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ASIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGIN IN TODAY Eyes on Samba; siblings Femi & Tosin ready to hold sway Raajiv Tripathi perform up to the expectations. DOHA I’m always ready to anything that brings name and fame to After suffered two big Qatar. Right now, my focus has setbacks in absence of world shifted from 100m to 200m. I champion Mutaz Essa Barshim need this to build myself strong- and 400m world bronze med- er so that I can return to where allist , the I started my athletics career – spotlight will not only zero in on one-lap race. world 400m hurdle sensation “I need to spend some more at the time before I can get into the Asian Athletics Championships rhythm for 400m. We’re try- but also on Ogunode sprint sib- ing to prepare a good team. lings Femi and Tosin. Haroun, Samba and I are in the The four-day continental team. We’re looking for a run- championship, which is a trial ner who can do about 45 or 46. run for the upcoming IAAF Once that guy joins us, we can World Championships, gets challenge for a world level med- under way at the iconic Khalifa will look to make a comeback in the al,” Femi added. International Stadium here on competition. Tosin, the Asian indoor Sunday. 60m record holder, is adapting Last season, Samba indeed the 100m well under new coach made the world sit up and take Yanko Bratanov. Last year, he his note as he went on to be- dashed to the silver medal in the come the second fastest runner . After his training in his event. After posting his in Europe, the 25-year-old run- personal best in one lap race ner has not set any particular in Pretoria, he has proved he time target for himself. is the shape for his important “I want to run as fast as I competitions at home. Besides can. I want to go slow and take his 400m hurdles, the Asian one race at a time. I was doing Games and Asian champion well in 60m at a time but my will take part in the 4x400m new coach wants me to focus relay as Qatar are preparing a on 100m, 200m and 4x100m strong quartet with an eye on relay. It is too early to say any- the future. thing. The 100m and 200m With Haroun getting in- Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba will are tough, which is good for jured during a practice session have the spotlight on him during me. I like the challenges and and choosing to pull out of the the Asian Athletics Championships hopefully, the strong races Asians, Qatar’s test for the fu- which starts on Sunday at the will push me to bring the best ture 4x400m relay has taken Khalifa International Stadium. Tosin Ogunode will represent Qatar in the 100m, 200m and out of me.” a blow for the time being. It is 4x100m races. Tosin is also targeting to do not clear how long Haroun will well in the this take to recover. Should he get Barshim was also declared in the worlds at home later this of the 200m mark, is excited Femi, who is also seeking a world Championships and we season. “The Diamond League well soon, he may get a chance fit but his coach seems to be year – the biggest goal for him to return to action and will be career in football after he hangs have the Olympics next year. So will be my next big challenge to showcase Qatar’s strength in against him competing in these right now. doing 200m and both relays. up his spikes, said on the eve of I’m planning to do my best and this season. Hopefully, I can ex- the World Relays Champion- championships. The Olympic Femi, who shares His younger brother Tosin will the championship, “I’m fit, feel- see how far I can go. ploit these opportunities to be ships, to be held in Yokohama, Games silver medallist is plan- 100m record with Chinese Su contest in 100m, 200m and ing good and happy to return “We’re a strong and young ready for the Doha worlds later Japan in May. ning to defend his gold medal Bingtian but is a sole holder 4x100m relay. to action. This is the year of the team. Hopefully, we’ll be able to in the year.” Qatar’s Dahlan re-elected as Asian Athletics Association President Tribune News Network AAF elected executive members DOHA President Tigor M. Tanjung (INA) Dahlan al Hamad of Qatar Dahlan al Hamad (QAT) Ching Cheng Wang (TPE) Roland Saade (LEB) has been retained as the Asian Senior Vice-President Karim Bin Ibrahim (MAS) Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop tests positive for blood-booster EPO. Athletics Association Presi- Maj. Gen. Surapong Ariyamongkol (THA) Tsewang Rinzing (BHU) dent for another term. Maj (R) Md Talip Md Tahir (BRU) At the Asian Athletics Vice-President (five) Shagea Mohammed al Maqdashi (YEM) Kenya’s Kiprop banned Congress in Doha on Satur- Wang Nan (CHN) Hiroshi Yokokawa (JPN) Women Members (three) day, attended by 45- member Mohammad Jumah (KUW) Stepanisheva Tatyana (TKM) federations, Hamad was re- Maj.Gen. (R) Muhammad Akram Sahi (PAK) Mala Sakonhninhom (LAO) despite multi-pronged elected for the term of 2019- Andrey Abduvaliev (UZB) Filomena Barros Dos Reis (TLS)

2023. Individual Members (eight) Legal Adviser doping defence Dahlan secured 30 of the Kwan Kee (HKG) Loh Lin Kok 45 votes while his Jordanian afp tive, Katwa Kigen, presented rival Saad al Hiyasat could Paris an “a la carte menu of reasons manage only 13. The three- Asian athletics. women members were elect- why the charges should be dis- way fight for the coveted Maj. Gen. Surapong Ariy- ed on the governing coun- Kenya’s former 1500m Olym- missed.” post was reduced to two af- Dahlan al Hamad of Qatar speaks after the 23rd Congress of the amongkol (Thailand) was cil. They are: Vice-President pic champion Asbel Kiprop was Among these, the AIU said, ter UAE’s Nasser al Maamari Asian Athletics Association re-elected him as the President in Doha elected as the Senior Vice- Wang Nan (), Women suspended Saturday for taking were that the “EPO was natu- withdrew his candidacy at the on Saturday. President, beating his closest Members Stepanisheva Taty- blood-booster EPO despite of- rally produced due to intense last moment. rival from Dr Lalit Ku- ana (), Mala fering what the Athletics Integ- exercise at altitude,” that it was Following his victory, to all 45 member federations his work to take all member mar Bhanot 25-19. Sakonhninhom (Laos) and rity Unit (AIU) called an “a la produced by medication, that Dahlan, also IAAF Vice-Pres- for trusting in his leadership. federations together for de- For the first time in the Filomena Barros Dos Reis carte menu of reasons why the the test, or the analysis, was ident, expressed his gratitude He also pledged to continue veloping and strengthening history of Asian athletics, four (Timor-Leste). charges should be dismissed”. badly conducted or that the The 29-year-old, a three- sample was spiked. time world champion at His ban is backdated to last 1500m, failed an out of compe- February. tition test in November 2017. “I am totally innocent. It’s He was provisionally sus- unjust,” Kiprop said last year. Neymar could be back on Sunday, says PSG coach pended in 2018 ahead of the The AIU statement added ruling by the AIU, the sport’s that while Kigen presented his REUTERS hard, with a good mindset. eighth Ligue 1 title if they League club 2-0 in the first nal next Saturday, a game for independent integrity body. arguments with “tenacity and PARIS We could get him back as beat Monaco at the Parc des leg at Old Trafford. which Tuchel is also hoping The AIU said in its state- charm” the International Asso- soon as tomorrow,” Tuchel Princes. With Edinson Cavani to be able to bring on captain ment that Kiprop had “at ciation of Athletics Federations striker Neymar told a news conference. With Neymar miss- also out injured lately, and Thiago Silva who sustained a various times and various for- (IAAF) representative Ross could return to playing Neymar, who has scored ing from action, PSG were several key players unfit, the muscle injury last weekend. mats...proposed a number of Wenzel had argued that “none on Sunday when Paris St 13 goals from 13 league ap- knocked out of the Cham- side have picked up only one PSG, who have 81 points possible explanations” for the of the various reasons pro- Germain take on Monaco pearances this season, has pions League last 16 after point from their last three from 32 games, lead second- positive test. posed...when subject to strict in Ligue 1, coach Thomas been out of action since pick- losing the return leg 3-1 at Ligue 1 games. placed Lille by 17 points. It went on to state that at scrutiny had any plausibility.” Tuchel said on Saturday. ing up a foot injury in Janu- home to Manchester Unit- They will take on Stade Lille travel to Toulouse on the hearing his representa- “He has been working ary. PSG will clinch their ed. They beat the Premier Rennais in the French Cup fi- Sunday.