Qatar maroons make last eight of AFC U-19 Championship PAGE 19 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2018 FIFA president Infantino seeks vote on Club WORLD GYMNASTICS World Cup & Global Nations League PAGE 18 ASPIRE DOME Officials of various delegations from 76 countries for the 48th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Doha 2018 were treated to Qatari culture at a welcome dinner held at the Torch Ballroom on Wednesday. The Doha Gymnastics Worlds, the first ever to be staged in the Middle East, will swing into action at the Aspire Dome following an opening ceremony on Thursday morning at 8.30am. The 10-day championships run from October 25 to November 3. ‘Qatar has made desert bloom with the flower of Gymnastics Worlds’ FIG President thanks Organising Committee for realising a dream Unique ‘handmade’ event medals and showing The Local Organising Committee unveiled the unique, handmade courage medals that combine artistic gymnastics with Qatar’s culture. The medals, which took 35-45 days to handcraft, combine the TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK different gymnastics apparatus, the event’s logo and symbols of DOHA Qatari culture. Each of the medals made were given the highest care and attention by a team of professional goldsmiths and ON the eve of the 48th Artistic silversmiths who are trained on how to handle high profile events Gymnastics World Champion- such as the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. The design ships Doha 2018, International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) was a collaboration between GulfCrafts and the LOC. Commenting President Morinari Watanabe on the medals, Ali al Hitmi, CEO of the Local Organising praised the Local Organising Committee, said, “Medals are an important part of any world Committee for realising the sporting event. They are a physical representation of an athlete or “dream” of gymnastics as a team’s achievement. But for us, they are also an opportunity to sport flowering in the desert remind athletes of the experience they had in Doha. We hope that during the medal unveiling the recipients of these medals take them home to their event at the Aspire auditorium respective nations and share their piece of Qatar.” on Wednesday. Watanabe was present with Competition Brand Am- bassador Svetlana Boguin- skaia, a three-time Olympian from Belarus, FIG Secretary General Andre Gueisbuhler, Doha Worlds LOC CEO and Qatar Gymnastics Federation The 48th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Doha 2018 Local Organising Committee CEO and Qatar Gymnastics Federation President President Ali al Hitmi and Ali al Hitmi with Competition Brand Ambassador Svetlana Boguinskaia, International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) President Morinari Watanabe Deputy Competition Manager and FIG Secretary-General Andre Gueisbuhler at the pre-event press conference at Aspire auditorium on Wednesday. Anis Saoud. It is the first time that the ing more than flower seeds. I came to Qatar for the first time for the Asian Taking place between Oc- World Championships are be- In just 12 years since, Qatar Games in 2006. At that time, gymnastics was tober 25 and November 3, ing staged in the Middle East has made the desert bloom nothing more than flower seeds. In just 12 years since, the Doha Worlds will provide and Watanabe applauded the with the flower of the World the first qualification route efforts of the Qatar Gymnastics Championships. A dream is Qatar has made the desert bloom with the flower of the for the 2020 Olympic Games Federation (QGF) saying, “Just not something we have while World Championships. A dream is not something we have in Tokyo. now, a big Gymnastics flower we’re sleeping – a dream is while we’re sleeping – a dream is something we realise. The competition at the As- has bloomed in the desert of something we realise.” pire Dome will determine the Qatar. The meaning of this “I offer my thanks to the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) winners of eight sets of med- flower is courage.” Qatar Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe als for men (Team, All-around, Until 2018, the hosting of for showing their great courage Floor Exercise, Pommel Horse, this competition had been lim- and I hope the gymnasts will Still Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars, ited to Europe, North America, respond with some wonderful towards the 2020 Olympic time, Olympic places are up and Horizontal Bar) and six Australia and East Asia, yet performances, watering the Games in Tokyo. for grabs along with 42 World for women (Team, All-around, Doha is a familiar destination flowers that the federation has “We are confident that, Championship medals. Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance for many of the participants brought into blossom.” as the competitors in Doha Three-time Olympian Beam, and Floor Exercise). Doha Worlds Local Organising Committee CEO Ali al Hitmi and having staged an FIG World On his part, Ali al Hitmi challenge for world titles and and 1989 World All-around The three medal-winning Competition Brand Ambassador Svetlana Boguinskaia unveil the Cup each year since 2008, as said, ‘We are thrilled and hon- Olympic berths, they will in- champion Svetlana Boguin- nations in the Team finals for specially-made medals symbolising Qatari culture. well as the 2006 Asian Games. oured to provide the world's spire fans and continue to skaia, said, “Don’t forget the both men and women will The FIG President add- best gymnasts with the eager propel the sport upward.” juniors. They want to show earn team berths directly to more on the 2020 Olympic reigning Olympic champi- ed: “I came to Qatar for global media presence, optimal More than 500 gymnasts their skills here. Don’t rule the 2020 Olympic Games in qualification process and refer ons from Rio and defending the first time for the Asian venue conditions and enthusi- from 76 nations have con- them out. It doesn’t matter Tokyo; other nations will have to the applicable rules.) world champions from the Games in 2006. At that astic spectator support to make verged at the Aspire Dome for which country are you from, further chances to qualify in The Japanese men and 2015 World Championships time, gymnastics was noth- their important first strides an event where, for the first the best should win.” 2019 and 2020 (click here for American women are the in Glasgow. Officials of gymnastics delegation from 76 countries during the welcome ceremony at the Torch Ballroom on Wednesday evening. (Right) Children enact a play depicting the past and present of Qatar and how gymnastics has grown in the country. Sports Thursday, October 25, 2018 17 Simone all set to sizzle in Doha VINAY NAYUDU DOHA JUST like a sport superstar, Simone Biles transforms into a mesmerising gymnast the mo- ment she gets into the arena. Be it the floor, the beam, the vault or the bars, the American flings, twirls and executes rou- tines so impeccably that you simply can’t take eyes off her. Having arrived in Doha for the 48th FIG Artistic Gymnas- tics World Championships al- most a week ago, the 21-year- old has been training almost every day with her team and the dedication of a champion that she is has been the hall- mark for those present during the training to see. What beckons Biles at Worlds Simone Biles is the clear favourite to lead Team USA to its fourth-straight world title (the earlier being in 2011, 2014, 2015) as well as capture gold medals in the all-around, vault and floor exercise competitions. She could also easily add a fifth medal on the balance beam, where she is a two-time World champion and Olympic bronze medalist. Biles will alsoo become the first woman iinn history to winn four world all-around titlesles if she takes goldld iinn that disciplinee American artistic gymnast Simone Biles during one of her training sessions at the Aspire Dome ahead of the 48th FIG World Championships Doha 2018. Biles is the 2016 Olympic individual all-around, vault and floor in Doha. gold medalist, and balance-beam bronze medalist. She was part of the gold-medal-winning team dubbed the “Final Five” at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. well as capture gold medals in at a medal on the uneven deal with the volleys of USA “It went better than I ex- my teammates are great.” Mustafina finished fourth Soon, she will dazzle the all-around, vault and floor bars. Biles made the final at Gymnastics turmoil. pected. I always hope beam Talking of her formidable at Russian nationals in April, Doha and the world with exercise competitions. the 2013 worlds but finished Tweeting and talking to could go a little bit better rival in 17-year-old Morgan but missed the European the first such champion- She could also easily add fourth. The uneven bars was people back home even when but hopefully I’ll calm my Hurd, she said her predicted Championships due to an ships getting under way in a fifth medal on the balance her ‘weakest’ event in 2016, in Doha doesn’t seem to have nerves once competition all-around duel with Hurd in injured knee. The Russian the Middle East at the mag- beam, where she is a two-time but she has shown significant deterred her focus. comes around.” Doha will be cooperative and is expected to compete on nificent Aspire Dome from World champion and Olympic improvement working with “I think my mindset is a Biles, who won four gold respectful. “I think healthy the uneven bars and balance Thursday. bronze medalist. new coach Laurent Landi. little better,” said Biles after medals at the Rio Olympics, competition is always the best, beam only. “Less than a year of being Biles will also become the That Biles has the met- Tuesday’s podium training at said “getting back into the so we work really well togeth- Barcelona 1992 Olympic back in training and I’m on my first woman in history to win tle of a champion and a cool Aspire Dome here.