TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015 SPORTS

Fagundez chooses Qatar Games bid ‘inevitable’ Ex-Barca player LUSAIL: A bid by Qatar to host the Olympics was inevitable but the tiny Riquelme retires to play for Uruguay Gulf state has not yet decided which summer Games it will bid for, the head of the country’s most powerful sports organisation said yesterday. Sheikh BUENOS AIRES: Juan Roman Riquelme, who made 51 appearances for Argentina’s MALDONADO: New England Revolution forward Diego national team and also played in Spain for Villarreal and Barcelona, has announced Fagundez is placing his international football future with Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Secretary General and CEO of the Qatar Olympic Committee, told AFP that no final decision had been made on bid- his retirement. The 36-year-old Riquelme, who returned to Argentina in 2008 to Uruguay - the land of his birth - and not with the United States, ding for the 2024 games. join his former team Boca Juniors, played primarily as an attacking midfielder and where he grew up and has lived since he was five. Fagundez However, he added that even if Qatar chose not to try to host the scored 17 goals for the national team. A great passer and long-range shooter, he debuted for Uruguay this month in the Olympics in nine years’ time, that would not end the energy-rich state’s played in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and led Argentina to gold in the 2008 South American Under-20 ambitions of hosting one of the world’s two biggest sporting events. “We Beijing Olympics. “It’s a special day for me,” Riquelme said. “Because I have decided Championship, which means he is no to no longer play football.” Riquelme left Boca Juniors in June of 2014 don’t know if we are going to bid for ‘24 (2024), but bidding for the and played a few matches with second-division Argentinos Juniors. longer eligible to play for the US at the Olympics it will be, I mean, either ‘24, ‘28 or ‘32,” he said. senior level. He has a Uruguayan pass- That club was promoted back to the first division at the end of last “But for the ‘24 we have not made the decision yet. The decision will year, and Riquelme said part of his retirement hinged on not want- port, but is not eligible for an American hopefully be before September.” one for several years. That’s fine with the ing to face his beloved Boca. “I can’t play against Boca,” he said. “I He added that it was “not a matter of Qatar wanting to bid, it’s a time have a special feeling. In this country, I can’t wear another shirt.” In 19-year-old winger, who has scored 22 when Qatar wants to choose to bid.” Asked if a bid was “inevitable” and just goals in four seasons with the Revolution his career with Boca, the “Xeneize” - as the team is known - a matter of timing, he responded: “Exactly.” The bidding process for the won 11 titles including three Copa Libertadores titles, and grew up in Massachusetts. Fagundez 2024 games has already begun, with Rome and Boston already declaring the top club trophy in Latin America. Riquelme says he was enticed by playing for a country their interest in hosting the Games. Qatar, which was controversially award- moved to Barcelona in 2002, but had limited suc- that has a rich football heritage like Uruguay, ed the 2022 World Cup, has long been predicted to join the list of bidders cess there. He was eventually loaned to smaller and got tired of waiting to get the right and there has even been speculation that it would co-host the event with Spanish club Villarreal, where he lifted the team in American documents. —AP another Gulf country. — AFP 2006 to the final four of the Champions League.

DAYTONA BEACH: The #02 Racing with Target/Ford EcoBoost Riley driven by (L-R) , , Jamie McMurray and receive Rolex watches after winning The Rolex 24 at Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday in Daytona Beach, Florida. — AFP Bill Haas survives scare, ’s ‘star wins Humana Challenge car’ wins Rolex 24 at Daytona CALIFORNIA: Bill Haas survived a scare at of a bunker. He took an awkward stance in the final hole to earn a one-stroke victory the sand with the ball above his feet, over five players at the $5.7 million almost at waist height, which left him DAYTONA BEACH: Chip Ganassi bristles when his “I always bought them, so I’ve finally got one for Briscoe. PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports won the Humana Challenge in the California desert needing to execute almost perfect contact No. 02 team is called the “star car.” Truth is, the free today.” Prototype Challenge class with drivers Mike on Sunday. to avoid potential disaster. “I could have moniker couldn’t be more appropriate right now. Ganassi beat defending race winner Action Guasch, Andrew Novich, Andrew Palmer and Tom Haas took the sole lead with a 10-foot whiffed (missed) that shot,” Haas told Golf Ganassi’s all-star driver lineup of three-time IndyCar Express Racing, which was driven by Joao Barbosa, Kimber-Smith. It appeared that CORE Autosport birdie at the 16th hole at the PGA West Channel after choking down on an iron champion Scott Dixon, Daytona 500 winner Jamie Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastien Bourdais, by 1.33 had that win locked up until ’s fiery Palmer course at La Quinta on his way to and successfully punching the ball 80 McMurray, Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan seconds. Racing, runner-up the last crash with roughly 20 minutes remaining brought his second victory in the event formerly yards forward. and NASCAR’s reigning top rookie Kyle Larson won two years, lost a shot to challenge Dixon when it out the final caution and ended what seemed an the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona on Sunday to realized under a caution with 20 minutes remaining easy victory. CORE Autosports owner Jon Bennett known as the Bob Hope Classic. He eventually tapped in to secure the give the team owner his record-setting sixth victory that Jordan Taylor had exceeded his allotted time could only shrug. “We did 23 hours and 46 minutes He carded a 67 to finish at 22-under-par $1.026 million first prize in front of a in 12 attempts. Ganassi made it clear he doesn’t allowed in the car. He was forced to pit from second very successfully,” he said. “I think we had small con- 266 for his sixth PGA Tour victory, leaving gallery that included former U.S. President endorse the “star car” nickname, and he and team to let older brother close out the final 9 tact with another car, which caused Colin to have a the 32-year-old only three short of catch- Bill Clinton, whose foundation is a partner manager could pick their eight drivers names out minutes of the race. tire going down. We were trying to get back, we ing his father, Jay Haas. in the tournament. Haas was as surprised of a hat to set the vaunted two-car lineup. “I don’t “It’s a bit disappointing, but we win and lose as a didn’t a splash of gas, anyway. That’s how racing is, I Fellows Americans Matt Kuchar (67), as anyone with his success in his first event know who named it, but I don’t approve of that team,” said Taylor. Ganassi’s other entry, the No. 01 love it.” The GT Daytona class was won by Riley Charley Hoffman (64), Brendan Steele (64), since early November. He suffered a frac- name,” he said. “That’s like any other car on our led by five-time winner , was in the mix Motorsports and drivers Ben Keating, Dominik Steve Wheatcroft (67) and South Korean tured left wrist when he fell down stairs team.” for the victory until the clutch broke and the team Fambacher, Al Carter, Kuno Wittmer and Cameron Park Sung Joon (65) tied for second on 21- last April, which hindered his 2014 cam- It didn’t look like any other, team, though as was forced to retire with under two hours remain- Lawrence. Keating, who is a Dodge Viper car dealer under. Kuchar had the best chance to get paign. “I didn’t think I’d be able to score Dixon drove a gritty and lengthy final leg Sunday as ing. Corvette Racing won the GT Le Mans class with and driver for the SRT team, choked back tears after to 22-under, but he missed a 10-foot birdie this week,” he said. “I was really struggling his three teammates confidently believed he’d pull drivers , Antonio Garcia and Ryan the win. — AP at the par-five 18th. hitting it where I wanted to hit it (but the) out the win. Dixon relieved Larson with 3 hours, 32 Haas parred the final hole but it was putter was unbelievably hot the first few minutes remaining in the twice-round-the-clock anything but routine after he pushed his days. “Today, still I was fighting (my swing). endurance race, and set out to conserve fuel, make Out of Africa and ready drive and his ball stopped in the short I was grinding it out until the end. This is no mistakes and follow the Ganassi strategy down rough just a couple of inches above the lip unbelievable.” — Reuters to the checkered flag. The Iceman delivered, and made it look easy, to roll on Le Tour too. He totaled more than seven hours behind the wheel of the Target/Ford EcoBoost Riley Prototype LONDON: The cut-throat world of professional athletics. All three will be vying for a Tour de France and carried the heaviest load on the team. “We had cycling has produced its fair share of villains and is spot and Ryder says they are pioneers for a sprawling such a good group of guys driving, an awesome still saddled with cynicism but even its harshest crit- continent that has blessed the world with runners team,” McMurray said. “It’s about Scott Dixon to me. ics may struggle to sneer when Doug Ryder says and footballers but few cyclists. It’s really hard to appreciate the talent that guys “Bicycles Change Lives”. That is the catchphrase of “Our theory behind the team is that Africa has have from other series until you race with them, Qhubeka, a project close to the heart of the 42-year- developed the best endurance runners so why not and it’s crazy the pace that Scott is able to have in old Ryder, which has handed out 50,000 bikes in cyclists?” South African Ryder, who competed at the the car. It’s so much fun to sit up there and watch it.” rural South Africa and Rwanda as a reward for com- Atlanta Olympics, told Reuters. It was the second win for Dixon, who was part of munity work such as growing trees or academic “Look at what African runners did 40 years, how the 2006 victory with and Dan achievement. The organisation is also the partner the likes of Kip Keino revolutionised endurance run- Wheldon. After picking up his second watch, the and inspiration behind the MTN-Qhubeka profes- ning forever. “I wouldn’t be surprised in the next New Zealander downplayed his role. “The car was sional team that, in July, will become the first African- three years that a black African rider will be on the very consistent, and I think we had good speed, but based outfit ever to start the Tour de France. podium in a Grand Tour. “I honestly believe that”. everybody pulled their weight,” he said. “Everybody “It’s a door opening that will never close,” team did what they needed to do, and that’s what gets principal Ryder, who has been involved since 2003, Attractive salaries you through this 24 hours. Everybody kept the car told Reuters. The team’s sports director Jens Zemke said an in one piece. He was speaking a day after admitting how he invite to the Tour de France is a major step forward “I can’t emphasize how big of a team effort it is. was left “hardly able to breathe” when news for African cyclists and a perfect showcase for the It’s not one person that ever wins this race. It’s emerged that MTN-Qhubeka had been granted a work of Qhubeka which receives 10 percent of all everybody involved, and this weekend everybody wildcard to compete in cycling’s blue riband event. prize money earned by the team. Of the 20-odd pro riders on the books of Africa’s “Cycling I think is 75 percent about the Tour de on the 02 team did their best job, and that was largest cycling team, about half of them are Africans, France in terms of exposure so this brings us to a obviously enough to get the victory.” and for a few, the Qhubeka (the Xhosa word mean- whole new level, “ he said. “It’s a very historical It was the first Rolex win for McMurray, Kanaan ing move forward) slogan is apt. moment for the continent.” and Larson, who felt he was so underwhelming in Take Adrien Niyonshuti, who survived the MTN-Qhubeka, resplendent in an eye-catching his debut last season that he let his team down and Rwandan genocide that killed his brothers by hiding black and white kit similar to the Juventus soccer never wanted to return to the sports car race. between two mattresses for five days, and went on team, will not just be making up the numbers Instead, he drove his own impressive three-plus to carry his country’s flag at the London 2012 though when the Tour rolls off in Utrecht. hour stint in the middle of the night, then put Olympics where he competed in mountain biking. This is no two-wheeled version of Cool Runnings together a brief but error-free run Sunday morning Another, Songezo Jim, was orphaned as a young - a film inspired by the plucky but hapless Jamaican to get the team into the time window to turn the boy and only learned to ride a bike aged 14 after bobsleigh team. Ryder, while passionate about car over to Dixon. watching in awe as the Cape Argus race sped past Qhubeka, describing the bikes they provide as “It’s crazy how much a year can do. I hated this his aunt’s home in a Cape Town township. “hand-ups” not hand-outs”, has built a team to com- race last year. I was terrible,” Larson said. McMurray In 2013 he became the first black South African pete at the top. Financial backing from South African joined AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only driv- to ride on the UCI’s elite World Tour, taking part in the telecommunications giant MTN and now Samsung LA QUINTA: Bill Haas kisses the trophy after winning the Humana Challenge golf ers to win the Daytona 500 and the Rolex, while Milan-San Remo classic. means Ryder can pay attractive salaries, provide tournament on the Palmer Private course at PGA West on Sunday in La Quinta, Kanaan joined a limited list of drivers to win both Then there is Daniel Teklehaimanot, who in 2012 state-of-the-art equipment and hire the physios and Calif. —AP Indy and the 24 Hours. became Eritrea’s first Olympian in a sport other than technicians who make cycle teams tick. —Reuters “It’s awesome, man. I love watches,” Kanaan said.