Bassem, Gunder Shine with Champions Tour Win at Home ‘I Am So Happy to Have Got This Win
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 RRUGBYUGBY | Page 6 We’ll qualify England see despite off Pumas setback, says in scrappy Italy coach opener Sunday, November 12, 2017 TENNIS Safar 23, 1439 AH Injury fears cloud GULF TIMES Nadal-Federer dream clash at Tour Finals SPORT Page 4 EQUESTRIAN Bassem, Gunder shine with Champions Tour win at home ‘I am so happy to have got this win. Thank God it happened at the right time. I’m so happy. It’s amazing’ By Sahan Bidappa Doha sensational Bassem Hassan Mohamed and his 11-year-old gelding Gunder brought the crowd to its feet as the Qatari Arider completed a famous victory at the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha. At the Al Shaqab arena last night, Bassem was the darling of the crowd after the 30-year-old brought home Gunder in style to register his fi rst win on home soil. Bassem had fi nished runner-up last year in one of the GCT CSI5* events in Doha. However, this was his second victory on the GCT Grand Prix. In 2014, he had become the fi rst Qatari to win an LGCT Grand Prix when he rode Victoria to victory in Monaco. He also has two runner-up fi nishes and a bronze medal on the Tour. But to do it in front of the vociferous home crowd, which turned out in good numbers at Al Shaqab arena, it was a night of dreams for Bassem. The 2014 Asian Games gold medallist had made his intentions clear when he had pro- duced a fl awless round to qualify for the CSI5* 1.55/1.60m class jump-off . Qatar’s Bassem Hassan Mohamed (second from left) won ahead of Switzerland’s Janika Sprunger (left) and Sweden’s Peder Bassem was the fi fth to go in the Fredricson (right). PICTURES: Lotfi Garsi nine-rider jump-off fi eld. With expec- tations quite high from the crowd, the prepared very hard for this class and Qatari rider handled the pressure im- I’m happy that this win happened. I maculately. was quick between the fences and there It was a tricky course, featuring two we had time to go over well,” he said. Qatar’s Bassem Hassan Mohamed rides around the Al Shaqab arena on Gunder huge oxers along the grandstand, and On how he handled the pressure of after his win yesterday. a sliding vertical to fi nish, but Bassem performing in front of the home crowd, and Gunder rose to the occasion spec- Bassem said: “Of course, there is pres- as the star Dutch rider had also won the Bertram. “We’ve had plenty of ups and tacularly. The pair cruised home in 35.31 sure. Everybody here (in Qatar) wanted 2017 Global Champions Tour overall ti- downs but at least we fi nished on a re- seconds, the fastest time till then. But me to win, I wanted to make everybody tle in the penultimate leg in Rome. His ally great note.” with four more pairs yet to fi nish, it was a and myself happy. I thank God for this team-mate Eric Lamaze, riding with a nervous wait for Bassem, and thankfully victory.” rib injury, added: “We wanted to win this RESULTS none of them even came close to beating — Harrie has done so many clears for the CSI5* 1.60m Global Champions Tour the Qatari rider’s time. Once the victory HAMBURG DIAMONDS CLINCH team, so it was my turn to help today.” Grand Prix of Doha (€400,000) was confi rmed, the crowd erupted in a joy GLOBAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TITLE Hamburg Diamonds, who collected 1. Bassem Hassan Mohamed (Qatar) as Bassem basked in glory. Meanwhile, Hamburg Diamonds were a whopping €2 million for the victory, Gunder. Time: 35.31secs. Prize money: The second place went to Switzer- crowned the overall Global Champions had other key players this season in €132,000 land’s Janika Sprunger on her 11-year- League winners for 2017, with Valken- John Whitaker, Piergiorgio Bucci and 2. Janika Sprunger (Switzerland) Bac- old gelding Bacardi VDL, with the pair swaard United taking runner-up spot. Jos Verlooy. ardi VDL. 37.34 secs. €80,000 coming home in 37.34secs. Sweden’s Despite a dazzling win for United in United, who took the title in the in- 3. Peder Fredricson (Sweden) H&M Peder Fredricson and H&M Christian K the Doha leg at Al Shaqab yesterday, augural GCL last year, were represented Christian K. 37.41secs. €60,000 fi nished third in a time of 37.41 seconds. their nearest rivals Diamonds had done by Bertram Allen (Molly Malone) and “I am so happy to have got this win. just enough by fi nishing fi fth to strike Alberto Zorzi (Fair Light van’t Heike) in CSI5* 1.55/1.60m Table A: Against the Thank God it happened at the right gold in the race for the overall champi- the glittering fi nal and both produced Clock (€160,350) time. I’m so happy. It’s amazing,” said onship. Some intrepid riding from the measured double clears to soar clear 1. Kevin Staut (France) Silver Deux de a beaming Bassem, who collected € Bassem Hassan Mohamed (right) with Qatar Equestrian Federation president Mexico Amigos helped them secure the of a high class fi eld of 18 teams. United Virton H D C. Time: 73.28secs. Prize 132,000 for his victory. “It is also a very Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah (left) and Al Shaqab executive director Khalifa fi nal spot on the GCL podium in third. took home €1,350,000 in prize money. money: €52,800 special feeling for me to receive a com- al-Attiyah after the win. “We gave some hope to United, but “We came here knowing we had to 2. Pieter Devos (Belgium) Espoir. memoration and the cheque from Her at least we fi nished well,” said Harrie win here today, and unfortunately it 73.97secs. €32,000 Highness Sheikha Moza along with HE added. Gunder. “My horse was excellent today Smolders of the Hamburg Diamonds, wasn’t enough to win the League, but 3. Sergio Alvarez Moya (Spain) Carlo. Sheikh Joaan alongside the podium,” he Bassem was full praise for his horse and he was in a good mood. We really who secured an unprecedented double we gave it a good shot all year,” said 74.23secs. €24,000 BOTTOMLINE SC delegation visits UK to build relationships with game’s custodians Qatari delegation has trav- fi rm commitment to protect and pro- active and take up the sport. We should grassroots football centre at the site elled to the United Kingdom vide for the grassroots game, one of the always strive to nurture the next gener- where it all began, Olive Grove. to hold talks with senior ad- SC’s key legacy promises. ation through a commitment to grass- The campaign calls on every club ministrators from the English The secretary-general discussed the roots support.” within the game to pledge a small AFootball Association (The FA) to discuss SC’s fl agship CSR programme Genera- In addition to the visit to Wembley amount – equal to their foundation grassroots football, and the potential tion Amazing, while the FA Chairman Stadium to visit the world’s fi rst foot- year – to help secure the legacy of the for knowledge exchange programmes shared knowledge and best practices ball association, while in Sheffi eld club that started it all. Premier League to be established in the future. his organisation has learned from its al-Thawadi also visited the team FIFA champions Chelsea have already Supreme Committee for Delivery & own grassroots initiative, Parklife. recognises as the world’s fi rst club – pledged £1,905 to the cause, with many Legacy (SC) Secretary-General Hassan On the previous day, the delegation Sheffi eld FC. more set to follow. al-Thawadi and Qatar Football Asso- from Qatar visited a number of sites A former resident of Sheffi eld dur- Something, al- Thawadi says, he is ciation President, HE Sheikh Hamad in Sheffi eld – including The FA’s fi rst ing his years as a student at the Uni- proud to be a part of. “Sheffi eld holds so bin Khalifa bin Ahmad al-Thani were Parklife centre at St. George’s Park. versity of Sheffi eld, al-Thawadi already many wonderful memories for me as a guests of FA Chairman Greg Clarke at Al-Thawadi said: “I sincerely hope has deep bonds with the city, and its student of law at the university, so it is Wembley Stadium, where they dined this trip represents the beginning of most historic football team. In 2015 he not diffi cult to speak fondly of this vi- together before watching England take a long-term collaboration between pledged a donation to the club’s wom- brant and important city,” he continued. on Germany in an international friend- the SC and our friends and colleagues en’s team that helped secure them a “I am delighted to continue our sup- ly on Friday. throughout the English game. place in the Women’s Super League. port of the oldest club in the world as The visit represents the ongoing “All of us involved in football have Upon returning to the city, he met it relocates back to its original ground, collaboration between Qatar and Eng- an obligation to protect the history and with Sheffi eld FC chairman Richard Olive Grove, the birthplace of the mod- land’s key footballing stakeholders to and promotion of community grass- children into the game.