came and let me come play on Irish soil Bay Invitational in Michigan by with her.” six strokes.