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Sunday, October 6, 2019 ATHLETICS Safar 7, 1441 AH The simple question GULF TIMES that spurred Dalilah to Worlds gold SPORT Page 3 BBarshimarshim toto telltell kkids:ids: I waswas oneone ooff yyouou gguysuys

By Mikhil Bhat this should inspire Arab people.” out’,” said the 1.88m tall athlete, who had It’s not just Barshim’s persona and de- jumped competitively only thrice this sea- meanour that’s inspiring but also his nar- son before coming to the Worlds. rative and the way he has fought back into The covers from the upper tiers of the utaz Essa Barshim grew up to spotlight in front of the nation that is as Khalifa stadium had to come off after the love high jumping in the shad- grateful to him as he is to and its local fans poured in. Home advantage for ows of the iconic Khalifa Inter- people. Barshim kicked in and he knew it. national Stadium. The 28-year-old has had a 2.40m plus Every time he spread his arms wide MThis is where he threw tantrums while mark every year for six straight years since waving at the crowd behind him to make being at loggerheads with his then new 2013. He has come within two centimetres some noise as he prepared for his jump, coach Stanisław ‘Stanley’ Szczyrba of the world record 2.45m to be the all- they would respond in kind. because that’s what kids do when time number two. “Everybody came here and supported discipline is introduced. The Cuban World record holder Javier me a lot; I just wanted to do it for them. He even missed the Asian Athletics Sotomayor, who was present at the Kha- They are the champions tonight, not me,” Championships at the home venue in lifa stadium on Friday for compatriot and he said. April this year to ensure better recov- Pan American champion Luis Enrique Za- “They believed in me, they supported ery from a career-threatening injury yas, himself has, in the past, put faith in me, and I believe this will spark some- he sustained last year. Barshim to break his 1992 mark. thing, for the nation itself, for the upcom- But most importantly, and poeti- And it was this world record that halted ing events. Today I saw the joy in people’s cally, it’s where he rose like a falcon to Barshim’s run last year at the Gyulai Me- eyes. They didn’t believe it, now they do, become the only high jumper to success- morial in Szekesfehervar, . and I think they will come back.” fully defend his World Championship title After a spectacular 2017, when he be- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim on Friday. came the fi rst high jumper to win the IAAF bin Hamad al-Thani for sure was joyous. “I have won a lot of medals but this Athlete of the Year Award, Barshim had “He was very excited, very happy. I went one was at home, so it feels diff erent,” begun yet another run of victories in 2018, to see him after the end of the competition, said Barshim after beating the bar at a six to be precise including the one in Hun- and he said ‘Well done. I have no words to world leading 2.37m on an electric Friday gary. say. You did everything, more than I ex- evening, the eighth day of the IAAF World Having sealed the deal with a 2.40m ef- pected’. He’s really happy, he’s proud and I Athletics Championships Doha 2019. fort, Barshim felt good and decided to go am proud too,” Barshim said of his meeting Neutral athletes Mikhail Akimenko and for 2.46m. The Qatari star’s attempt to go with His Highness. Ilya Ivanyuk took silver and bronze respec- higher ended in pain as he hurt his ankle The packed Khalifa International Sta- tively behind the Qatari star. while taking off . dium was also a perfect recipe for pressure. “Aspire Academy is my home. I have a The next thing he knew he was getting “Of course, there was pressure (at these lot of great memories. It has played a big operated up on. championships), there is always pressure, role in my career. They gave me such a “One year ago, I got off the crutches, I but I need that pressure to jump. I love big opportunity to be who I am,” Barshim took my fi rst step. My injury was very se- to perform in a fi eld where everybody is said referring to the world class sporting rious, it could have been career-ending; strong and in front of a big crowd. I think academy, which is right next door from the and then you start questioning yourself,” this is an extra push. Pressure in sports Khalifa stadium. Barshim said on Friday after his win. can be positive and can actually help you. “I always want to give back. As soon as “I wasn’t 100 per cent ready (on Friday), I needed that.” we settle down, I am going to come down but with all these people cheering for me And now that he has delivered, what’s and speak to the kids there and tell them like this I just forgot everything. I felt like, next for the world champion? that ‘you can do it. I was one of you guys.’ ‘OK it doesn’t matter what happens to- “Tokyo is the target of course,” he said. “We have great facilities, great support night, if I injure myself, it’s my last com- “However, fi rst I need to be fat, to eat as and I believe we can achieve a lot. I believe petition. I am going to push everything much as I can and to have a vacation!”

QNB STARS LEAGUE Rayyan hand Al Sadd Qatar Clasico defeat

By Sports Reporter en this season, there was a bit of spice to it as the disallowed as it ricocheted off Mowafak Adam ish off the rebound. Those hoping to catch their Brahimi put the result beyond doubt when Doha teams competed to not only win the Qatar Cla- en route to goal. The Lions did fi nally score mid- breath in the second half had no time to settle he wrestled his way into the box before sico, but also to maintain their super form. way through the half when Tabata’s out-swing- as The Wolves came straight out of the traps and launching a vicious strike which the goal- Much was on off er for a raucous crowd as ing corner was met by a super volley from Mer- were unfortunate not to have equalised when keeper was not able to save. Brahimi did have l Rayyan shocked Al Sadd in the fi rst the pre-match buzz found its way to the large cado and blasted into the roof of the net. Bounedjah’s goal was seen to be marginally off - a penalty saved late on, but the damage was Qatar Clasico of the season in the QNB number of fans present at the stadium. The cliche of being most vulnerable when you side. already done and Al Rayyan held on for a fa- Stars League yesterday. Naturally, the energy acted as a stimulant to have just scored came true as Al Sadd were back Bounedjah, however, was not to be denied mous and well-deserved victory in what was Al Rayyan’s goals were scored by the players who were quick into action as they on level terms within two minutes. Akram Afi f for long as he rose highest in the penalty area to another marvellous advertisement for the AGabriel Mercado (26th minute), sought hero status in the Qatar Clasico. The caused havoc in the penalty area before sliding cushion Hamed Ismail’s cross into the far corner QNB Stars League. (43rd), Abdulaziz Hatem (59th) and Yacine Bra- fi rst chance of the match fell to Bounedjah in the the ball back to Nam who powered it inside the with a beautiful header. Al Rayyan now fi nd themselves level on 12 himi (70th minute). For Al Sadd, Nam Tae-Hee opening minutes, but his strike from the byline post and past the goalkeeper. Al Rayyan were Once again, Al Rayyan found themselves ahead points with Al Sadd who still have an extra and Baghdad Bounedjah scored in the 28th and was excellently saved by the sprawling legs of able to take a half-time lead in the closing min- in no time when the imperious Brahimi slalomed game, against Al Arabi, in hand. 54th minute respectively. Fahad Younis. Shortly after, Al Rayyan thought utes when Brahimi’s accurate drive was saved into the box before releasing Hatem whose shot In the second match of the day, Al Ahli de- With both sides going into the match unbeat- they had taken the lead, but Tabata’s shot was by Saad al-Dossari with Tabata on hand to fi n- squirmed under the despairing arms of al-Dossari. feated Qatar Sports Club 2-0. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, October 6, 2019

SPOTLIGHT

‘I HOPE THIS MEDAL WILL GIVE ME A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE FOR TOKYO’

IAAF Doha

apan completed a glorious men’s race walking double at the IAAF Championships Doha 2019 courtesy of a com- Jmanding performance by world leader Japan’s Toshikazu Toshikazu Yamanishi. Yamanishi celebrates The bespectacled 23-year-old seized winning the men’s control of the race between 7-8km and 20km walk gold. never relinquished his advantage as he tamed the hot and humid conditions to strike gold in 1:26:34. Vasily Mizinov, the authorised neutral athlete, stormed home with a fi nal 5km split of 20:53 to grab silver. Perseus Karl- strom, who mounted a strong challenge in the third quarter of the race to close Yamanishi, earned its fi rst men’s race walking medal at a World Champi- onships by taking bronze in 1:27:00. Winner Toshikazu Yamanishi poses with Neutral athlete Vasily Mizinov (silver) The 52-man fi eld set out on Friday (at and Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom (bronze). 11.30pm) on the Corniche, covering 20 one-kilometre loops in temperatures of lessly on and by 15km (1:05:28) the lead ing Sweden’s fi rst race walking medal 32C and 73% humidity. was back up to 15 seconds. Behind, Karl- since Madelin Svensson grabbed the Sensibly the fi eld adopted a cautious strom put the hammer down following women’s 10km silver in 1991. approach, covering the fi rst 5km in 22:25 a 4:07 one kilometre split to open up a Yamanishi was delighted to claim a led by ’s Olympic bronze med- clear 12-second advantage on Korkmuz, second race walking gold for Japan in allist Dane Bird-Smith. who now held third. Doha and even consulted the 50km win- The fi rst signifi cant moves were The 29-year-old Swede briefl y off ered ner Yusuke Suzuki in preparation of the made by Great Britain’s 2016 world U20 hope he could bridge the gap on the long- challenge ahead. 10,000m race walk champion Callum time leader and at 16km the advantage “It was good and helpful for me to re- Wilkinson and ’s Asian Games was reduced to 13 seconds. ceive some advice from Suzuki,” he said. champion Wang Kaihua, who opened However, Karlstrom had over-exerted “I used a towel around my neck, and it up a handy gap on the fi eld just beyond himself in pursuit of gold and by the made the race a bit easier. When I started quarter distance. 18km checkpoint – reached in 1:18:03 by to speed up after 7km I expected athletes Wang had opened up a 40-metre ad- the Japanese athlete – his lead was now to follow me. I was surprised and lucky vantage but Yamanishi, who earlier this 25 seconds and the Swede had a fl ying nobody did. I wanted to walk faster in the year recorded the fourth fastest time in Mizinov just nine seconds adrift. fi nal 3km but it was impossible. I hope history with a 1:17:15 clocking to land the By 19km the authorised neutral athlete this medal will give me a lot more confi - Asian title, was fi rst to respond to the had moved into second and the medal dence for Tokyo.” Chinese athlete’s thrust. order – barring any late calls by the race Behind the podium fi nishers, Germa- The Japanese race walker, who could walking judges – was determined. ny’s Christopher Linke, who was ninth at be one of the star names at the Tokyo In splendid isolation and just a few halfway, fi nished strongly to place fourth 2020 Olympics, put together back-to- minutes before 1am local time he com- in 1:27:19. Korkmaz produced a best ever back 4:15 kilometre splits to glide past pleted the 20km in 1:26:34. It was the fi nish for at a World Champi- Wang and by 9km held a 13-second lead fi rst time since ’s double triumph onships race walk in fi fth (1:27:35) with on a group containing the Chinese race in 1993 that one nation had snared both Great Britain’s Tom Bosworth achieving walker, Karlstrom, Italian record-holder Half distance was reached in 46:06 by Turkey’s Salih Korkmaz, the European Stano’s bid for a medal was over as he was men’s race walking titles at a World the same feat for his country in placing Massimo Stano and of Japan, Yamanishi – who was showing no sign of U23 silver medallist. forced to serve two minutes in the pitlane Championships. seventh (1:29:34). Sandwiched between the 2018 IAAF World Racing Walking distress – some 17 seconds clear of the By 12km Yamanishi’s advantage had following three red cards. Mizinov was rewarded with silver in the pair was the second Japanese race Team Championships gold medallist. chasing pack, which now also included been trimmed to 12 seconds, although The Japanese athlete marched relent- 1:26:49 with Karlstrom (1:27:00) claim- walker, Ikeda, in 1:29:02.

BOTTOMLINE TODAY’S FINALS AT DOHA WORLDS

Today’s seven finals at the World Athletics Championships in Doha (in Qatar Time), with world records (WR), 2019 world best results (YB - as of September 22), defending world champi- Double blow for US as Reese ons from 2017 (DC), 2016 Olympic champions (OC), and favour- ites (FA).

Women’s at 7.15pm WR: 7.52 Galina Chistyakova, Soviet Union, June 11, 1988, Lenin- crashes out and DQ for McNeal grad YB: 7.16 Malaika Mihambo, DC: , OC: , United States FA: Malaika Mihambo, Germany; Brittney Reese, United States; Ese Brume,

Men’s 1,500m at 7.40pm WR: 3:26.00 Hicham El Guerrouj, , July 14, 1998, YB: 3:28:77 , DC: , Kenya OC: Matthew Centrowitz, United States FA: Timothy Cheruiyot, Kenya; Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Nor- way; ,

Men’s javelin at 7.55pm WR: 98.48 Jan Zelezny, , May 25, 1996, Jena YB: 90.61 , DC: , Germany OC: Thomas Roehler, Germany FA: Johannes Vetter, Germany; Magnus Kirt, Estonia; Andreas Hoff mann, Germany

US hurdler Brianna McNeal is disqualified for a false start. Men’s 10,000m at 8pm WR: 26:17.53 Kenenisa Bekele, , August 26, 2005, DPA fi nal you can try to get closer to the board. YB: 26:48.95 Hagos Gebrhiwet, Ethiopia Doha I don’t know what can go wrong in the DC: , Britain fi nal, I will give my best,” said Mihambo OC: Mo Farah, Britain who tops the season with 7.16m. FA: Hagos Gebrhiwet, Ethiopia; , ; eigning and four-time cham- McNeal was meanwhile disqualifi ed Rhonex Kipruto, Kenya pion Brittney Reese failed to for a false start in her hurdles qualify for the long-jump fi nal heat, leaving the infi eld in tears after be- Women’s 100m hurdles at 8.50pm and Olympic champion Brianna ing shown the red card and then arguing WR: 12.20 , United States, July 22, 2016, McNealR was disqualifi ed in her 100 me- briefl y in vain with race judges. YB: 12.32 , tres hurdles heat in a double blow for the Tobi Amusan of Nigeria topped the DC: , Australia American team at the world champion- heats with a personal best 12.48 seconds, OC: Briana Rollins, United States ships yesterday. the fastest time ever run in a fi rst round. FA: Danielle Williams, Jamaica; Kendra Harrison, United States; Reese, who also had Olympic gold from Jamaican season leader Danielle Williams , United States 2012 and silver from 2016, managed only had 12.51, American World record holder 6.52 metres in her fi nal attempt which at Kendra Harrison 12.55, and European Women’s 4x400m relay at 9.15pm the time was the 12th and last place into champion Elvira Herman of also WR: 3:15,17 Soviet Union, October 1, 1988, Seoul today’s fi nal. moved on. YB: 3:24.04 United States But Jamaica’s Chanice Porter then re- German defending and European DC: United States corded 6.57m on the very last jump of champion Johannes Vetter needed just OC: United States qualifying to advance at her expense. one massive throw of 89.35 metres to FA: United States; Jamaica; Poland German season leader Malaika Mi- move into the men’s javelin fi nal along USA’s Brittney Reese competes in the hambo led the way, sailing far beyond the with Estonian season leader Magnus Women’s Long Jump heats at the 2019 Men’s 4x400m relay at 9.30pm qualifying mark of 6.75 metres in her fi rst Kirst (88.36m) as both far exceeded the IAAF World Athletics Championships WR: 2:54.29 United States, August 22, 1993, Stuttgart attempt, measured at 6.98m although she 84m qualifying mark. at the Khalifa International stadium in YB: 2:59.05 United States was far off the board. Nigerian contender But the Germans also had to swallow Doha yesterday. However, she failed to DC: Ese Brume had 6.89m and 2017 100m the elimination of Olympic champion qualify for the final. OC: United States champion of the US 6.77m. Thomas Roehler and Andreas Hofmann, FA: United States; Trinidad and Tobago; Jamaica “Everything is good. I gave away 20cm the 2018 European championship silver before the board but once you are in the medallist. Gulf Times Sunday, October 6, 2019 3

SPOTLIGHT The simple question that spurred Dalilah to gold ‘I used to run around my neighbourhood and my first coach saw me running around and he begged my Mom for me to join a track club’

IAAF ship offersoff ers, andand Muhammad Muhammad elected elected nal in Zurich and the 5252.85 85 set a worwor- Doha to cross the country to enrol at the thy standard ahead of Doha. Both kept sprint powerhouse of the University their powder dry as they advanced to of Southern California. She fi nished the fi nal, and when Muhammad was alilah Muhammad calls it her third in the NCAA Outdoor Champi- drawn in lane six, McLaughlin in four, epiphany, the moment that onships in her fi rst year, but that was the world record-holder saw it as a set off a chain reaction for a result she couldn’t better for the rest chance to apply some early pressure all that came next: Olympic of her collegiate career. on the 20-year-old. gold,D world record and – on Friday In 2012 she was knocked out in the “Sydney fi nishes great, I just want- night at the IAAF World Athletics fi rst round of the US Olympic Trials ed to use my technique and my abili- Championships Doha 2019 – a long- and watched from afar as several of ties to the best I could. I think I’m a awaited world title. her USC teammates made the trip to better hurdler and just wanted to use To get that gold, she not only had London for the Games. my speed and put as much distance as to be the fastest athlete on the night, “I felt like I could be one of them,” I could.” but the fastest of all time. Ten hurdles, she says. “Looking back, it was defi - For many previous races Muham- 52.16 seconds, one lap of the track and nitely the motivation I needed. I was mad would tell herself highly specifi c a place fi rmly established among the nowhere I thought capable of being.” things as she settled into her blocks, all-time greats. Only after graduating and linking but this time her mind went blissfully But back to that epiphany. It was up with Yolanda Demus, mother of blank. early 2016, Muhammad was 25 years 2011 world champion Lashinda De- “I think sometimes we get too in our old and coming off a season where mus, did she truly ascend to world- heads and try to do everything per- her talent had failed to truly fi re. Two class. After being backed by her family fect, sometimes you just have to trust years prior, she had won world silver in and running unsponsored, she won in what you’ve been doing all year, but 2014 and 2015 were me- that world silver in 2013 and earned a trust in your training,” she says. “I diocre seasons, the New York native deal with Nike. Then there were those wasn’t really thinking about anything: struggling with a string of injuries. two years in the doldrums before the just go for it.” She picked up a quad strain in an move to train with Johnson rekindled Muhammad had run 15 strides as far early-season race in 2014, ran on with her career. as hurdle nine in the past, but the exu- it and made things worse, her form What followed, of course, is a high- berance of her start on Friday night never hitting the highs of the previous point that will remain hard to top, meant she was only able to hold that year. Her issues lingered in 2015 and even in light of Friday night’s exhibi- until hurdle eight this time, with fa- in February of 2016, she parted ways tion in Doha. tigue setting in that bit sooner. with coach Yolanda Demus and linked Muhammad claimed Olympic gold “I defi nitely did think the race was up with Lawrence Johnson, who trains in 2016 in Rio, the humble, hard- pretty fast from the start. Sometimes a group of high-level hurdlers at his working daughter of parents Nadirah you tell yourself to back off a little, base in Northridge, California. and Askia suddenly catapulted to in- that you’re going too fast, but in this It was around then she had a reali- ternational stardom. race I knew there was no holding back. sation. She ran 53.13 to win gold, a few ticks By the last 100 you zone out and then “Why not me?” Muhammad recalls down on the 52.88 she ran to win the you’re trying to hold on.” herself thinking. “Someone’s going to US title earlier that summer, and what McLaughlin came charging at Mu- win the 2016 Olympics so why can’t it both races showed was that she had hammad off the 10th hurdle, but Mu- be you? You fought really hard in 2013, within her the capability to rewrite the hammed wasn’t for catching. She hit so let’s go for it.” world record of 52.34, held by Russia’s the line exhausted, elated in 52.16, She adds now, almost four years on, Yuliya Pechonkina since 2003. 0.07 clear of McLaughlin. “that’s what I’ve been going with ever That magical day arrived in July this So was this, at long last, the perfect since.” year, Muhammad blitzing her oppo- race? She was always fast, for as long as nents to take her event to a new level “I defi nitely think it was better she can remember. Growing up in with her world record of 52.20. She set pattern-wise but to make it more Queens in New York City, Muhammad believed then and still does now that it perfect I think my technique would have to go far before she found a was a long way from the perfect race, could be better. I defi nitely think I can peer who could hold her pace. but Muhammad was not one to pore improve on the fi nish, maybe taking it “I used to run around my neigh- over the video. out a little slower or try to push to 15 bourhood and my fi rst coach saw me “I have not watched that race that steps all around.” running around and he begged my much and the reason is just because It said much about her attitude Mom for me to join a track club. He I didn’t want to relive that moment that she could, no more than an hour thought I was fast. I would beat all the and have that be the highlight of my after crossing the line, reel off mul- boys.” career,” she says. “I was so happy but tiple ways she can improve. With She dabbled in a bit of swimming in ultimately the World Championships McLaughlin’s swift ascent, she knows the early years, but her entry into ath- title was the goal this year.” she might have to if she is to retain her letics was not in the discipline you’d She took a week off training after Olympic title in Tokyo next summer. imagine. “I started off with cross Des Moines, then went back into base Not that she has any reason to look country,” she says. “I didn’t start with work with her focus on Doha. too far up the road. sprinting until I was in high school.” There was no disguising her biggest In recent weeks her coach had often of the US poses with her There had been no other runners threat, the woman who could force said to her that the short turnaround 400m hurdles gold medal yesterday. in her family, but Muhammad clearly Muhammad to settle for her third to Tokyo – now less than 10 months had a talent for it. She clocked a swift world silver medal. Sydney McLaugh- away – meant Muhammad would only 54.89 to win the US U17 400m title in lin had been a 16-year-old sensation get two weeks’ break for her off -sea- 2006 and the following year she got and her US teammate when Muham- son, but the world record-holder, with her fi rst taste of global competition, mad took gold in Rio, but in 2019 in some justifi cation, feels she’s earned winning gold in the 400m hurdles at Doha, she was by far the woman most more. the IAAF World U18 Championships likely to beat her to gold. “There’s no way I’m taking two in Ostrava. McLaughlin beat Muhammad into weeks,” she laughs. “He’ll see me in a That brought multiple scholar- third at the IAAF fi - month.”

FOCUS Kipruto’s lethal fi nal kick does the trick again By Sahan Bidappa ing the last barrier in the lead, Mosoriot not on a track, but a Doha but I made a mistake there and grass fi eld where dirt lanes have Girma was a couple of metres been carved out by foot tread of ahead of me. I had to kick so hard. thousands of laps. Kipruto uses ven by Conseslus Ki- In my mind I just thought of the hurdles for steeple barriers in pruto’s standards, the gold and being world champion,” training and does not have any men’s 3000m steeple- he added. kind of water pit. Echase fi nal on Friday Kipruto’s victory also extend- “I had two-and-a-half night at the Khalifa International ed Kenya’s three-decade reign in months without training. Then Stadium was too close for com- the 3000m Steeplechase. A Ken- I decided to do some exercise in fort. yan or a Kenyan-born man has a swimming pool. Many people The Kenyan has a habit of won every Olympic and world were saying, ‘What is this?’ It making epic comebacks to win title in the steeplechase since the was mid-June when I talked to a race. The Olympic champion 1988 Seoul Games. my coach about my plans and has an impressive kick in the fi nal “I didn’t want to risk losing told him I wanted to return to straight, which has bailed him this event. They always say it is racing before the last Diamond out of trouble in the past. a Kenyan event, so it was up to Leagues. I wanted to see where I In the me to keep it. But it was tight and am,” Kipruto said. fi nal, Kipruto trailed Soufi ane El when I crossed the line I thought, “I ran the last Diamond League Bakkali by three metres over the ‘Please let the fi rst man be Cons- in Brussels and it was like I was fi nal barrier but reeled him in to eslus’. I waited and prayed and walking on grass. So I went home win by .10 seconds. In last year’s then I looked at the screen. I saw and trained on my speed. And af- Diamond League fi nal, a one- it was my name and I was very ter running my semi-fi nal here I shoed Kipruto again trailed Mor- happy,” said the outspoken Ki- knew I was in good shape. I knew rocan El Bakkali off the nalfi bar- pruto. I was going to do it when I made rier and again he ran him down to Earlier this year, Kipruto was the fi nal. And I am happy I did,” win by .04. sidelined by a stress fracture in he added. On Friday, Kipruto must have his left foot which made his par- Kipruto was also delighted to thought his luck with close fi nish- ticipation at the Doha Worlds run in front of a packed Khalifa es might come to an end after Le- doubtful. But he made his come- Stadium, including many Ken- mecha Girma took a comfortable back in August and came into yan fans, which he said egged lead going in the fi nal straighta- nor could Kipruto as he looked in in Doha, the defending cham- “In my celebrations I was tell- title,” said Kipruto. Worlds ranked 17th in the world him to give his best. “It was a way. But in a stunning revival, the disbelief as the results were fl ashed pion had raced just four times ing the people, ‘I am still here.’ “It was a really diffi cult race. on best times this season. great crowd. I was happy when 24-year-old Kipruto edged past on the big screen. The Kenyan cel- this year. He failed to fi nish two of You know, after my injury peo- In the last lap I had planned to To overcome his injury, Ki- I saw a large crowd from Kenya. the Ethiopian teenager in the fi nal ebrated by jumping over one of the those races and had clocked fi fth ple were saying I wasn’t going to kick from the last 200m. But El pruto built a pool in his backyard They were cheering and sing- stride, clocking 8:01.35 to defend hurdles, with his fi nger on his lips, in and seventh in . make it to the World Champion- Bakkali was there and I was sur- to aqua jog. It was one of many ing my name and singing about his world title. as he posed for the cameras. But when it came to rising to the ships. So I was telling the fans prised. He was really passing unorthodox ways for the Ken- my country. The victory belongs Girma had been beaten by .01 Before heading to the IAAF occasion, he did and did it spec- and people in the world that I am at a high speed so I changed my yan to train for the big event. He to Kenya, this event belongs to second and he couldn’t believe it, World Athletics Championships tacularly. still here. I was there to save my plans. So I re-focused on jump- also does his regular training in Kenya,” he said. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, October 6, 2019

SPOTLIGHT Silver couple all fi red up ‘When we realised we would be competing on the same night, we knew it would be a aft er Doha show little bit hard to watch each other compete’

Silver medallist Estonia’s Maicel Uibo during the Silver medallist Bahamas’ medal ceremony at the IAAF World Shaunae Miller-Uibo poses Athletics Championships in Doha at the Khalifa during the women’s 400m International Stadium on Friday. (Reuters) medal ceremony on Friday. (Reuters)

IAAF nal, Shaunae waited trackside of ’s to came very good friends before petitive about anything really. Doha to cheer on her husband in the match the achievement of his they eventually started dat- We’ll argue about who our dogs 1500m, the fi nal event of the compatriot Erki Nool who also ing. They got married in 2017 love the most. Just really random decathlon, before completing a claimed a world silver medal, and now both reside and train things like that. It’s a lot of fun.” n 24 July 1952 at the joint lap of honour with him by back in 2001 in Edmonton. in Clermont, Georgia. They oc- While both athletes’ attention Olympic Games in her side. “I had the time diff erences in casionally train together on the will now to turn to the Olym- Helsinki, Czechoslo- “When we realised we would my head going into the 1500m,” track with both athletes being pic Games in Tokyo next year, vakia’s Emil Zatopek be competing on the same night, said Marcel. highly competitive with each Shaunae has a long-term goal to kickedO away from the fi eld in we knew it would be a little bit “I think it was two seconds other when they do. compete in a , thanks the fi nal 150m to take gold in hard to watch each other com- with Niklas and three with Dam- “I’ve never raced him in the mainly to her husband’s infl u- the 5000m. An hour later, his pete,” said Shaunae. 48.14, the third fastest 400m jury last year, the Estonian only ian. When Niklas went ahead, I 400m but if somebody was to ence. wife Dana Zatopkova matched “I was watching him earlier clocking in history. resumed training at the start tried to stay behind him, but on put a picture of me on the back “I’m defi nitely looking for- his achievement by winning the this evening and I had to remind I think I let it get away from me of March this year. Since then the third lap he had some more in of one of his competitors’ heads, ward to doing it one of these Olympic title in the javelin to myself to put away the phone. a little bit too much on the curve, he has suff ered from a shoulder the tank. I had to let him go and he’d probably run a big PB,” years,” she said. “Maicel is a complete a husband-wife medal But it was a great experience get- but I was able to come home a problem which has prevented just try to hang on for second joked Shaunae. big infl uence with regards to double on the same day. ting to support him from the side little bit stronger,” said Shaunae. him from doing any javelin spe- place. “We talk about track and fi eld me doing it. I used to do a lit- Sixty-seven years later, Shau- of the track. “I used my strength in the cifi c training. “I like to try to take it one all the time. We are always work- tle bit of multi events when I nae Miller-Uibo and her hus- “I’m really happy for Maicel. home straight. I can’t complain Despite these challenges, he event at a time and just have fun ing with each other on things we was a younger and then I kind of band Maicel Uibo achieved a He’s had an extraordinary season about 48.3. I’ve trained really claimed his fi rst major global with it. I feel this meet was one can fi x and we are always push- brushed it aside. After meeting similar feat at the IAAF World and I’m very happy for him.” hard this season and I feel in outdoor medal, fi nishing second that I was really able to enjoy. ing each other to do our best.” Maicel, he started planting the Athletics Championships Doha athlete recorded great shape. To run a big PB is re- with a PB of 8604 behind gold The javelin was a bit painful but This level of competitive- idea in my head. I think it will 2019 on Thursday night, earn- a massive 0.6 second personal ally impressive so I’m very happy medallist Niklas Kaul of Ger- every other event was fun.” ness isn’t just confi ned to the be a really fun one to try and test ing silver medals in the women’s best, running 48.37 to move with it.” many. The couple met during their track according to Maicel, whose out and see how it goes.” 400m and men’s decathlon re- to sixth on the world all-time Her husband’s success was Despite relinquishing the lead freshman year in college at the 400m PB is 50.18. “It’s always Their spousal rivalry will like- spectively. list. However, she was bettered no less notable. Having had to he held going into the 1500m, University of Georgia in the USA competitive on the track and off ly increase a notch or two when Having fi nished her 400m fi - by ’s ’s undergo surgery on a heel in- Maicel fought off the challenge back in 2012. At fi rst they be- the track,” he said. “We are com- she does.

FOCUS Long-cherished gold erases Perez’s pain IAAF nal podium fi nisher Kristen Pu- Doha denz (57.69m) of Germany. The competition exploded into life in round four. Played out aime Perez washed to the raucous noise generated away the pain of previ- by the men’s fi nal, ous global champion- Caballero elevated herself into ship disappointments gold with 68.44m – just 34cm toY seal the world title in a com- ahead of her compatriot. Refus- pelling battle against her fellow ing to lay down and surrender Cuban . Perez produced a 68.01m eff ort The 28-year-old Perez fi n- but could not claw herself back ished fourth at the two previous into gold. IAAF World Championships and Perez, however, refused to no-marked in the Olympic fi - panic and launched the gold nal having led the qualifi ers but medal-winning throw in round showing impressive composure five. Firing the discus high inside a pumping Khalifa Inter- inside the Khalifa Interna- national Stadium she fi nally de- tional Stadium it hit the turf livered with a best of 69.17m. at 69.17m – the third longest The performance was par- throw in the world this year and ticularly impressive as she had also the third longest throw of suff ered an injury just three days her career. before the competition, which “I am happy and grateful to my raised big questions marks about physiotherapist Abdel Murgia,” her participation. she said of the man who made Her compatriot and 2015 it possible for Perez to compete world champion, Denia Cabal- following the injury mishap. lero, secured silver courtesy of “My life could not be long a 68.44m throw to ensure the enough to thank him for the fi rst women’s discus one-two at medal. This is my fourth World a World Championships for 32 Championships. I always ar- years. Sandra Perkovic, the two- ’s Yaime Perez celebrates after winning in the women’s final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics rive in top shape but always time former champion, who World Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Friday. (AFP) left without a medal. It shows has endured an injury-troubled that you should never give up. season, claimed bronze with one. Perkovic responded with a was Caballero. After a fi rst round With the big three sat pretty But I persevered and earned my 66.72m for a fourth successive 66.72m eff ort – to show she was foul she fi red the 1kg discus out in the medal positions the half- medal.” World Championship medal. in no mood to relinquish her title to 66.80m – to surpass Perkovic way stage saw the elimination China occupied fourth and The lithe and athletic Perez, without a fi ght. by 8cm and grab second. of French veteran and two-time fi fth positions through Yang who operates with devastating In an otherwise scrappy fi rst There was no change to the med- former World Championship Chen (63.38m) and Bin Feng speed in the circle, established round Bin Feng of China held al picture in round three although medallist Melina Robert-Michon, (62.48m). ’s Fernanda early control of the competition provisional bronze with 62.48m. Caballero strengthened her hold on who could only summon a best of Martins or Brazil was the best of with a 68.10m eff ort in round The big mover in round two silver with a 67.32m hurl. 59.99m and Diamond League fi - the rest in sixth (62.44m). Cuba’s Yaime Perez in action during discus throw final. (Reuters) Gulf Times Sunday, October 6, 2019 5

Sights from Day 9 of the World Championships

(L-R) Silver medallist Russia’s Mikhail Akimenko, gold medallist Qatar’s and bronze medallist Russia’s Ilya Ivanyuk pose on the podium with Qatar Olympic Committee president HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani during the medal ceremony for the Men’s High Jump at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday.

Netherlands’ poses after running a championship record time in the Women’s 1500m final at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday.

Gold medallist Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim (R) and his Polich coach Stanislaw Szczyrba talk on the podium after the medal ceremony for the Men’s High Jump at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Qatar’s Ashraf Hussein Osman and Abubaker Hayder Abdalla Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday. in action during the men’s 4x400m relay heats. of the US in action during the men’s final. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, October 6, 2019 SPORT

RUGBY WORLD CUP TWENTY20 Depleted SL shock Pakistan despite England fi rst into Hasnain hat-trick

AFP Wanindu Hasaranga two to stun Lahore, Pakistan a miserable Pakistan. The win is signifi cant for an inexperienced Sri Lanka team — ranked eighth ew-look Sri Lanka in Twenty20s — who are missing quarters as Japan achieved their biggest ten top players, including regular T20 win over world skipper Lasith Malinga, who all number one Pakistan refused to tour over security fears. Nby 64 runs on the back of some Earlier, Gunathilaka scored a brilliant batting and bowling in 38-ball 57 with eight boundaries Lahore yesterday. and a six during a quick 84-run Opener Danushka Gunathilaka opening stand with Avishka Fern- scored a career best 57 and despite ando who made a 34-ball 33 with extend dream run a hat-trick by teenage Pakistan three boundaries after Pakistan paceman Mohammad Hasnain sent them into bat. ‘I’m really proud of our team, especially at the end there — it was a never-say-die attitude’ Sri Lanka posted a challenging Debutant Bhanuka Rajapaksa 165-5 in their 20 overs. hit a solid 22-ball 32 with two six- AFP Fast bowlers Isuru Udana (3-11) es and as many boundaries while Tokyo and Nuwan Pradeep (3-21) then skipper Dasun Shanaka chipped dismantled Pakistan for 101 in in with a fi ery 10-ball 17 with two 17.4 overs to give Sri Lanka a 1-0 sixes. Sri Lanka were looking set ngland barged past 14- lead in the three-match series. for a big total but paceman Ha- man and into Pradeep had world number one snain derailed them with wickets the Rugby World Cup Twenty20 batsman Babar Azam of Rajapaksa off the last ball of quarter-fi nals yesterday, in the second over to set the plat- the 16th over before dismissing asE Japan extended their dream form for their biggest win against Shanaka and Shehan Jayasuriya run and Australian teen sensa- Pakistan in 19 bilateral matches. off the fi rst two balls of the 18th tion Jordan Petaia announced The previous biggest T20 win over to complete a hat-trick. himself on the big stage. by Sri Lanka over Pakistan was by Hasnain’s hat-trick is the ninth Japan’s Brave Blossoms sent 37 runs at Hambantota in 2012. in all Twenty20 internation- home fans into ecstasy with their Pakistan needed a big innings als with Malinga registering the third straight win, a 38-19 vic- from Azam who promised much feat twice. Hasnain is the second tory over Samoa — including with two boundaries but was Pakistani after Faheem Ashraf to Kotaro Matsushima’s last-gasp caught behind off Pradeep. achieve a hat-trick. fourth try to grab the all-impor- Comeback stars Umar Ak- Ashraf achieved the feat tant bonus point. mal fell for a fi rst ball duck while against Sri Lanka two years ago. The result primes Japan, the Ahmed Shehzad managed just The remaining two matches will one-time tournament whipping four before skipper Sarfaraz be played tomorrow and Wednes- boys, for a shot at reaching the Ahmed (24 off 30 balls) and Ift- day — also in Lahore. quarter-fi nals for the fi rst time ikhar Ahmed (25 off 24) added 46 when they face Six Nations side runs for the fourth wicket. BRIEF SCORES Scotland next week in Yokohama. However, they batted slowly Sri Lanka 165 for 6 (Gunathilaka “I’m really proud of our team, and the asking rate soared. 57, Hasnain 3-37) beat Pakistan especially at the end there — it Udana then chipped in with 101 (Udana 3-11, Pradeep 3-21) by was a never-say-die attitude,” three wickets and spinner 64 runs. said Japan coach Jamie Joseph. “At the end of the day the belief in our team has grown and I guess we will need it going into next week.” Japan’s win came after Ed- die Jones’s England became the fi rst team into the last eight with a bonus-point, 39-10 victory over Argentina, aided by Tomas Lavanini’s 17th-minute red card for a high tackle on Owen Farrell. And in Oita, Petaia, 19, crowned his international debut with a dazzling try as Australia’s England’s George Ford (right) runs with the ball during their Pool C match against Argentina at the Tokyo Stadium in Tokyo, yesterday. (AFP) youngest ever World Cup player helped the Wallabies overcome ter only 17 minutes, clearing Eng- brave but outgunned Argentina. slotting four from four in the sec- Petaia had to wait 23 minutes for two yellow cards to beat land’s path to a six-tries-to-one, ond, said he would do some extra his fi rst touch of the ball, but he 45-10. bonus-point win. KICKING WOES practice before next week’s game was on the scoresheet one minute England’s qualifi cation shows Jonny May, Elliot Daly and Ben “(It was) scrappy at times,” said against . “I fi xed it up a little later when he burst through two the progress of the 2003 cham- Youngs ran in tries in the fi rst half, England captain Owen Farrell. bit after half-time but I’ll do some defenders and spun past another pions since 2015, when they suf- before George Ford, Jack Nowell “I thought it was a decent rate work this week,” he said. Earlier on the line. fered the embarrassment of be- — celebrating his return from in- of control from ourselves but we Petaia, Australia’s youngest ever “He (Petaia) scored a try, had a coming the only World Cup hosts jury — and Luke Cowan-Dickie let the game get frantic a couple World Cup player, scored one try big part in another and just did lit- to fail to reach the knock-outs. crossed in the second period. But of times, forced a couple of things and made another, while Tevita tle things like he ran down the edge The game was over as a contest between the tries it was a stop- and let Argentina into the game at Kuridrani and Dane Haylett-Petty and bounced back in from touch when Tomas Lavinini saw red for start aff air as England struggled times.” Farrell, who missed all four bagged two each in the Wallabies’ kept the ball alive,” said Australia a high tackle on Owen Farrell af- to fi nd their rhythm against a place kicks in the fi rst half, before haul of seven against Uruguay. coach Michael Cheika.

Teenager Petaia sparkles as Wallabies rout Uruguay

Teenage wing Jordan Petaia Wallabies’ total haul of seven. “I thought we were just a little bit Before 34,000 mostly Australian After waiting 23 minutes for his crashed over for a try on his The result produced a vital bonus off the pace at the start and that’s supporters in Oita Stadium, Adam first touch of the ball, he showed debut as Australia rode out two point for the Wallabies to move three times now, three games a Coleman and Lukhan Salakaia- his class a minute later when yellow cards to rout Uruguay ahead of Fiji after three games in little bit off the pace at the start,” Loto both spent time in the sin-bin came off his wing to take an inside 45-10 and stay on course for the Pool D, where Six Nations cham- said Australia coach Michael for dangerous tackles in the first pass and with a turn and twist he Rugby World Cup quarter-finals pions Wales remain unbeaten. Cheika. “So I don’t know, I’ll have period. French referee Mathieu slipped through the defence to yesterday. But continuing their theme of this to get my pre-match speech a Raynal also acknowledged high touch down. When Salakaia-Loto Petaia, Australia’s youngest ever World Cup, the Australians again little bit better. We were reading shots by Michael Hooper and was sent to the sin-bin, and the World Cup player at 19, scored suff ered from disciplinary issues the first half nicely but it looked Kurtley Beale although they Wallabies were again defending one try and made another, while surrounding high tackles, and like we were just a click away. And escaped with a penalty only. desperately, Petaia combined with Tevita Kuridrani and Dane Haylett- failed to find consistent rhythm in then we got the pace up in the It was while Coleman was off the Beale to brilliantly set Kuridrani Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka raises his bat after 50 runs during Petty bagged two each in the the first half. second half.” field that Petaia scored his try. away for their third try. AFP the first Twenty20 match against Pakistan at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, yesterday. (AFP)

CRICKET Sharma ton helps set 395 to win AFP Scorecard Visakhapatnam, India INDIA 1st innings 502-7 dec (Markram), 2-31 (de Bruyn), 3-34 TOTAL (4 wickets dec, 67 overs) 323 SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings (Piedt), 4-63 (Bavuma), 5-178 (du FALL OF WICKETS: 1-21 (Agar- ohit Sharma yesterday (overnight 385-8) Plessis), 6-342 (Elgar), 7-370 (de wal), 2-190 (Pujara), 3-239 (R. struck a second hundred D. Elgar c Pujara b Jadeja 160 Kock), 8-376 (Philander), 9-396 Sharma), 4-286 (Jadeja) (Maharaj), 10-431 (Rabada) in his debut as Test open- A. Markram b Ashwin 5 BOWLING: Philander 12-5-21-1, er to help India set South Bowling: I. Sharma 16-2-54-1 Maharaj 22-0-129-2, Rabada 13-3- AfricaR a daunting 395 to win the T. de Bruyn c Saha b Ashwin 4 (nb1), Shami 18-4-47-0 (nb1), 41-1, Piedt 17-3-102-0, Muthusamy opening match of their series. D. Piedt b Jadeja 0 Ashwin 46.2-11-145-7, Jadeja 40-5- 3-0-20-0 The hosts declared their second T. Bavuma lbw I. Sharma 18 124-2 (nb1), Vihari 9-1-38-0 (nb2), innings on 323 for four in the fi nal R. Sharma 2-1-7-0 SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings F. du Plessis c Pujara b Ashwin 55 (target 395) session of day four in Visakhapat- INDIA 2nd innings nam. South Africa were 11 for one Q. de Kock b Ashwin 111 A. Markram not out 3 M. Agarwal c du Plessis b Maharaj 7 at stumps with Aiden Markram, S. Muthusamy not out 33 D. Elgar lbw b Jadeja 2 on three, and Theunis de Bruyn, on R. Sharma st de Kock b Maharaj 127 V. Philander b Ashwin 0 T. de Bruyn not out 5 fi ve, at the crease. C. Pujara lbw Philander 81 The visitors need another 384 K. Maharaj c Agarwal b Ashwin 9 EXTRAS (lb1) 1 R. Jadeja b Rabada 40 runs and India nine wickets on K. Rabada lbw Ashwin 15 TOTAL (1 wicket, nine overs) 11 V. Kohli not out 31 the fi nal day to get ahead in the EXTRAS (b12, lb4, nb5) 21 FALL OF WICKET: 1-4 (Elgar) three-match series. “We picked A. Rahane not out 27 up a crucial wicket, so as a team TOTAL (all out, 131.2 overs) 431 BOWLING: Ashwin 5-2-7-0, EXTRAS (b8, lb2) 10 we are happy with the way things FALL OF WICKETS: 1-14 Jadeja 4-2-3-1. went today and hope to start off well (tomorrow),” Indian batsman Dean Elgar for two in the fourth the extended play — to make up for with Pujara to frustrate South Af- Cheteshwar Pujara, who made 81 in over of the innings.The left-handed lost time due to thunderstorm on rica after the loss of opener Mayank India’s second innings, told report- Elgar, who made 160 in the fi rst in- day one — to be called off . Sharma, Agarwal for seven. ers. “It will not be easy to bat on this nings, was given not out by the on- who made 176 in India’s fi rst in- Earlier, Ashwin completed a pitch on day fi ve, with a little more fi eld umpire only for India to get nings of 502 for seven declared, is haul of seven wickets as South Af- assistance for the spinners. And the decision overturned with a TV the fi rst batsman to hit two tons in rica were bowled out for 431 in the with variable bounce, even the fast review. Markram and de Bruyn then his fi rst match as a Test opener. He morning session. Ashwin got over- bowlers will come into play.” played out the remaining overs also hit 13 sixes, the most in a Test night batsman Maharaj out for nine Ravindra Jadeja struck early after from spinners Ravichandran Ash- match, breaking Wasim Akram’s and then trapped Rabada, leaving India’s Rohit Sharma (left) plays a shot as South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock (centre) looks on trapping fi rst-innings centurion win and Jadeja until bad light forced record of 12. Sharma put on 169 the Proteas 71 runs behind. during the fourth day’s of the first Test match in Visakhapatnam, India, yesterday. (AFP) Gulf Times Sunday, October 6, 2019 7 SPORT

EPL LA LIGA Hazard off mark but Real make hard Milner keeps work of Granada

AFP Madrid

den Hazard ended the Liverpool fl ying; wait for his fi rst Real Madrid goal but his team had to resist a spirited second-halfE comeback from Gra- nada to seal a thrilling 4-2 victory in La Liga yesterday. Karim Benzema put Real ahead in the second minute at the San- Spurs crash again tiago Bernabeu before Hazard opened his account with a de- ‘I don’t want to cause the boy any problems but he has to calm down in situations like that’ lightful lifted fi nish towards the end of the fi rst half.Luka Mo- AFP dric’s bending long-range ef- Liverpool fort on the hour looked to have confi rmed the win but Granada scored twice in quick succession Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard ames Milner’s 95th- through Darwin Machis and Do- celebrates scoring their second minute penalty main- mingos Duarte, the fi rst from the goal yesterday. (Reuters) tained Liverpool’s per- penalty spot, to set up a tense last fect start to the Premier 12 minutes. after 122 seconds on Tuesday but LeagueJ season as a dramatic 2-1 James Rodriguez, on as a sub- needed only 102 to take the lead win over Leicester stretched stitute, ended the rally by scoring here. Playing on the right, Bale their lead at the top of the Pre- his fi rst Madrid goal since May often makes use of the outside of mier League to eight points. 2017 to wrap up an unexpect- his left foot and the bend he cre- However, victory came at a edly dramatic contest between ated to bypass two Granada de- cost with Mohamed Salah limp- the league’s top two. Madrid had fenders and fi nd Benzema at the ing off injured late on with an been in control, their fl uency backpost was superb. Benzema injury caused by Hamza Choud- and tempo contributing to ar- could not miss. hury’s lunge. guably the best hour of football Madrid created several early “It’s a challenge which I really they have played this season. chances. A slick move down the don’t understand,” said Liver- Yet a hectic 20-minute period in left between Bale, Benzema and pool manager Jurgen Klopp, who the second half took some of the Dani Carvajal saw the latter go believes Choudhury should have gloss off a win that at least gets clear while Benzema and the im- been sent off rather than just Zidane’s side back on track fol- pressive Fede Valverde both went shown a yellow card. lowing their 2-2 draw at home to close too. Bale was fi rst to con- “He is a player who is at full Club Brugge in the Champions gratulate Hazard when he scored sprint, to bring him down with- League on Tuesday. Hazard had shortly before half-time but out the ball around, for me it is become a growing concern after Valverde created it, driving past only one colour (card). fi ve underwhelming matches, the two Granada midfi elders before “I don’t want to cause the boy patience granted to him after his intercepting Duarte’s header and any problems but he has to calm injury in pre-season beginning poking the ball through. Hazard down in situations like that. It’s to run out after his 100-million fi nished just in time, lifting it not the fi rst time. He has to calm euro ($109 million) move from coolly into the net. down. Chelsea. The second half grew increas- “He’s a super player, super de- Toni Kroos walked off injured ingly bad-tempered, broken up velopment in the last one or two in the fi rst half to be replaced by by late tackles and complaints to years at Leicester, but these kind Modric while Zidane said after- the referee. Yet when Modric col- of challenges, no. I don’t know wards that Gareth Bale’s sub- lected Hazard’s pass on the hour, how that can not be red.” Salah stitution late on was also due to after another Valverde chase, and later limped out of the stadium a knock. Their fi tness will be a found the top corner, the game with what appeared to be an an- concern for Germany and Wales looked fi nished. kle injury, although Klopp did respectively ahead of the inter- Instead, Granada were given a not immediately know the extent national break. Bale had returned lifeline. Areola had just failed to of his problem. after being rested against Brugge claim a cross when moments lat- It was another twist in a dra- while Alphonse Areola came in er he dallied in his box and caught matic game in which James Mad- for the ill Thibaut Courtois in Carlos Fernandez in a rushed at- dison’s 80th-minute equaliser goal. tempt to clear. Machis scored looked like it would be enough Areola’s mistake gave away the the penalty and with 12 minutes to see Liverpool drop a league penalty, and perhaps any hopes left, they made it 3-2, Victor Diaz point for the fi rst time since a he had of keeping Courtois out heading to the back post where draw with Everton at the start of longer-term. Madrid conceded Duarte prodded in. March. Liverpool’s English midfielder James Milner kicks a penalty and scores his team’s second goal during the English Premier League match against Leicester City at Anfield in Liverpool, yesterday. (AFP) RASH ALBRIGHTON TENNIS COSTS LEICESTER between Ayoze Perez and Andy time, superb link-up play from done by a moment of magic from allow him to beat Kasper Sch- But Marc Albrighton rashly Robertson. substitutes Albrighton and Pe- the European champions fi ve meichel. “Sadio is an absolutely tripped Sadio Mane, two min- “According to the guys, Andy rez had slipped in Maddison who minutes before half-time. exceptional player,” said Klopp, utes into the four added on, and, Robertson on the fi nal whis- beat goalkeeper Adrian with a Mane scored his 50th Premier who praised Mane’s persistence Barty sets up after a routine VAR check, Mil- tle celebrated and pushed him clinical fi nish from 15 yards. League goal for Liverpool in his despite struggling with an injury ner calmly converted the spot which he probably didn’t ex- Rodgers was making his return 100th appearance, but the goal himself. kick. pect,” said Leicester manager to Anfi eld for the fi rst time since owed much to Milner’s vision. “Even though he is obviously fi nal with Osaka The drama did not end there Brendan Rodgers.“He was obvi- being sacked by Liverpool four Robertson’s pass was sent not in good shape at the mo- as after the fi nal whistle there ously annoyed at that and that years ago and Leicester showed forward by Milner, a perfectly- ment, he was still there in a re- were angry scenes with play- leads to a melee.” why they will post a strong chal- weighted assist that curled tan- ally, really tough game in and ers from both sides squaring It was a frantic conclusion to lenge to fi nish in the top four this talisingly beyond defender Jon- around those situations. That’s up, including a heated exchange proceedings as, 10 minutes from season.However, they were un- ny Evans to play Mane clear and good.”

LIGUE 1 Icardi scores fi rst goal as PSG cruise past Angers AFP covery from a thigh problem. Paris But the fi rst opportunity fell to in- form Angers forward Rachid Alioui, al- though the Algerian dallied on the ball auro Icardi scored his fi rst and home goalkeeper Keylor Navas was Ligue 1 goal as Paris Saint- able to save with his foot. Ashleigh Barty hits a return during her semi-final match against Kiki Germain moved fi ve points Bertens at the China Open in Beijing, yesterday. (AFP) clear at the top of the table SARABIA STRIKES Mwith a 4-0 thrashing of high-fl ying The hosts took the lead in the 13th in straight sets in the other semi- Reuters Angers yesterday. minute, though, as Ander Herrera Beijing fi nal, coming away with a 6-4 6-2 The reigning champions had suf- played in Sarabia, who cut inside and victory in one hour and 24 minutes. fered a shock 2-0 loss in their previous wrong-footed Ludovic Butelle in the The reigning Australian Open home game against Reims, but had no Angers goal to net for the fi rst time ustralia’s world number champion smashed 30 winners such trouble at the Parc des Princes on since joining PSG from Sevilla in the one Ash Barty beat eighth and saved all seven break points she this occasion despite their opponents’ close-season. The visitors continued seed Kiki Bertens of the faced, which included six in the sec- surprisingly strong start to the season. to threaten on the counter-attack, 6-3 3-6 ond set. She also broke Wozniacki PSG head into the international with Navas having to beat away Bap- 7-6(7)A in Beijing yesterday to set three times for her fi rst win over break totally in control of the title race, tiste Santamaria’s long-range drive. up a China Open fi nal with Japan’s the Danish 29-year-old in three at- although Nantes, who leapfrogged The game was all but ended as a con- Naomi Osaka. tempts. Angers into second on goal diff erence, test eight minutes before the break, as Both Barty and Bertens saved a could cut the gap to two points when Neymar and Sarabia combined to give match point in a thrilling third set THIEM VS TSITSIPAS - they host Nice later. Icardi the simplest of tasks to fi re into tiebreak before the Australian top Top seed Dominic Thiem fought “It’s a good end to this period for us, the roof of the net. seed wrapped up the encounter in back from a set down to reach the and with a clean sheet, that’s good,” Although Spain international Sarabia two hours 20 minutes. fi nal in the men’s draw - and also said Paris coach Thomas Tuchel, who scuff ed a rebound after his initial shot It was Barty’s 19th win in a three- book his place at the season-ending saw three of his recent signings score was cleared off the line just before the setter this year and her third in a ATP Finals. The Austrian will play as Pablo Sarabia and Idrissa Gueye also hour mark, former Everton midfi elder row after beating Zheng Saisai in Stefanos Tsitsipas after beating found the net. Gueye was on hand to tap in his fi rst the last 16 and seventh seed Petra Russia’s Karen Khachanov 2-6, 7-6 “With the recruits, we have gained PSG goal. But there was little respite Kvitova in the quarter-fi nals, with (7/5), 7-5 in two hours and 41 min- personality and experience. We are for Angers, as Neymar launched a one- both matches lasting more than two utes. The 21-year-old Tsitsipas tri- more reliable.” Neymar’s late strike man mission in his attempt to get on hours. umphed 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 in a battle of rounded off a strong individual display the scoresheet. In a see-saw match, both play- the rising stars against 22-year-old as he continued to repair his relation- The Brazilian was twice denied by ers dropped serve three times with Alexander Zverev. ship with the team’s fans after failing Butelle in quick succession, before the little to separate the two until the in his eff ort to force through a return to goalkeeper produced a brilliant save tiebreak in the decider. DJOKOVIC POWERS THROUGH Barcelona. with his legs when the world’s most Bertens fi rst saved a match point TO JAPAN OPEN FINAL Tuchel opted to rest Angel Di Maria, expensive player was clean through on with a long rally to tie the score at World number one Novak Djokovic as on-loan Inter Milan striker Icardi goal. 6-6 in the tiebreak before Barty on Saturday cruised into the Japan was rewarded for his fi rst PSG goal Neymar eventually found a way past fought back to 7-7. She then forced Open fi nal, thrashing David Goffi n in midweek at Galatasaray with a full Butelle in the fi nal minute, rounding the Dutchwoman into an error and 6-3, 6-4. In the fi nal, Djokovic will Ligue 1 debut. The capital city club re- the ‘keeper and slotting into an empty won the match on her next match face Australian qualifi er John Mill- mained without the injured Edinson net to complete a straightforward out- point to advance. man, who squeezed past American Cavani, while Kylian Mbappe missed ing for PSG with his fourth goal of the Fourth seed Osaka beat defend- opponent Reilly Opelka 6-3, 7-6 out after suff ering a setback in his re- campaign. Paris St Germain’s Mauro Icardi celebrates scoring their second goal yesterday. (Reuters) ing champion Caroline Wozniacki (7/4).

Sunday, October 6, 2019 GULF TIMES

QATAR ARABIAN TROPHY DES JUMENTS FOCUS 11 top Arabians set to unleash turbos in Qatar Sheikh Mohamed’s Arabian World Cup

By Our Correspondent mile-long (Group 1 PA) Qatar In- Paris ternational Stakes at Goodwood in July. He will be steered by . leven classy purebred Al Shaqab Racing’s Khattab Raahah wins Gr1PA Arabians with rich was the runner-up in the Qatar records of black type Arabian World Cup last year. ‘She has improved enormously lately and came into this race in top form’ winnings and placings The Thomas Fourcy-trained willE be in the fray for the world’s seven-year-old grey son of Amer top racing event for Arabians; was last seen at Deauville when the Qatar Arabian World Cup he fi nished third in the (Group (Gr1/PA). France’s iconic Paris- 1 PA) Doha Cup over the same Lonchamp will host the €1mn distance in August. His latest race for four-year-old and older win was at Toulouse when he pure Arabians over 2000m just landed the (Group 2 PA) Prix De 40 minutes before the Qatar Prix Carthage – Hannibal over 2000 de l’Arc de Triomphe race, today. metres. He will be ridden by Jer- Among the 11 runners, six Qa- ome Cabre. tari-owned horses will seek to Khalifa bin Hamad bin Kha- take the cup back home. lifa al-Attiyah’s Rodess Du Loup The list includes a trio owned fi nished sixth in the 2018 edition and bred by His Highness Sheikh of the Qatar Arabian World Cup. Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani. The Charles Gourdain fi ve-year- The Alban de Mieulle-trained old grey son of Dahess fi nished Tayf fi nished second in his last fourth in his last outing, a listed two outings; a listed mile race at mile race at Baden Baden last Baden Baden in September and month. His record includes be- the mile-long (Group 1 PA) Qatar ing the runner up of the (Group International Stakes at Good- 1) Doha Cup at Deauville and the wood in July. winner of the (Group 1 PA) Presi- However, the seven-year- dent of the UAE Cup at Don- old grey son of Amer won the caster over the same distance in (Group 1 PA) UAE Cup at the August and September 2018 re- same course (ParisLonchamp) spectively. He will have Charles and distance in May. He fi nished Gourdain in the saddle. nearer last than fi rst in the Qa- The other fi ve contenders in- tar Arabian World Cup last year. clude two who won their last out- He will be partnered by Ronan ings and three who were placed Thomas. Another De Mieulle’s when they were last seen. The P. charge, Yazeed, was a winner Collington-trained Mashhur Al when was last called out. The Khalediah won a listed mile race six-year-old grey son of Munjiz comfortably in front of Tayf and won the (Group 1 PA) Qatar Gold Rodess Du Loup at Baden Baden Sword over the same distance at last month. He will be ridden by Al Rayyan Park, Doha, in April. Jean-Bernard Eyquem. The Pol- He fi nished fi fth in the Qatar ska AKF SP. Z.O.O.-owned and QREC CEO Nasser bin Sherida al-Kaabi presents the trophy to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani (right) after Raahah won her first Group 1 (PA) at the Qatar Arabian World Cup last year. He M. Kacprzyk-trained Salam Al Arabian Trophy des Juments at ParisLongchamp yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim will have as his Khalediah won a Group 3 (PA) partner. The Antoine de Watri- event over 2600 metres at Var- By Our Correspondent straight. He gamely held off his challeng- gant-trained Marid fi nished sovie in August. He will have Paris ers, but Skalleti, who had not moved un- second last time and that was in Szczepan Mazur in the saddle. til two-furlongs out, came easily up the the (Group 1 PA) Doha Cup over The Qatar-sponsored event rail to challenge him in the fi nal furlong. the same distance at Deauville underlines the success of QREC’s n the presence of His Highness Skalleti, who was supplemented for in August. The last win of the vision of promoting Qatar as a Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al- this Group 2, placed a sharp acceleration four-year-old grey colt of TM leader in the pure Arabian breed. Thani and His Highness Sheikh Mo- to pull away and win by three quarters of Fred Texas was in October 2018 The use of World Cup in the title hamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatari- a length. Mountain Angel held on easily when he landed the (Group 1 PA) is very appropriate in view of the Iowned horses continued the dazzle when for second place under Olivier Peslier. Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pou- fact that it has attracted runners the His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin The Charlie Appleby-trained Line Of lains over the same distance at from a myriad of diff erent coun- Khalifa al-Thani-owned and bred Raa- Duty (Galileo) fi nished almost a length Saint-Cloud. He will be guided tries: Qatar, the Netherlands, hah (Asraa Min Albarq) won her fi rst behind in third under William Buick. by Harry Bentley. Russia, , Morocco, Tur- Group 1 (PA), recording her fi rst success His Highness Sheikh Mo- key, Great Britain and France. on her seventh attempt, when she landed THE REVENANT STORMS HOME IN GR2 hamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Qatar has dominated the world’s the Gr1 PA Qatar Arabian Trophy des Ju- QATAR Ebraz fi nished third in the Qatar top Arabian event for the last ten ments for four-year-old mares at Paris- Five runners lined up in the Gr2 Qatar Arabian World Cup last year. The years through the runners of His Longchamp on Day 1 of the Qatar Prix de Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr2), over a Julian smart-trained six-year- Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin l’Arc de Triomphe weekend yesterday. mile at ParisLongchamp on the Saturday old grey son of Amer won his Khalifa al-Thani, His Highness The black type 2,000m race carrying a of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last outings. He won the (Group Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al- purse of €150,000 was hotly contested, weekend. Impulsif (Dubawi) led the race 3 PA) Shadwell – Coupe Du Sud- Thani and Al Shaqab Racing and with a closely fought fi nish between the at a steady pace, with the favourite Ol- Ouest Des Pur-Sang Arabes over our Arabians are in a bid to con- François Rohaut-trained and François- medo (Wootton Bassett) keen in behind. 1900m at La teste Buch and the tinue this domination. Xavier Bertras-ridden Raahah, who won The Revenant (Dubawi), who was mak- by a neck. Jockey FX Bertras celebrates his win after riding Raahah. ing his return to the track having been off The Elizabeth Bernard-trained and since May, sat on the rail towards the rear Jean-Bernard Eyquem-ridden Jaazmah lately and came into this race in top form. SKALLETI OPENS ARC WEEKEND WITH in the hands of Pierre-Charles Boudot Athbah fi nished in second and the Royal You need a tough runner to win today. A WIN IN GR2 QATAR before moving up to stalk the leader in Cavalry of Oman-owned and Charles Jaazmah Athbah put us under pressure The 2019 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe the fi nal turn. Gourdain-trained Vivabaina was a fur- in the fi nal 50m, but Raahah is stubborn weekend opened with the Gr2 Prix Dol- Boudot pulled him out in the straight, ther neck behind in third under Olivier and never gives up!” lar, which boasts a value of €200,000. It and once in the clear, The Revenant Peslier. Raahah was supplemented into the was won by the starting favourite, Ska- showed his predilection for the soft Drawn wide, Raahah raced on the out- race – a judicious decision by her owner lleti (Kendargent), who runs in the col- ground and stormed up the track to put side of the fi eld with no cover. Jockey FX and her trainer, François Rohaut. She ours of Jean-Claude Seroul and is trained his rivals behind him in just a few strides Bertras began asking her to accelerate in came here off a career best when placed by Jérome Reynier in Marseille. Skalleti in an authoritative display. the fi nal turn and the bay mare showed third in the Prix Nevadour (Gr3-PA) at was steady out of the stalls and sat last in The Jean-Claude Roget-trained and great bravery to battle the whole way Toulouse in August. this six-runner race over 1,950m. Christian Demuro-ridden Olmedo fi n- down the straight, holding off a strong Raahah is out of blue hen Massamarie He was ridden with perfect patience ished in second place four and a half challenge from Jaazmah Athbah. (Tidjani), dam of Metrag (Gr3-PA), by reigning champion jockey Pierre- lengths further back with the Carlos Laf- “She was very unlucky last time out, Mared Al Sahra (Gr1-PA) and the Cham- Charles Boudot. The English raider, fon-Parias-trained and Maxime Guyon- not any fault of hers but due to another pion Ebraz, who runs in the 2019 renewal Mounatain Angel (Dark Angel), trained ridden Shaman (Shamardal) completing runner,” commented winning jockey FX of the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1-PA) by Roger Varian, led the race from the the podium further three quarters of a Ebraz, which finished third in the Qatar Arabian World Cup in 2018, is one Bertras. “She has improved enormously today. off and accelerated coming out of the length behind. of the entries for the €1mn race to be hosted at ParisLongchamp.

QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE Enable looks forward to making history By Our Correspondent tar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is Vaclav Luka-trained Nagano Paris very special as it refl ects the high Gold will be ridden by Mickael standard of racing in Qatar and, Barzalona. The 5YO son of Six- in particular, of the HH The Amir ties Icon came third in the Gr2 fi eld of 12 will be there Sword Festival. Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de at ParisLongchamp It is also a demonstration of Deauville over 2500m in August today awaiting the the success of QREC’s strategy of when he was last seen. His most start signal for the enhancing local racing to produce recent win was in April when he €5,000,000A Qatar Prix de l’Arc horses capable to contest at races won the listed Prix Lord Sey- de Triomphe. The one-of-kind of the calibre of the Arc. French mour over 2400m. race for 3-year-old and older King will be partnered by Olivier The Aidan O’Brien-trained star thoroughbreds is sure to be Peslier. Magical will have Donnacha extra thrilling from start to fi nish The Andre Fabre-trained O’brien astride. The 4YO bay throughout its 2,400 metre-dis- Waldgeist will be ridden by fi lly of Galileo, half-sister of tance with the defending cham- Pierre-Charles Boudot. Waldgeist, was victorious in her pion Enable present. The 5YO chestnut son of Gali- last call out, landing the Gr1 QIP- The 5YO bay mare of Nath- leo won his last run when he CO Irish Champion Stakes over aniel is going to face the great- scored the Gr1 Qatar Prix Foy 2000m in September. Before that est challenge of her career in her over 2400 metres in Septem- she fi nished second to Enable the bid to be the fi rst horse ever to Enable goes for third straight Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. ber. In his previous outing, he His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani’s French Kiss carries Darley Yorkshire Oaks. record a third straight victory of fi nished third behind Enable in Qatar’s hopes. Will the extraordinary Enable the world’s best race. was partnered by Frankie Det- 4YO chestnut colt of French Fif- the King George VI And Queen The Katsuhiko Sumii-trained bay colt of Harbinger won his lat- take all the beating and prove Continuing her extraordinary tori, who steered her to land the teen has had an incredible series Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes in July. Kiseki will have Christophe Sou- est run, scoring the Gr2 Sapporo that is hard to envisage anything record, the John-Gosden’s ward Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe of success this year. He landed The Charlie Appleby-trained millon in the saddle. The 5YO Kinen over 2000m in August. getting in front of her? Will has won 3 group ones this year; in 2017 and 2019. The Italian the Gr1 HH The Amir Trophy in Ghaiyyath will be ridden by Wil- son of Rulership fi nished third The third of the Japanese trio Magical pose a threat? Will the namely, the Coral Eclipse over master jockey has a lion’s share February, the Gr 2 Carl Jaspers- liam Buick. The 4YO bay colt of behind Waldgeist in Qatar Prix is the Takahisa Tezuka-trained improving Japan confi rm that 2000m in early July, the King of the Arc titles with six victories Preis in May, the Gr 2 Grosser Dubawi won the Gr 1 Longines Foy. He last visited the winners’ Fierement, who will be steered he cannot be disregarded? Will George VI And Queen Elizabeth in his record and he will be seek- Hansa-Preis in June and the Gr 1 Grosser Preis von Baden over enclosure in October 2017 when by Christophe-Patrice Lemaire. Sottsass prove to the locals that QIPCO Stakes over 2400m three ing his seventh and straight third Longines Grosser Preis von Ber- 2400 metres in September when he won the Gr1 Kikuka Sho (Jap- The 4YO bay colt of Deep Impact they are well represented? Will weeks later and the Darley York- with Enable. lin in August last time. All four he was last seen. His previous anese St. Leger) over 3000m. fi nished third behind Blast One- French King have his own word shire Oaks over 2400m in Au- The His Highness-owned and victories were over 2400m. run was in April when he fi nished The Masahiro Otake-trained piece in the Gr2 Sapporo Kinen, to say? There will be one an- gust when she was last seen. bred French King heads the list of The presence of French King third behind WALDGEIST in the Blast Onepiece will be accompa- but before that he won the Gr1 swer at ParisLongchamp today In all three victories, Enable runners. The Henri-Alex Pantall in the 2019 renewal of the Qa- Gr 1 Prix Ganay over 2100m. nied by Yuga Kawada. The 4YO Tenno Sho over two miles. The afternoon.