SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2016 SPORTS

Doyle on the mend Jenny Shin hopes to woo Payet plays his way back after horror tackle Walton with Kia Classic win into Euro 2016 contention CARLSBAD: Jenny Shin fired a 65 to take the halfway lead LONDON: Ireland striker Kevin Doyle said yesterday that the horrific ankle gash AMSTERDAM: Dimitri Payet received a resounding vote of approval from he sustained in Friday’s friendly against Switzerland was not as bad as first at the Kia Classic Friday and she’s hoping a victory this week could land her a full-time caddie. Shin, who is aiming France coach Didier Deschamps after the midfielder made an impressive feared and he would still be fit in time for Euro 2016 in France if selected. The return to international football with a starring role in the 3-2 win over the 32-year-old Colorado Rapids player was stretchered off in agony after falling to for her first win on the LPGA Tour, asked James Walton to carry her bag, but the veteran caddie has no shortage of Netherlands in Amsterdam on Friday. “He confirmed with us what he has the ground following a heavy tackle from Norwich defender Timm Klose. Doyle been doing with his club,” said Deschamps of Payet’s form with later tweeted a graphic photograph of the injury as he prepared to undergo a suitors seeking his expert services. “He’s tough to get-he belongs on the PGA Tour,” Shin, of South Korea, said. “I don’t West Ham United over the last months. “Every time he procedure to clean and stitch the wound at Dublin’s Mater Hospital. touched the ball, he made something happen. He has enor- He said on Saturday he will be able to resume training and start know, maybe the win could seduce him.” Shin’s bogey-free round moved her to 10-under overall and a one stroke lead mous qualities and made a massive effort. He is on top running once again within a matter of weeks. Doyle tweeted: form,” the coach told reporters after the game at the “Thanks to the plastic surgeons at the Mater Hospital, leg looks heading into the weekend at the Aviara Golf Club course. “I think it was a really good round. I hit great shots. I hit great Amsterdam Arena. Payet last played for France in June last brand new, no serious damage, back jogging in a few weeks.” The year against Albania but forced a return to the side after injury could hardly have come at a worse time for former Cork putts. I had a lot of six-footers for birdie, so it was a good day,” said Shin, who grew up in the Los Angeles area but starring roles for his London club and was preferred on City striker, who was starting his first game for Ireland since a 2-0 Friday to Anthony Martial in the French starting line-up. friendly victory over in September 2014. He now has 62 usually labours in front of family and friends. “This is the only tournament every year where I struggle to get in con- He revelled in an attacking midfield role, forcing the first caps and has scored 14 goals for his country, but will save of the match from Dutch keeper Jasper Cillessen miss Tuesday night’s friendly against Slovakia and tention,” said Shin. “It’s close to home with a lot of people watching. Last year, my coach came out and watched me after only four minutes. On the hour mark his strong run another chance to stake a claim for a place in Martin from the middle and subsequent shot struck the base of O’Neill’s squad for the Euro 2016 finals. — AFP for two days. So it was just a lot of pressure. This year, I didn’t invite anybody, just my mom.” —AFP the post. —Reuters

Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah. Meshari Al-Thefiri celebrates in . Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah delivers another faultless performance to win in Kuwait Kuwait’s champion Meshari Al-Thefiri wins MERC 2

FINTAS: A record sixth victory in the Kuwait time in a Tok Sport Mitsubishi Lancer of the Bnaider stage, south of , was International Rally was never really in doubt Evolution X, but he and co-driver Ufuk Ulocak first on the agenda and Al-Attiyah set the 2016 Kuwait International Rally — positions after SS13 (unofficial @ 15.55hrs): for Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah. The 11- benefited from Al-Nuami’s misfortune to con- benchmark with a time of 10min 45.3sec. It time FIA Middle East rally champion won all firm third place and the runner-up spot in was over 13 seconds quicker than the time set 1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Skoda Fabia R5 2hr 08min 06.1sec the 13 timed special stages at the second MERC 2. The winner’s brother Khalifa Al- by his returning R5 counterpart, Al-Suwaidi, 2. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 19min 31.0sec round of the regional series and reached the Attiyah and Cypriot navigator Savvas fin- but the real battle was taking place in MERC 2. 3. Yigit Timur (TUR)/Ufuk Uluocak (TUR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 20min 59.2sec finish in Fintas yesterday afternoon with a win- ished the event in fourth, while the Lebanese Al-Nuami reduced Al-Thefiri’s lead by 3.7 4. Khalifa Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Savvas Laos (CYP) Subaru Impreza 2hr 21min 59.5sec ning margin of 11min 24.9sec. duo of Rodolphe Asmar and experienced co- seconds, but Timur was in flying form and the 5. Khalid Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5 2hr 27min 25.3sec He and French navigator Matthieu Baumel driver Joseph Matar dropped from fifth to sev- fastest MERC 2 time saw the Turk overhaul Al- 6. Rakan Al-Rashed (SAU)/Jarkko Kalliolepo (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hr 28min 40.6sec controlled their pace at the three-day rally enth when they incurred a two-minute penal- Nuami to snatch third overall and reduce Al- 7. Rodolphe Asmar (LEB)/Joseph Matar (LEB) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hr 28min 56.2sec from start-to-finish to deliver yet another ty after the finish. Thefiri’s lead to just 8.3 seconds. 8. Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Adel Hussein (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 33min 17.5sec faultless team performance, a record 62nd Qatar’s Khaled Al-Suwaidi and Italian co- The ninth special, near the military base at 9. Vedat Diker (TUR)/Erdal Oral (TUR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 48min 05.7sec MERC rally win for the driver and an 11th for driver Giovanni Bernacchini benefited from Arifjan, ran for 15.37km. Al-Attiyah was coast- 10. Saleh Ali (KWT)/Othman Hamdar (KWT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 2hr 54min 54.0sec his navigator. the Rally 2 ruling to start the second day in ing and arrived at the stage start with an out- 11. Elie Chachati (KWT)/Naji Sfeir (LEB) Subaru Impreza 3hr 03min 43.7sec. “It was important that I won here and col- eighth overall in their Ford Fiesta R5. But the right lead of 7min 28.3sec. His only R5 rival, Al- lected the maximum points, but I wasn’t really Qatari was too far behind to make a real Suwaidi, was beginning to make a move back pushed on this rally,” said Al-Attiyah. “I would impression and, despite a string of second up the leader board from eighth position, but three stages was on the agenda for the after- 03.2sec. Al-Suwaidi overhauled Al-Rashed and like to see my rivals come back on the next ral- fastest times, he could only finish sixth and held little chance of reaching the podium. noon and both Al-Attiyah and Al-Suwaidi were moved into seventh place. lies. The car was fantastic and we managed to then climbed to fifth after Asmar’s penalty. Al-Thefiri moved a further 18 seconds markedly slower than in the morning. Al- Julai’a passed without issues for the lead- win every stage on an event that I enjoy very Saudi rookie Rakan Al-Rashed and Finnish ahead of Al-Nuami and he beat Timur by 1.8 Thefiri closed in on history with a time of ing duo and Al-Attiyah rounded off a clinical much.” navigator Jarkko Kalliolepo held seventh over- seconds to increase his MERC 2 advantage to 11min 47.4sec and gained another 12.4 sec- weekend’s work with the 13th consecutive Newly-crowned Kuwaiti national champion all before being overhauled by Al-Suwaidi. Al- 10.1 seconds. Germany’s Edith Weiss did not onds on Al-Nuami. He just needed to stay clear fastest time to seal the win by a massive Meshari Al-Thefiri, whose father Ahmed won Rashed finished his second ever rally in sixth start the stage after hitting a ditch that dam- of trouble to claim a career-best finish and his 11min 24.9sec. There was joy as well for Al- the event before it became a round of the place, however, after Al-Nuami retired. aged the radiator in SS8. She tried to make cause was made that much easier when Timur Thefiri and a first ever second-placed finish for series way back in 1981, capped a memorable The Qatari pairing of Abdullah Al-Kuwari emergency repairs, but her demise reduced dropped a chunk of time and slipped to fourth a Kuwaiti on a round of the MERC. But gearbox weekend with second overall and outright vic- and Adel Hussein returned to action under the number of drivers still running to 12. overall. problems thwarted Al-Nuami within sight of tory in the hard-fought MERC 2 category in his Rally 2 and completed the event in eighth. There were no dramas for Al-Attiyah on the Arifjan 2 provided no drama for Al-Attiyah the finish and gifted the final podium place to Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. His winning Turkey’s Vidat Diker and the Kuwaiti duo of Julai’a stage and he reached the regroup and either and the Qatari reached the start of the Timur. margin was 1min 28.2sec. Saleh Ali and Elie Chachati rounded off the service break with an overall lead of 8min final stage safe in the knowledge that his lead The regional series now moves on to Partnered by Qatar’s Nasser Al-Kuwari on international finishers in ninth, 10th and 11th 47sec. Al-Thefiri laid down the MERC 2 gaunt- was 10min 37.1sec. Al-Thefiri also stayed clear demanding special stages near the Dead Sea this occasion, he became only the second overall. let with a time of 7min 57.5sec and he pulled a of trouble in the penultimate stage and his in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan at the Kuwaiti in MERC history to reach the podium The event was organised by the Basil Salem further 20.6 seconds away from Al-Nuami, MERC 2 lead at the start of Julai’a 2 was 1min start of May. and the first to record a second-placed finish - Al-Sabah Motor Racing Club (BMRC) under the who had lost third gear and was clearly strug- the Kuwaiti duo of Mufeed Mubarak and Saad chairmanship of Sheikh Athbi Nayef Jaber Al- gling. It was also sufficient for the Kuwaiti to Al-Melaifi finished third in the MERC category Ahmad Al-Sabah and in conjunction with the extend his MERC 2 lead over Timur to 32.4 sec- at the Jordan WRC Rally in 2011. General Authority for Sport. onds at the halfway point, after the Turk was “This is the icing on the cake of a fabulous reported to have lost his way in the special weekend for me,” said a delighted Al-Thefiri. “I DAY 2 - AS IT HAPPENED stage. confirmed the Kuwait Championship yester- Al-Attiyah began the final day with a com- “I am extremely happy,” said Al-Thefiri at day and decided to push hard today. Second fortable lead of 6min 27.3sec over Thefiri after service. “Yesterday was the fourth round of the place and the podium is a fantastic result for Timur was handed a 30-second time penalty Kuwait national championship and I won the me and for motor sport in Kuwait.” on Friday evening that dropped the Turk to title. Today, I have nothing to lose and am Qatar’s Rashed Al-Nuami and Italian navi- fourth overall and third in the MERC 2 section pushing to the maximum. My lead is even gator Nicola Arena struggled with the loss of and handed Al-Thefiri an MERC 2 lead over Al- more now when Yigit lost his way in the stage. third gear on their Subaru Impreza for two Nuami of 24.8 seconds. It is a dream to be second. It has not hap- stages and retired from third position with Only 10 of the 13 starters had completed pened for a Kuwaiti driver on this event ongoing gearbox issues with one stage to go, the first day, but the three drivers who hit before.” “There is no competition, unfortunate- although they maintained the unofficial MERC problems were re-classified in Rally 2 on ly, in my category here,” said leader Nasser 2 championship advantage after two rounds. Saturday morning. Khalid Al-Suwaidi rejoined Saleh Al-Attiyah. “With the new points system in eighth overall, Abdullah Al-Kuwari was it was important that we finished both days, TWO-MINUTE PENALTY ninth and Vidat Diker was 13th. but I am taking it easy now. This is one of my Yigit Timur lost his way in one stage for a The first of two runs through the 16.61km favourite rallies.” A repeat run through the Zain successfully concludes main sponsorship of GulfRun 11 KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunica- International Circuit, in addition to having tions company in Kuwait, concluded its taken advantage of the opportunity to gain main sponsorship of the 11th edition of valuable insights with the help of qualified GulfRun, the region’s most popular motor- trainers and experienced professional sport activity. The conclusion of this year’s instructors. GulfRun activities was marked by a final race The latest GulfRun event in the Kingdom that was held at Bahrain International of Bahrain was considered to be a true test Circuit. of participants’ motorsport skills, where they Zain’s sponsorship of the latest edition of had the chance to take part in several train- this unique motorsport event is in line with ing procedures in preparation for the final the company’s belief in supporting the race that was extremely popular with pro- youth and sports sectors, and encouraging fessional and amateur racers alike. the various sporting initiatives that cater to To promote GulfRun in Kuwait before the young people in Kuwait. The event wit- event, several activities were held including nessed an impressive participation of an exciting Sport Cars Show that took place motorsport enthusiasts from across the at Murooj, where participants showcased region, both during the Kuwait and Bahrain their exquisite high-speed cars and thrilled phases. visitors. Additionally, two Karting Endurance GulfRun is considered an ideal and safe races (12-hour and 24-hour) were held at alternative to street racing, which threatens Kuwait’s SIRBB Circuit as part of the program the lives of many people, many of them that attracted a large, thrill-seeking crowd. young drivers, every year. Motorsport enthu- By sponsoring this event Zain also looks siasts were able to showcase their talents to highlight its dedication to applying safety within professional and certified grounds measures while driving on the roads of during the final race at the Bahrain Kuwait, especially for the country’s youth. Kuwait International Rally organisers at the finish of the event.