WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 18 Clarkson effort Diaz wins first gold not enough as lose for Philippines AFP |

eightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the Phil- Wippines’ first gold medal of the 2018 and “proud Indonesian” Eko Yuli Irawan triumphed for the hosts on a pulsating day of ac- tion yesterday. Diaz, the silver medallist from the Rio Olympics, pipped Turk- menistan’s Kristina Shermetova by just one kilogramme to win the women’s 53kg class. “It was pressure for me for how many months,” Diaz said. Philippines’ Jordan Clarkson (top L) attempts “At the Olympics no one ex- pected me to win but at Asian AFP | Jakarta scored five straight points for Games everyone expected me to the win. win a medal, a gold medal. leveland Cavaliers guard Chinese coach Li Nan “For months I couldn’t sleep, Jordan Clarkson fell just praised Clarkson for getting my training got ruined but with C Hidilyn Diaz of Philippines competes in the women’s 53kg weightlifting event short of leading the Philip - the best out of the gutsy Phil- positive people surrounding me pines to victory over China’s ippines. I got through it. They inspired own NBA stars on his inter- “Yes, he makes the team look and motivated me.” fought for I have now finally home fans, Irawan saluted the national debut, in a thrilling very different. He is a very Earlier Irawan, also a silver achieved.” country’s president seated in Asian Games basketball en- good shooter and he got 26 medallist in Rio, dominated the Diaz raised 92kg in the snatch front of him, broke into a huge counter yesterday. points,” Nan said of Clarkson. men’s 62kg competition to take and 115kg in the clean and jerk smile and flashed a thumbs-up The Zhou Qi-led China “In the second half we ’s first weightlifting for a 207kg total that proved just It was pressure for me to the packed 2,000-capacity edged past Philippines 82-80 couldn’t stop him. That’s the gold of the Games in front of enough to edge out Shermetova for how many months. venue after setting a winning in a last-minute win at the GBK big difference between Asian President Joko Widodo. (93kg snatch, 113kg clean and total of 311kg. Basketball Hall in Jakarta. and American (players),” said Veteran Irawan, 29, has won jerk). ’s Khambao Su- At the Olympics no one Vietnam’s Trinh van Vinh Clarkson, who joined up Nan, a former Chinese pro - multiple major medals in a sen- rodchana took the bronze on expected me to win needed a mammoth personal with the team five days ago af- fessional player who retired ior weightlifting career stretch- 201kg. but at Asian Games best of 179kg with the final lift of ter the US league released him in 2009. ing back to his bronze at the “I feel this is a great stepping everyone expected me the competition to snatch gold, in a last-minute U-turn, lived Clarkson was born in the US Beijing 2008 Olympics, but had stone to Tokyo 2020,” Diaz said. to win a medal, a gold but he crumpled in the attempt. up to the pre-match billing by but has Philippine citizenship never before set foot on the top “I will compete in the world medal Finally Irawan could savour top-scoring with 28 points, through his grandmother. step of the podium. championships in Turkmeni- the golden moment that had only to witness the Filipinos China also depended on “I’m a proud Indonesian and stan in November. I don’t know HIDILYN DIAZ always eluded him in the past, crumble down the stretch. their NBA duo of Qi (Houston pleased for the country to win if I will win because I will now trol was capped by a 170kg lift in after Olympic bronzes at Bei- Philippines, who were Rockets) and Ding Yanyuhang gold,” Irawan told AFP after re- go back to school,” said the the clean and jerk which raised jing 2008 and London 2012, cheered on by a raucous (Dallas Mavericks) to lead for ceiving his medal from presi- 27-year-old. the roof at the Jakarta Interna- silver at Rio two years ago and crowd, led 80-77 with just over much of the match with ag- dent Widodo. Irawan’s almost flawless per- tional Expo. Asian Games bronzes in 2010 one minute left before China gressive play. “I feel like everything I have formance of strength and con- To screams from his adoring and 2014.

Sports-mad couple Indian Teenager name new baby ‘I want to go to Tokyo’ - Uzbek claims shooting gold ‘Asian Games’ AFP | Jakarta gymnast, 43, not quitting yet

sports-mad Indonesian AFP | Jakarta Acouple have named their new baby ‘Asian zbekistan’s 43-year-old Games’ to mark her arrival Ugymnast Oksana Chuso- as the country kicked off vitina blew kisses to the crowd the world’s second-biggest as she began her Asian Games multi-sport event. campaign yesterday -- and an- The little girl -- full name grily batted away suggestions Abidah Asian Games -- was this could be her last tourna- born about a month early in ment. co-host city Palembang, The oldest female gymnast in just hours before Saturday’s the competition by far, Chuso- opening ceremony, her par- vitina was greeted by whoops India’s Saurabh Chaudhary in action ents told AFP yesterday. and shrieks from a near-ca - “We already had a first pacity crowd on the first day AFP | Jakarta name for her but didn’t of the women’s tournament in have a last name,” new fa- Jakarta. ixteen-year-old Indian ther Yordania Denny said, But the atmosphere took a Sshooter Saurabh Chaud- cradling the new arrival in minor tumble as the gymnasts hary set a new Asian Games his arms in the front room filed past journalists at the end record as he bagged the first of their modest house in the of the session -- and Chuso - major title of his career in the north of the city. vitina was asked whether this 10 metre air pistol competition So the parents, who now would be her final tournament. yesterday. have three children, drew “No! I want to go to Tokyo,” Chaudhary’s 240.7 put him inspiration from what they said a horrified Chusovitina, re- ahead of Japan’s Tomoyuki regard as an “historic” mo- ferring to the upcoming Olym- Matsuda, who scored 239.7, ment. pics in 2020. and fellow Indian Abhishek “Such an event is rare. The mother-of-one, whose Verma’s 219.3. It only happens every few first Olympics was in 1992 in He captured India’s first years. And not to mention Barcelona, became the first Uzbekistan’s Oksana Chusovitina participates on the beam exercise shooting gold medal of the In the men’s 50m rifle three that it’s in Palembang — it’s gymnast to compete in seven Games in Indonesia after positions, China’s Hui Zicheng rare for Palembang to host Summer Games when she ap- vault and the balance beam. fever pitch as the mother-of- Deepak Kumar and Lakshay saw off his Indian challenger such an...event.” peared at Rio 2016. The clear crowd favourite of one blew a stream of kisses into Lakshay had to settle for silver Sanjeev Rajput to take gold The city’s residents are She appears determined to the qualification round on day the crowd. in 10m air rifle and men’s trap. with a score of 453.3. fiercely proud to be in the make it eight. one, Chusovitina -- who first The individual finalists will “What were you doing when The 2016 World Cup Final international spotlight, with “It’s my dream (to go to To- competed in 1987-- spun into a be confirmed at the end of three you were 16? Saurabh Chaud- silver medallist claimed Chi- banners lining the streets kyo),” she told AFP, adding that seemingly perfect first vault to qualification divisions on Mon- hary is shattering records,” na’s fifth gold medal of the and TV screens showing the she still has fun on the gymnas- cheers and applause. day at the Jakarta International tweeted Indian cricket great shooting competition, put- sports live in many restau- tics floor. And by the end of her second Expo, where the women’s all- Virender Sehwag, as news of ting them well ahead of sec- rants. Chusovitina is aiming to and final flip across the appara- round final is also being con- Chaudhary’s victory broke. ond-placed Taiwan on two. reach the finals of both the tus, her noisy followers reached tested.