FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 4 CCYCLINGYCLING | Page 7 Liverpool fall Ineos has answer 2-1 to Sevilla to Alaphilippe in Fenway puzzle, says boss friendly Brailsford Tuesday, July 23, 2019 CRICKET Dhul-Qa’da 20, 1440 AH Smith raring to go, GULF TIMES Khawaja expected to be fi t for Ashes SPORT Page 2 SWIMMING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Gold but no new record for Peaty, Sjostrom beaten Peaty cruises to third straight gold in the event, though his time — 57.14 — was off his Sunday’s world record of 56.88 Reuters Gwangju, South Korea hree of the most domi- nant swimmers in the world took centre stage at the world champion- Tships yesterday but only Adam Peaty and Katinka Hosszu main- tained their aura of invincibility while Sarah Sjostrom’s reign in the 100m butterfl y came to an end. A night after becoming the fi rst swimmer to go under the ‘Magic 57’ mark in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke, Peaty cruised to his third straight gold in the event, though his time — 57.14 — was off his world record of 56.88 set in Sunday’s semis. “I’m very happy, but... there is (also) a little bit of disappoint- ment in me, but I think that’ll fuel me for next year as I want to go even faster — for now though, I’ll enjoy the moment,” he said. With teammate James Wilby taking the silver, Peaty said Brit- ain was setting the bar in the breaststroke. Katinka Hosszu (also below) of Hungary competes in the women’s 200m individual medley final in the 18th “It’s looking like Britain is a FINA World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, yesterday. (Reuters) stronghold for breaststroke and it has been for a long time now,” While other swimmers at the he said. From the outside it world championships applauded No less dominant is Hosszu, might seem just another his stance, the 23-year-old has who cruised to her fourth world gold but obviously for received death threats from Chi- title in the 200m individual med- ‘ me it’s defi nitely special nese fans on social media over his ley in a time of 2:07.53. China’s Ye to be here and being able to protest. Shiwen took the silver and Cana- win this title “Obviously death threats on da’s Sydney Pickrem the bronze. — Katinka Hosszu, something like this is pretty in- It has been a turbulent year after her 200m individual sane,” said American Lilly King. for the Hungarian. The Olympic medley win “He is standing up for the right champion at both the 200 and reason so I’m sure Australia 400m split from her husband would take care of him.” and coach Shane Tusup in 2018 hoping for a medal and to beat Caeleb Dressel became the and she said the victory yester- Sjostrom to gold was “really un- fi rst American to win the men’s day was her reward for a “tough believable”. 50 butterfl y at the world cham- journey”. “She congratulated me and pionships, and while the event “From the outside it might was just super-nice and so great continues to have a low profi le in seem just another gold medal but and I have looked up to her for- the United States he said it was obviously for me it’s defi nitely ever so it means the world.” slowly gaining traction. special to be here and being able With the swimming world “The 50 strokes are a little to win this title,” she added. Adam Peaty of Britain competes in the men’s 100m breaststroke final in the 18th FINA World Swimming still debating Mack Horton’s re- weird in the United States,” he Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, yesterday. (Reuters) fusal to share a podium with Sun added. “We are starting to do DEATH THREATS Yang on Sunday over the Chinese them more and more but it’s not Sjostrom had no excuses for her Margaret MacNeil end her run “I wish I could complain and ally had a pretty good race with “It’s just the back-end speed, swimmer’s doping history, FINA really a thing. defeat in the 100m butterfl y as of three straight victories at the say I got water in my goggles or good turns, good start,” said the but maybe that’s just age.” said it had warned the Australian “I guess it’s good we got one she saw Canadian 19-year-old worlds. something like that but I actu- 25-year-old Swede. MacNeil said she had just been over his protest. guy in there, I’m glad it was me.” SPOTLIGHT ‘Never give up’: swimmers send moving message to Ikee AFP swimmer to win fi ve gold medals in a she needs anything,” she said. Gwangju, South Korea single individual event but was forced to Ikee, the poster girl for the 2020 To- settle for silver after a stunning race by kyo Olympics, was diagnosed with the MacNeil. cancer earlier this year and is receiving wedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom But Ikee’s illness puts her disappoint- treatment in Tokyo. led a moving tribute to Rikako ment into perspective, she said. The teenager shot to fame last year Ikee at the world championships “What is swimming compared to at the Asian Games when she secured a yesterday, calling the Japanese what she is going through? I told myself record six gold medals. Sstar a “real fi ghter” in the face of her leu- that before my race: it doesn’t matter But she tweeted in February that she kaemia diagnosis. where I come because her battle is 50 had been diagnosed with leukaemia Sjostrom stood alongside Margaret times more than anyone else in this fi - after experiencing problems during a MacNeil and Emma McKeon on the medal nal,” she added. training camp in Australia. podium with a message of support for the “I really hope she will recover and She has since said that battling the Japanese swim queen, a major rival of all come back and do what she loves. She disease has proved “thousands of times three, scrawled on their palms. loved swimming so much and I really harder” than she expected. “Never give up, Rikako Ikee,” read the think she will come back and fi ght this The young star would have been a fa- tribute, alongside two love hearts, as the cancer.” vourite to win 2020 Olympic gold in the three 100m butterfl y medallists held Canada’s MacNeil, who at 19 is the same 100 metres butterfl y and a serious medal their hands out to the camera. age as Ikee, said she and Australia’s McK- contender in the 200m freestyle in her “I hope really that she (Ikee) will bat- eon been easily persuaded by Sjostrom’s home city. tle this cancer. She is a real fi ghter and idea to reach out to the Japanese star. Japanese media said the country’s the real winner,” said Sjostrom. “She (Ikee) couldn’t be here with us main bone marrow bank was fl ooded (From left) Silver medallist Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden, gold medallist Margaret Macneil of Canada and bronze medallist The 25-year-old Swede had been today so we’re hoping that this will show with donation inquiries after Ikee re- Emma Mckeon of Australia stand on the women’s 100m butterfly podium with a message of support for Japan’s Rikako looking to become the fi rst female we’re supporting her and we’re here if ported her diagnosis. Ikee on their palms at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, yesterday. (AFP) Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 SPORT SWIMMING FINA warns Horton but fellow swimmers applaud podium protest Reuters Sun in the 400 metres freestyle Australian had full support from “I think 99 percent of (other) Gwangju, South Korea on Sunday, Olympic champion his peers. athletes around the pool deck Horton took his silver medal “We were waiting around for back him, so he’s not really and then stood behind the po- the awards ceremony just to see standing alone,” he added. ack Horton has re- dium while his Chinese rival and what was going to happen,” said “What he did was certainly ceived a warning bronze medallist Gabriele Detti the US swimmer. brave and gutsy and I have a lot from swimming’s shared the spotlight. “It was awesome. When we of respect for him for doing that.” world governing The Australian’s protest walked into the dining hall he Larkin said it was diffi cult to Mbody FINA over his refusal to prompted a round of applause walked in after us and the whole be entirely confi dent that swim- share a podium with China’s Sun from fellow swimmers at the dining hall erupted into applause. ming was clean. Yang in protest of the gold med- world championships but FINA “It was pretty good to see the “You’ve got to trust the au- allist’s doping history. said it had decided to warn Hor- athletes united on his stance and thorities but with what’s go- Sun, who had served a dop- ton over his stance. supporting him as well.” ing on in sport these days it’s ing ban in 2014 and was labelled “While FINA respects the King said swimmers were an- hard to be 100 percent sure,” a “drug cheat” by Horton before principle of freedom of speech, noyed that doping continues to he said.