SPORTOTORSPORT | Page 5 Italian Bettiol Al-Attiyah and Wins Stage 18 Al-Thefi Ri Aim of Giro; Bernal to Defend Retains Pink Series Leads
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CCYCLINGYCLING | Page 3 MMOTORSPORTOTORSPORT | Page 5 Italian Bettiol Al-Attiyah and wins stage 18 al-Thefi ri aim of Giro; Bernal to defend retains pink series leads Friday, May 28, 2021 TENNIS Shawwal 16, 1442 AH ‘No one invincible’, GULF TIMES Nadal says ahead of French Open SPORT Page 2 ATHLETICS Barshim, Samba & Co. all set to light up Doha Diamond League High jump world champion faces off with Drouin after four years Samba up against Benjamin in 400m hurdles By Mikhil Bhat line again and have great memo- Doha ries of competing in Doha, espe- cially winning gold at the 2019 World Championships,” he had t’s been 10 years since Mutaz said earlier. Essa Barshim made his Dia- World champion Yulimar Ro- mond League debut in Doha jas will be looking to build on in 2011. her world-leading 15.43m at IThe Qatari high jumper has the World Athletics Continen- come a long way since that third tal Tour meeting in Andujar last place, 2.31m eff ort. He has won week. Her leap is the same dis- two Olympic medals, won his tance as her world indoor record fi rst world title in 2017, endured and just seven centimetres away a career-threatening injury while from the long-standing world attempting a world record 2.46m record. jump, and then returned to be- The last time Rojas was in come the only high jumper to re- Doha, she won the world title tain his world title, when he won with 15.37m. The Venezuelan in front of a packed Khalifa Inter- will be reunited with the top fi ve national Stadium with His High- fi nishers from that occasion, ness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin including Olympic champion Hamad al-Thani in presence. Caterine Ibarguen, world sil- Barshim and Javier Sotomay- ver medallist Shanieka Ricketts, or’s 28-year-old 2.45m world Commonwealth champion Kim- record are frequently mentioned berly Williams, and 2011 world in the same breath, and while the champion Olga Saladukha. USA’s 29-year-old has always main- Keturah Orji and Dominica’s tained that it is a matter of when Thea LaFond, both of whom have and not if, he does prioritise his set national records this year, are health and competition goals Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim and 400m hurdler Abderrahman Samba (right) address a press conference yesterday on the eve of the Doha Diamond League yesterday. also in the line-up. higher. The women’s steeplechase “To be honest, I don’t know Ivanyuk, who cleared a world- Samba, who was the fi rst per- wonderful outing on Friday. I am also features the top fi ve fi nishers but I hope so,” said Barshim at a Tokyo is going to be leading 2.37m last weekend, son after world record holder in better shape than in 2019, and It is always great to from the World Championships, press conference yesterday on the target. The only also competes, as does Euro- Kevin Young (46.78 in 1992) to I believe things are looking good. compete here in Doha, led by a world champion and the eve of Doha Diamond League thing I now know is that pean indoor champion Maksim dip under 47 seconds when he My training is going on well, and and I hope to have a world record-holder. Doha when asked if 2021 will be you can’t put a time to Nedasekau and 2018 Diamond ran a 46.98 in Paris in 2018, will it is so far so good.” wonderful outing on Beatrice Chepkoech hasn’t the year of the record. “Again, ‘it, you just have to do it. League winner Brandon Starc. be up against American Rai Ben- Kyron McMaster of the Brit- ‘Friday. I am in better shape contested a steeplechase so far Tokyo is going to be the target. Major target for me is to stay Barshim will have the company jamin, who matched Samba’s ish Virgin Islands and Alison Dos than in 2019, and I believe this year, but the Kenyan has The only thing I now know is that healthy, because I know if I of compatriot Hamdi Alamine in time in Zurich the next year. Santos of Brazil, who recorded things are looking good. shown great form on fl at events, you can’t put a time to it, you just am healthy and fi t, I can do the competition too. While Samba is yet to compete national records of 47.50 and — Abderrahman Samba, clocking a world 5km record of have to do it. Major target for me good stuff . “It has been two years, and I in a 400m hurdles this season, 47.68 respectively when fi nishing Qatari 400m hurdler 14:43 in February, followed three is to stay healthy, because I know — Mutaz Barshim, am happy and excited to be back. Benjamin ran a world lead 47.13 at behind Benjamin at Mt SAC, are days later by an indoor 3000m PB if I am healthy and fi t, I can do Qatari high jumper on breaking Defi nitely home, and so there is USATF Golden Games earlier this also in the line-up. of 8:31.72. good stuff .” the world record that extra motivation. Two years month in California. Qatar’s Adam Ali Musab will year in Doha, will be joined by All-round sprinters Michael Later during the press confer- for me, of course it is a long time, “When I was doing my best in once again line up in the men’s compatriots Hamza Driouch, Norman and Fred Kerley will face ence when the moderator asks but I know how to manage that. 2018, the competition wasn’t as 1500m alongside the likes of former world junior champion, off at their specialist distance him if 2.45m is possible, his cool age to stay healthy.” I believe in my coach, and my heated as it’s now. So this com- Stewart McSweyn, the Aus- and Mohamed al-Garni, the two- over 400m. and calm reply was, “I think Today when Barshim takes to team. Coach always gets me in petitive spirit is defi nitely go- tralian national record holder, time Asian champion. Norman, the world leader in 2.47m is possible.” For theat- the Qatar Sports Club’s Suheim good shape,” Barshim said. ing to push the numbers quite after grabbing a valuable point However, world 1500m cham- 2019 and 2018, is undefeated at ricality, compatriot and men’s Bin Hamad Stadium, he will be Today, the Doha Diamond high in the coming days,” Samba, in the Diamond League series pion Timothy Cheruiyot is sure 400m this year. World bronze 400m hurdles contender Abder- joined by Olympic champion League is going to be a hotbed of who won bronze behind Karsten competition in the opener at to have a say in the matters. medallist Kerley, meanwhile, has rahman Samba, audibly oohs in Derek Drouin for the fi rst time track and fi eld performance with Warholm and Benjamin at the Gateshead in England earlier While the Kenyan has never impressed with an indoor 400m anticipation. in four years. The Canadian, also 32 Doha 2019 Worlds medallists, Doha Worlds after a injury prone this month. won at the Doha meeting, he did best of 45.03. And Barshim, whose seasonal part of the 2.40m club, has been including 12 champions, with al- comeback, said yesterday. Musab, who qualifi ed for the win his world title two years ago The competition starts at best is a 2.30m in Tokyo earlier out of action since 2017. most 200 athletes taking to the “It is always great to compete Tokyo Olympics with the world across the town at Khalifa stadi- 5:58pm today with the women’s this month, added, “If you man- World bronze medallist Ilya Doha venue. here in Doha, and I hope to have a lead time of 3:32.41 earlier this um. “I can’t wait to be on a start pole vault. FOCUS Need for speed: veteran Fraser-Pryce eyes Doha springboard to Tokyo AFP bronze in Rio in 2016. in 2019, after previous successes Anzhelika Sidorova, American Doha “That’s what the Diamond in Berlin (2009), Moscow (2013) Sandi Morris and Greece’s Kat- League is about as well. When and Beijing (2015). erina Stefanidi, the reigning Ol- you’re at a Diamond League you Giving birth to son Zyon was ympic champion. amaican sprint star Shel- know the fi eld is going to be good nothing but positive, she insist- Arguably the highest-quality ly-Ann Fraser-Pryce takes and it’s going to be solid. ed. “Motherhood has defi nitely fi eld of the night will be in the another step in her quest “The bigger the fi eld is, the enhanced everything about who women’s triple jump, which has to become the fi rst female better I perform. When you’re in I am. the top three from the 2016 Rio Jathlete to win three Olympic a race and you’re the sole com- “It defi nitely requires a lot Olympics and 2019 Doha worlds 100m golds when she takes to the petitor that is doing well, the more sacrifi ce and commitment.” in the fi eld. track for another loaded race in pressure’s not there.” Fraser-Pryce, who will head to Reigning Olympic champion today’s Diamond League meet in The fi eld in the Qatari capital is the postponed Tokyo Olympics Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia Doha.