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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 TTENNISENNIS | Page 6 Fellaini header Nadal claims condemns 11th Barcelona Wenger to Old title with win Traff ord defeat over Stefanos Monday, April 30, 2018 FORMULA 1 Sha’baan 14, 1439 AH Hamilton wins GULF TIMES chaotic Baku battle to lead title race SPORT Page 4 ATHLETICS / DOHA DIAMOND LEAGUE Samba, Haroun hope to wow at home in season-opener Team Qatar athletes are in good form coming into the first Diamond League meet of the year on Friday By Mikhil Bhat He had fi nished behind South Af- Doha rican Wayde van Niekerk and Steven Gardiner of Bahamas. From thereon, Haroun has been on bderrahman Samba had been an impressive run of results, winning progressing well through 400m gold and 4x400m relay silver at the 400m hurdles heats and the Asian Indoor Games in Ashgabat in semi-fi nals at the World September, and two golds — 400m and AChampionships in London in August of 4x400m — at the Asian Indoors in Te- last year. hran in February this year. In the fi nal, running in lane 6 be- “Right now the form is good. I had tween Norwegian Karsten Warholm training camps in Brazil and Turkey. I ran and T J Holmes of the US, the 21-year- 45.41 in Brazil earlier this month. It’s ok, old had been gaining well when he hit not a bad timing to build on. I also did the fi nal hurdle, struggling for balance, 200m in 21.16,” the 21-year-old said. before he had to settle for a seventh Haroun then had a bit of a hamstring place fi nish. niggle in his right leg. “It tightened up,” Nonetheless, the sport that he is, he explained. “But it’s ok now. I have Samba walked up to Warholm, Turkey’s moved to the track too now and the Yasmani Copello and Kerron Clem- feeling is good.” ent of the US after they locked the top A motivation for the 2016 Under-20 three spots respectively to congratulate world champion and 2016 world In- them. doors silver medallist is also perform- “God always has plans, I fi rst ing in front of the home crowd. thought,” Samba said, on the sidelines “In front of my family and friends, I of a press conference ahead of the 2018 am looking forward to it. I have a feeling Doha Diamond League, which takes we will do good this season,” he said. place on Friday at the Qatar Sports Club “Gold is the target.” stadium. Gardiner will be back in Doha to de- But perhaps, as is with every athlete, fend his crown, with Botswana’s Isaac Samba played and re-played his per- Makwala joining the competition. formance in his head, and after a few Even as the Diamond League opener days it hit him. “I could not believe it. is just around the corner, Haroun defi - I could have been the world champion, nitely has next year’s World Champi- which was a dream for me. I had been onships at home and the 2020 Olym- working hard, I had many training pics in Tokyo on his mind. camps. It’s not easy,” he said. “It would be good to get one (gold) “But that maybe gave me more mo- here, especially with the 2019 World tivation to do better at the next oppor- Qatar Athletics Federation secretary-general Mohamed Essa al-Fadala and other off icials pose with Team Qatar athletes Abdalelah Haroun, Abderrahman Samba, Jamal Championships coming to Qatar. There tunity. I hit the last hurdle, and missed Hairane and Mohanad Khamis during a press conference ahead of the Doha Diamond League yesterday. PICTURE: Thajudheen is already some amount of nervous- out on a medal. But I will be fi ghting for ness because the work starts now. This the medal in the future. In the last year’s edition, Samba had something amazing for me,” Samba Kevin Young’s 1992 mark of 46.78. hope I don’t get any injury, stay safe and year we have to work hard, focus on our “It’s time to forget that and look for- beaten Rio champion Clement by over said. “This year, my goal is to fi ght for healthy, and go step by step.” dreams, and next year it’s a big chance. ward.” a second. And coming into this year’s He is priming himself well for what honours in the Diamond League, the A day before Samba’s medal miss “For 2019 and 2020, the preparations ‘Forward’, for now, is Friday, when opening leg, he already ran a world- seems like a busy schedule up ahead Asian Games and the World Cup. I want in London, fellow Team Qatar athlete and pressure begin now. These are two Samba will be in familiar surroundings, leading time of 47.90 at Potchefstroom this year. “I have been training hard to participate in all the competitions,” Abdalelah Haroun had notched the very important years now.” gunning to top the season-opening in South Africa, where he was training and I have big dreams (for the future). he said. country’s fi rst medal of the 2017 World Samba and Haroun are among 16 Diamond League event for the second for almost three months. World Record in 400m hurdles (per- The plan for the Asian Games, he said, Championships, a bronze in the 400m Team Qatar athletes that will take part straight year. “(Running world leading time) was haps),” Samba referred to American was “for sure the gold medal,” adding, “I event. in the athletics extravaganza. Doha all set for Diamond League extravaganza By Sports Reporter be 2017 world champion and Diamond League Doha champion Barshim, reigning Olympic, world, European and Diamond League champion Stefanidi, reigning world champion and Olym- nticipation is rising with just five days pic silver medallist in the 5,000m and Doha to go until global superstar athletes Diamond League record holder in the 3,000m Ago head-to-head in a thrilling Diamond Obiri, two-time Olympic champion, three-time League season-opener at Qatar Sports Club on world champion and six-time Diamond League Friday. champion Christian Taylor of the USA, reigning While the likes of Qatar’s 2017 IAAF World Athlete Olympic champion Thomas Rohler of Germany, of the Year Mutaz Barshim, Kenya’s 3,000m who last year wowed the crowds as he broke world champion Hellen Obiri and Greek pole the meet record and moved to second on the vault star Katerina Stefanidi are already lined up all-time list with a huge throw of 93.30m. for the Friday event, further athlete announce- In the men’s 1,500m, 17-year-old rising star George ments were made yesterday with a thrilling Manangoi of Kenya, who is the Under 18 world showdown anticipated in the men’s 200m. champion and talented younger brother of world Reigning world champion Ramil Guliyev of champion Elijah, could be the one to watch out Turkey will go up against Olympic silver medal- for. Last year George won the U18 title by over a list Andre De Grasse of Canada, 2017 Diamond second, despite having only trained seriously for a League champion Noah Lyles of the USA, and little over a year, and this year he has already run world bronze medallist Jereem Richards of a new personal best time of 3:36.20 suggesting a Trinidad and Tobago. However, the biggest very promising future for the youngster. He will be surprise could come from Omar McLeod of up against many more experienced athletes includ- Jamaica, the Olympic and world champion in ing Bethwell Birgen, the 2018 world Indoor bronze the 110m hurdles, who will be trying his hand at Qatar’s high jump icon Mutaz Barshim speaks medallist also of Kenya, and Abdelaati Iguider of the 200m in Doha in an intriguing switch. at the City Center mall event ahead of the 2017 Morocco, the 2012 world Indoor champion, London Speaking ahead of the 2018 Doha Diamond edition of the Doha Diamond League. The 2012 bronze medallist and 2015 world bronze League, Qatar Athletics Federation president press conference and panel session, which is medallist. Dr Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, said, “We open to public, will be held this year too. Reigning 200m world champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey will be at the Doha meet this Friday. Team Qatar will be represented in the Diamond are so excited to welcome so many of the League by a total of 16 athletes, including Ab- world’s biggest athletics stars back to Doha for inspire our nation through athletics and we are am at City Center Mall, which will also be open Simpson of the USA, who is the reigning 1500m dellelah Haroun, who is the 2017 world bronze what promises to be a phenomenal Diamond very pleased to be able to give the public this to the public. world silver medallist and Olympic bronze medallist in the 400m, Abderrahman Samba, League opening meeting of the 2018 season. exclusive chance to meet Olympic and World The repeat of last year’s hugely successful medallist, and will be competing in the longer who recently ran a world leading time of 47.90 The Doha Diamond League is the only IAAF Champions ahead of their competitions. We press conference will enable the public to be distance of 3000m in Doha, and 200m sprinter in the 400m hurdles, and Ahmed Bader, who is Diamond League meeting in the Middle East encourage everyone to come down and not at the centre of the action, hearing from the Nathaneel Mitchell-Blake from Great Britain, the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games champion in and is one of the most exciting and unmissable miss out on this unique opportunity.” athletes first hand as well as being able to get who is the world 4x100m champion and 2013 the javelin.

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