14 Wednesday, March 24, 2021 Sports Ub stars to face Bikers all set to vroom former team at Barwa Grand Prix Novi Sad he 3x3 superstars Marko Savic and Dejan TMajstorovic will be pit- ted against former teammates of Qatar this weekend Dusan Bulut and Tamas Ivo- sev for the first time since a shock breakup when Serbian MotoGP and the teams’ championship. teams Ub and Novi Sad clash Losail The Hamamatsu factory’s on Day 1 of the Doha Masters Achilles heel – if such a thing on March 26-27. After months of waiting, exists in a season of such suc- The world’s 10 highest MotoGP is finally back this cess – was qualifying last sea- ranked teams will launch the weekend. The 2021 MotoGP, son, so that may be the first World Tour’s season opener Moto2 and Moto3 World thing to keep a keen eye on as in an absolutely loaded field Championships will all fire Saturday arrives. in Doha - the site of several fa- to life under the lights of Lo- LCR Honda Idemitsu’s mous 3x3 moments, including sail International Circuit at Takaaki Nakagami will be hop- the jaw-dropping decider be- the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar ing to move forward too after tween Riga (LAT) and Liman from March 26-28. a slightly more muted test, as (SRB) last November. A new reigning champion both he and new teammate The Day 1 highlight will be begins the year on the throne, Alex Marquez (LCR Honda the clash between new-look 1. Led by legendary duo Simon Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ec- Castrol) suffered a few crashes Novi Sad and beefed-up Ub Finzgar and Gasper Ovnik, the star) even as eight-time world – the latter also injuring his in what will surely be an emo- Slovenians are always formi- champion Marc Marquez foot but ready to head back tionally charged contest. dable opposition while Mon- (Repsol Honda Team) on out for Round 1. Both fought Savic and Majstorovic had treal Masters 2019 winners medical advice will miss the for podiums last year and Alex been core pieces with power- Sakiai can mix it with the best. season-opener. Marquez successfully, as a house Novi Sad, who had long Consistent Riga, who once Doha hosts the first and rookie no less. dominated the circuit until again have their full-strength second Grands Prix of the sea- Spaniard joan Mir of Team Suzuki Ecstar and Italian Valentino Rossi of Petronas Yamaha SRT will be KTM, The Austrian factory falling behind rivals Riga and lineup, will be hot favorite in son and Losail also opened its among the Moto GP stars to be seen in action at Losail International Circuit in the season-opener. ripped up the history books and Liman on last season’s short- Pool B which also features doors for all the official winter wrote a few replacements in ened World Tour. new-look No.7 seed Amster- test days this year. 2020, with Brad Binder (Red Their disappointing cam- dam Talent&Pro (NED) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo SCHEDULE Bull KTM Factory Racing) win- paign triggered the most stun- No.10 Edmonton (CAN). Team) arrives with the biggest FRIDAY, MARCH 26 ning them their first MotoGP ning breakup since Brange- Pool D will be a battle of target on his back, flanked by a 13:50-14:30 Moto3 FP1; 14:45-15:25 Moto2 FP1; 15:40-16:25 MotoGP FP1; 18:10-18:50 Moto3 FP2; 19:05-19:45 Moto2 FP2; 20:00-20:45 MotoGP FP2 race – and his new teammate lina split. red, white and blue with NY flotilla of Yamahas as the test- SATURDAY, MARCH 27 Miguel Oliveira then adding Without their two guns, Harlem and Princeton playing ing timesheets saw the Aussie 13:25-14:05 Moto3 FP3; 14:20-15:00 Moto2 FP3; 15:15-16:00 MotoGP FP3; 17:30-17:45 Moto3 Q1; 17:55-18:10 Moto3 Q2; 18:25-18:40 Moto2 two more wins for KTM as well No.6 seed Novi Sad have been for American bragging rights. and his teammate Francesco Q1; 18:50-19:05 Moto2 Q2; 19:20-19:50 MotoGP FP4; 20:00-20:15 MotoGP Q1; 20:25-20:40 MotoGP Q2 as becoming the first Portu- written off but it would be fool- No.4 seed NY Harlem have SUNDAY, MARCH 28 Bagnaia bookend a top five 14:40-15:00 Moto3 WARM-UP; 15:10-15:30 Moto2 WARM-UP; 15:40-16:00 MotoGP WARM-UP; 17:00 Moto3 RACE (18 laps); 18:20 Moto2 RACE (20 guese premier class winner. ish to write off any team with terrible memories of Doha reigned by Ducati and Yamaha. laps); 20:00 MotoGP RACE (22 laps). Friday practice, qualifying Dusan Bulut aka ‘Mr Bullut- having failed to get out of Miller will definitely be and then finally the first race proof’. But No.3 seed Ub, who Day 1 last year, but they have one to watch as the lights go of the year are often a wiser lit- made the final of the Hungary a stronger squad this time out, however, as will Bagnaia. though. Three Yamahas ended So too has nine-time world he went out on track, and in- mus test. Iker Lecuona (Tech3 Masters last year, loom as a around led by highlight reel Losail has also seen the Borgo the test within less than a tenth champion Valentino Rossi creasing expectation has so KTM Factory Racing) will be formidable opponent as they Dominique Jones aka ‘Disco Panigale factory enjoy some and a half of Miller at the top: (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the far been backed up by ever- looking for more this year too hunt for a title. Domo’ and Joey King. serious success of late, and Maverick Vinales (Monster legendary Italian – never one increasing pace. as he starts his second sea- Locals Lusail (QAT) will be No.5 seed Princeton were the stage is set for the Bolo- Energy Yamaha MotoGP), to push for a stunner in testing And then there’s Suzuki. son, needing to move up from hoping to make it more than a runners-up in the World Tour gna bullets to start the season Fabio Quartararo (Monster but still near the top ten – was Seventh and eighth was where where he ended testing, and two-horse race in Pool C. Final 2019 but only played in full throttle. Then there are Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and full of enthusiasm after the reigning champion Joan Mir new arrival Danilo Petrucci In Pool A, No.1 seed Liman once last year - a quarter-finals the likes of Johann Zarco ei- last year’s Championship run- five days on track that pref- and Suzuki Ecstar teammate (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) will be on a mission like Tom finish in Doha. ther as the Frenchman moves ner up Franco Morbidelli (Pet- aced the season. Alex Rins ended the Qatar will be interesting to watch too Cruise as they aim for redemp- They won’t have superstar to Pramac Racing and has ever ronas Yamaha SRT). Vinales Just behind them, sixth in Test, and the feedback has as he adapts to his new bike. tion after agonizing defeats Robbie Hummel, but Kareem more experience with the Ital- starts the year settled in, Mor- testing saw Aprilia come to the been positive. Consistently fast The stage is set, the flood- last year to Riga in Doha and Maddox can fly higher, while ian machine, also proving his bidelli likewise. Quartararo fore. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia and consistently threatening in lights are primed and the grid the Jeddah Final. shooter Craig Moore always mettle in testing. switches to the factory Yamaha Racing Team Gresini) put the 2020, nothing in testing said is ready to start another roller- Liman face tricky No.8 wants more two-pieces. The timesheets in testing squad, but seems to have im- Noale factory’s nearly all-new Suzuki won’t be out the blocks coaster season of racing with seed Piran (SLO) and No.9 The third team in the group were far from a one-trick pony mediately found his footing. bike right up there every time to defend both the riders title the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar. Sakiai Gulbele (LTU) on Day will come from qualification. Mizo Amin inspires ACS Doha’s players

really excited in continuing the Mizo’s visit coincided with the occasion of ACS legacy towards greatness. We International School Doha’s tie-up with BE Basketball, are looking forward to new bas- Qatar’s leading basketball provider ketball starting at ACS Doha.” Mizo underlined the im- portance of basketball and Vinay Nayudu basketball pro’s visit to their sport, saying “The importance Doha school campus, the ACS Doha of sports in today’s world is students opened up in a big life-changing . If you go back Mizo Amin, captain of Al way asking him various ques- in time and see most people Rayyan Sports Club and Qa- tions about the sport, his train- only thought about football tar National basketball team, ing and the keys to success. but now students like these and who emerged as the top- Making an instant rap- have the chance and facilities scorer member for Qatar at port with the young basketball to practice with professional the 2016 FIBA Challenge players, Mizo said, “I love bas- basketball coaches to get their in , Iran, and also rep- ketball, it’s also a sport which skills developed right. All this resented Qatar in the AIBA has given me everything. and their passion for sport will World Cup Qualifiers 2019 Fi- Whatever I have excelled and have a huge impact on their nal Round against Australia, achieved is becuase of the future. The beauty of sport at a on Sunday shared his expe- sport. I am the person who professional level is something rience in a motivational talk I am is because of what the else and I am delighted that with students of ACS Interna- game taught and gave me. these school kids are being giv- tional School Doha. “Being the youngest in the en a great platform to express Mizo’s visit coincided with team and looking up to the themselves to see, learn and the occasion of ACS Interna- champions before me was an dream big. tional School Doha’s tie-up inspiration. Being a part of a “The basketball culture has with BE Basketball, Qatar’s national team which has been been developing all over Asia leading basketball provider, ranked 7th in Asia, and mak- and all over the world in a big helping people of all ages and ing the first eleven is quite an way. There are many Asian abilities reach their full poten- achievement,” he said. countries which are naturally tial on and off the court. “Playing sports helps you Al Rayyan and Qatar National basketball team captain Mizo Amin during his motivational talk to ACS International School Doha players. basketball-addicted like The The 29-year-old Mizo, who stay healthy, stay in shape, Phlippines, Lebanon and many has also won the award for be- makes your mind sharper and ketball since the age of five. He can make a career out of that,” Asian nations. In Qatar, now ing the Best 3-Point Shooter helps manage stress,” he told began his professional playing he explained. like what we can see the kids in GCC, was warmly received the young players. However, he career in 2009. Passionate Mizo also welcomed ACS taking up to this sport is a sign by ACS Doha coach Duane also asked them to make sure about basketball, his talent Doha’s decision to have BE of the good and big future for Smith, Athletic Director Chris that they keep working hard. was recognized by his father Basketball on board to guide sport and life. Quinn and ACS International “To stay humble, and to never and coach Hassan Abdelmoaty their basketball players. “It’s “Sport is not about only School Doha’s Middle and let your ego in the way. You Amin who put him on court a great decision to go with BE playing basketball, it’s about High School students and should never stop learning only to excel. Basketball. They work with having the sporting spirit, it’s members of the and there’s always a new To a question about the best the best players in the league. about giving to the society, school’s bas- thing to learn in basketball teams in Asia, Mizo A friend of mine who worked it’s about being leaders, about ketball teams. basketball,” he said, “Australia play beauti- with BE Basketball took the one’s behaviour towards oth- Delight- stressed. ful basketball, they are ranked Best Player of The Year award ers. Being in sport does affect ed at the For a player 4th internationally. We’ve (Qa- so you are now in team with children in a very, very positive who is considered tar) played Serbia recently and the very best, the best coaches, way,” he added. one of the top five three- Australia too. great development of skills And when the ACS Doha point shooters in Asia, Mizo “Starting in the early 2010s coaches. Take advantage of players took to the court to ex- has been playing bas- we were up there in the top Mizo Amin autographs a wrist band for a young ACS Doha player. that. They can really add to hibit their 3-Point skills, they four or six teams in Asia (which your might,” he said. excelled and the best were includes China, Japan, Chinese the top six or seven. These Mizo told the youngsters Ben Smith, Managing Part- awarded Mizo’s autographed , Iran, The Philippines two teams are already above to get your 3-point show right. ner and Head Coach of BE Bas- t-shirt and a wrist band. etc). Now Australia and New the Asian level, they’ve always “When I was young, I wasn’t ketball, said, “We’ve had a long He also gave the players Two of ACS International Zealand too have been added competed with Europe and the tallest player, in fact I was standing relationship at the old a mantra on how to excel on School Doha basketball to Asian competition which has America. Given the changes, one of the shortest. I would play campus where ACS became the court: “Be brave. Take risks. players in action during taken the level of competition Qatar’s level has dropped a bit in the points guard position. championship winning team. Nothing can substitute experi- Qatar player Mizo more higher. but we are shall soon be back Then, I developed the 3-point You can imagine the legacy ence”, he reminded, recalling it Amin’s visit on Sunday. “So now it is a big challenge to challenging the very best long range scoring ability and you are going to portray in the from one of his favourite novels for any national team to be in again.” that can be a life-saviour as you years ahead so BE Basketball is of Paulo Coelho.