World champ says 2020 will be her final Olympics as her body is ‘falling apart’

SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2019 Mesmerising Belgian Derwael makes it three in-a-row in The teenager claims gold in style; USA’s Carey tops ; China’s Lan best on Still

VINAY NAYUDU DOHA

THREE days shy of being nine- teen, of has always relished coming to Doha for gymnastic competi- tions as each of her visits as a teen athlete have fetched her gold medals. An action-packed Friday at the Aspire Dome was no different as the petite gym- nast wowed the holiday crowd with another mesmerising golden show on the Uneven Bars at the 12th FIG World Cup. This was also the young gymnast’s first competition since she claimed gold at the World Championships here in October last year. A hiatus of almost five months didn’t seem to have af- Spectators enjoying the finals do a Mexican wave during the 12th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup at the Aspire Dome on Friday. fected her as the 2018 World and two-time European cham- floor”. Results pion on the Uneven Bars Uzbekistan’s 43-year-old proved why she is one. , who is Women Just like during the qualifi- aiming for her her eighth Olym- Uneven Bars: 1.Nina Derwael cations, Derwael was fluid and pic appearance, finished fifth (BEL) Difficulty Score: 6.5; Total flawless logging the most points with 13.866 points. Points: 15.033; 2.Yilin Fan (CHN) even as others tried to catch up In equally enthralling men’s 6.5; 14.933; 3. Anastasiia hard. action, Lee Chih-Kai overcame Iliankova (RUS) 6.3; 14.700. Beginning with a full twist- nerves as he worked his way to Vault ing double tuck and finishing win the gold. 1. (USA) 14.883; 2. with a twist high above the bar, The World bronze medalist Derwael logged a whopping from Chinese Taipei gymnast (RUS) 14.766; 3. 15.033 points, the same score beat 2013 world champion (FRA) 14.549. she achieved at the qualifying Kohei Kameyama of Japan to Men two days ago. gold, after both finished on Pommel Horse: 1.Chih Kai Lee Delighted with her show same score of 15.400. (TPE) D-Score: 6.5; Total Points: Derwael simply couldn’t stop Chih-Kai’s superior difficul- 15.400; 2. Kohei Kameyama smiling. A finger injury had ty score saw him edge the Japa- (JPN) 6.8; 15.400; 3. Kaito kept her away for a while but nese. Kameyama’s compatriot Imabayashi (JPN) 6.7; 15.333. that seemed forgotten. Imabayashi took bronze with a : 2. Rayderley Zapata (ESP) “I did not have an ideal total of 15.333. D-Score: 6.1; Total Points: China’s Xingyu Lan (centre) with Armenia’s Artur Tovmasyan (left) and preparation for the competi- The men’s Floor Exercise, 14.433; 3. Carlos Edriel Yulo tion but I am very happy that Nina Derwael of Belgium bites the gold medal after the women’s Vahagn Davtyan after receiving gold medal for his win in Still Rings Filipino Carlos Yulo’s hopes of a (PHI) 6.1; 14.266; 4. Emil I pulled it off. I had some lit- Uneven Bars prize-presentation at the 12th FIG Artistic Gymnastics along with QGF President Ali al Hitmi, Al Meraghi and Abeer Albuain- claiming gold were dashed in a tle injuries that prevented me World Cup on Friday. ain. strong field. The world champi- Soravuo (FIN) 5.5; 14.233. from doing other competitions. onship bronze medallist, how- Still Rings: 1.Xingyu Lan (CHN) But now I am really happy to Aiming to make it to Tokyo this year,” she said. kept her dominance ensuring a points to 85, putting her first ever, still came good ensuring D-Score: 6.4; Total Points: be back on the podium,” she for the 2020 Olympics, Der- But before that, she will gold medal finish. in the Vault race for Olympics a bronze with a score of 14.266. 15.100; 2.Artur Tovmasyan beamed. wael aims to continue her form be back for another shot at The 18-year-old, who had qualifications. Rayderley Zapata of Spain (ARM) 6.1; 14.833; 3. Vahagn “I wasn’t really anxious I at the European Champion- the gold medal in the Balance clinched both Vault and Floor “I think it was a really good was a surprise runner-up with Davtyan (ARM) 6.1; 14.825. was comfortable out there and ships next month. Beam finals on Saturday. golds at the Baku World Cup performance”, said Carey. 14.433. The evening’s last ac- I knew I could do it. I just did “I am going to prepare for Derwael’s swing to the top last week, was on top once again “It is cool to be in Doha, tion was the Still Rings where what I usually do in training,” the European championship of the podium saw 2017 World with a perfect landing. She tal- after missing last year’s World China’s Xingyu Lan kept his she added. now. I am very excited about champion of China lied 14.833 points, ahead of Championships. I am happy poise with a strong show that respectively. On Aspire Dome being one Tokyo Olympics. The Belgium (14.933) settle for the silver, Russian Maria Paseka (14.766) that I made both vaults, espe- saw him claim gold having Saturday’s action will see of her favourite venues, Der- team still need to qualify as while Russian Anastasiia Il- and Frenchwoman Coline Dev- cially the first one, because it is logged 15.100 points. the women’s wael said, “I am really happy to a team so we are going to do iankova (14.700) took bronze. illard (14.549). the first time I have tried it in Armenia’s Artur Tov- and Floor finals, while it will be be back here, I have won gold try and do that at the World In the women’s vault ap- The win takes Carey’s competition. I am looking for- masyan and Vahagn Davty- Vault, and Hori- thrice now in Doha.” Championship in Stuttgart paratus, American Jade Carey World Cup series ranking ward to tomorrow’s final on the an took the silver and bronze zontal Bar for the men.

QATAR ATHLETES ARRIVE IN DOHA AFTER WORLD GAMES MEET

Team Qatar special needs athletes touched down in Doha on Friday after a successful outing at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi. The stars won 13 medals at the meet. Sports Saturday, March 23, 2019 13 Qatar, Oman surge to opening day wins in AFC U23 qualifiers

IKOLI VICTOR DOHA

QATAR defeated a physi- cal Afghanistan side with two first half goals in the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020 South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks plays a shot during the second Qualifiers at Aspire Stadium 5 Twenty20 international (T20I) against Sri Lanka at SuperSport Park in Doha on Friday. Stadium in Pretoria on Friday. (AFP) The win takes Qatar atop of Group A with three points same as Oman who had earlier edged Hendricks hits dashing 65 Nepal 1-0. The Afghans dominated to revive World Cup hopes the early exchanges but were stopped by the impressive de- fensive duo of Qatar’s Asian AFP er hitting, which brought Cup 2019 winning team Tarek CENTURION him four fours and three Salman and Bassam al Rawi. sixes, Hendricks oozed class Hassan Ahmad scores the OPENING batsman Reeza as he struck nine fours in a opening goal for Qatar in the Hendricks hit a high-quality 46-ball innings marked by 13th minute from inside the 65 as South Africa scored fluent off-side drives. box. It was The enterprising 180 for three in the second Sri Lanka captain Lasith play of Abdurrahman Moustafa Twenty20 international Malinga, who sent South from the left wing that set up against Sri Lanka at Super- Africa in to bat, ended the the striker to slot the ball into Sport Park on Friday. stand when Hendricks hit a the net from close range. Hendricks started the slower ball to mid-off. Despite being a goal down, season as one of the favour- Off-spinner Akila Danan- Afghanistan pressed on in Goalscorer Hassan Ahmad Palang (left) celebrates scoring the opener against Afghanistan during their Group A AFC U23 Championship quali- ites to make South Africa’s jaya bowled Van der Dussen search of goal and were almost fier in Doha on Friday. Qatar won 2-0. squad for the Cricket World two overs later and the scor- rewarded but for the timely in- Cup later this year but a run ing rate slowed briefly before tervention of goalkeeper Mo- too had a corner kick in first half As the game dragged on, host and a disciplined perfor- Afghanistan coach said after of poor form, together with South African stand-in cap- hamed Albakri to to stop striker stoppage time as they tried to midfielder Alahrak suffered mance especially in the second the game, “It was a good match the resurgence of Aiden tain JP Duminy finished the Fareed Sadat. level the tie but some infringe- a knock on the knee and was half where they restricted the for the players but our lack of Markram, put his chances in innings with a flourish, scor- Qatar’s patience paid off as ment inside the box ended the replaced by Hazem Shehata Afghans in their own area. preparation and inexperience doubt. ing 33 not out off 17 balls. defender Abdul Najem hacks half with Qatar taking a two- after the hour mark. Hashim Speaking after the match, cost us the match.” Markram opened the bat- down Hassan Ahmad inside the goal cushion into the break. Ali completed the substitutions Qatar coach Albert Fernandez Meanwhile, Oman edged ting with Hendricks on Fri- Brief scores box and Japanese referee Yudai Qatar resumed the second for Qatar when he came in for said: “Usually the first game is Nepal by a lone goal when an day but was out for three in South Africa 180-3 in 20 overs (R. Yamamoto pointed to the spot half spiritedly and should have Moustafa in the 77th minute. Il- not easy but started with a win. overlapping Al Malki found the second over. Hendricks 65, H. van der Dussen and the resultant penalty was added a third goal but for Ah- yas Mohammed had earlier giv- We are not very happy with our space on the left hand side be- Hendricks and Rassie van 64, J. Duminy 33 not out). converted by Abdullah Alaha- mad’s shocking miss in front en way for Ahmed Albakheet. performance because it was a fore beating Nepal goalkeeper der Dussen (64) then took rak on 35 minutes. of goal. Affer Alahrak went past Afghanistan‘s captain nervous start yet positive.” Arpan Karki with an accurate charge in a second wicket Sri Lanka (9 wkts, 20 overs) 164 Just before the break, Asian his marker he clipped the ball Amanullah Sardari was given “Hopefully in the nex game low finish on 13 minutes. stand of 116 off 78 balls. (I. Udana not out 84) Cup 2019 winner Bassam al across the face of the top post the marching orders after a sec- the players would play without Nepal held their own in the While Van der Dussen’s Result: South Africa won by Rawi’s rising header went wide needing the slightest of touch ond yellow card in added time. pressure and expeess them- minutes that but Oman held on innings was marked by pow- 16 runs from a corner kick. The Afghans but Ahmad shot wide. It was a deserved win for the selves better.” for the win. Blockbuster on cards as Kohli-led Finch’s century helps fire Oz to RCB duel with CSK in IPL opener eight-wicket win over Pakistan SCOREBOARD IANS son -- Chennai were all over NEW DELHI Bengaluru and it was a cake- PAKISTAN Imam-ul-Haq c and b Lyon ...... 17 walk for Dhoni’s boys. But a lot Shan Masood b Coulter-Nile ...... 40 THE Indian Premier League has changed since then and the Haris Sohail not out ...... 101 (IPL) is back and the 12th edi- senior most team in the IPL -- Umar Akmal c Finch b Coulter-Nile ...... 49 tion of the cash-rich league CSK -- have grown a year older. Shoaib Malik b Maxwell ...... 11 Faheem Ashraf c Stoinis b Maxwell ...... 28 couldn’t have hoped for a bet- The positive for RCB is the Imad Wasim not out ...... 28 ter start as defending cham- fact that AB de Villiers is fit Extras: (lb1, w 5) ...... 6 pions Chennai Super Kings and raring to go after resting Total: (for five wkts; 50 overs) ...... 280 (CSK) are all set to take on the his back during the last stretch Did not bat: Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas Fall of wickets: 1-35 star-studded Royal Challeng- of the Pakistan Super League (Imam), 2-78 (Masood), 3-176 (Umar), 4-190 ers Bangalore (RCB) in the (PSL). They also have a young (Malik), 5-239 (Ashraf) Bowling: Richardson 8-1- opening game at the MA Chid- power hitter in Shimron Het- 65-1 (1w), Coulter-Nile 10-0-61-2 (1w), Lyon 10-0- ambaram Stadium in Chennai myer of the West Indies to add 38-1, Maxwell 10-0-57-1 (2w), Zampa 10-0-44-0, Stoinis 2-0-14-0 (1w) on Saturday. to the arsenal. But CSK have AUSTRALIA Cricket might be a team Skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) IPL team Virat the experience to tackle the Australia’s Aaron Finch (right) celebrates his century during the first Usman Khawaja c Malik b Ashraf ...... 24 game, but come Saturday, it Kohli addresses a press conference in Chennai on Friday. (AFP) swashbuckling batsmen in the ODI against Pakistan and Australia in Sharjah on Friday. (AFP) A. Finch c Rizwan b Abbas ...... 116 will be all about CSK skipper RCB ranks. S. Marsh not out ...... 91 P. Handscomb not out ...... 30 Mahendra Singh Dhoni ver- Chennai will be all yellow on have played so far at the Chi- If Harbhajan Singh was the AFP a huge six towards deep mid- Extras: (b4, lb8, w8) 2 ...... 0 sus Virat Kohli, captain of the the night of the opening game. dambaram Stadium and the stand-out bowler for CSK last SHARJAH wicket to complete his century Total: (for two wkts; 49 overs) ...... 281 RCB. Kohli, on the other hand, numbers are again pitted heav- season, Deepak Chahar too -- his first since June last year Did not bat: P. Handscomb, G. Maxwell, M. Stoinis, A. He might be the former might be a demi-god himself ily in favour of CSK. Overall, in showed great maturity to earn AARON Finch’s fine century against England at Chester-Le- Carey, N. Coulter-Nile, J. Richardson, N. Lyon, A. Zampa Fall of wickets: 1-63 (Khawaja), 2-235 skipper of the Indian team, but for his fans, but when it comes 22 meetings between CSK and an India cap on the basis of his drove Australia to a convincing Street -- off 120 balls. (Finch) Bowling: Amir 9-0-59-0, Abbas 10-0-44-1, for his legion of fans, Dhoni is to fighting it out against Dhoni, RCB, the Bengaluru outfit have IPL performance. Not to forget eight-wicket win over a new- Finch, who knocked four Imad 10-1-50-0 (7w), Ashraf 9-0-50-1 (1w), Yasir no less than god. Add to that he might just come out second managed only seven victories. the tactical acumen of part- look Pakistan in the first one- sixes and eight boundaries, 10-0-56-0, Malik 1-0-10-0 the home factor, and there best. For the record, RCB have The last time these two time spinner Suresh Raina and day international on Friday. added an innings-building 172 Result: Australia win by eight wickets are no points for guessing that lost six of the seven games they teams met -- in Pune last sea- Kedar Jadhav. The Austraian skipper runs for the second wicket with scored 116 off 135 balls for his Shaun Marsh who scored an 12th one-day international cen- unbeaten 91 off 102 balls with to keep them fresh for the World tury that helped his team over- four boundaries and two sixes. Cup starting in UK from May Quick read haul the 281-run target in 49 With 46 needed Finch be- 30. But the young and inexpe- overs on a flat Sharjah stadium came Mohammad Abbas’s rienced Pakistan led by Malik UN human rights council lashes out at IAAF over testerone rules for female athletes pitch. The win gives Australia maiden wicket but Peter Hand- proved no match for Australia, the lead in the five-match se- scomb hit 30 not out to help who are on a roll after their win GENEVA: The UN Human Rights ternational Association of Athlet- pressure women and girl ath- development” (DSD) to seek ries and has come on the back Marsh cross the line. Finch in India earlier this month. Council has condemned the ics Federations (IAAF) may be in letes into undergoing unneces- treatment to lower their testos- of their 3-2 series win in India and Marsh came together after Left-hander Sohail, who IAAF’s attempt to regulate the breach of “international human sary, humiliating and harmful terone levels below a prescribed earlier this month. opener Usman Khawaja fell for reached 1,000 runs in his testosterone levels of female rights norms and standards”. medical procedures”. amount if they wish to continue Finch’s match-winning 24 to medium pacer Faheem 27th one-day international athletes, as nations unanimous- The South African-led resolu- It was adopted by consen- competing as women. knock overshadowed Haris Ashraf, the only other success when on 40, anchored Paki- ly backed the cause of South tion called on governments to sus by the council’s 47 mem- World athletics’ governing Sohail’s maiden one-day Pakistan’s new-look bowling at- stan’s innings, adding 98 for African runner Caster Semenya. ensure that sports organisations bers on Thursday. The IAAF is body has argued the moves are hundred (101 not out) which tack could achieve. the third wicket with Umar IN a rare intrusion in the world “refrain from developing and looking to force so-called “hyper- necessary to create a “level helped Pakistan to 280-5 in Pakistan rested six of their Akmal who made a 50-ball of sport, the United Nations’ top enforcing policies and practices androgenic” athletes or those playing field” for other female their 50 overs. The 32-year- key players including regular 48 in his first international rights body has said that the In- that force, coerce or otherwise with “differences of sexual athletes. (AFP) old smashed Shoaib Malik for skipper Sarfraz Ahmed in order match for two years. Osaka advances as Nishikori falls in Miami tennis openers

AFP/IANS “I had to work hard out fifth seed lost to Serbian Dusan round, with the latter now set MIAMI there,” Osaka said. “In the sec- Lajovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. to earn 46,000 euros ($52,333) ond set, I got really emotional, apiece, an increase of 15 per WORLD number one Naomi so in the third, I just tried to Roland Garros raises cent over last year, Efe news re- Osaka of Japan opened her shut off my feelings.” prize money, inaugurates ported on Friday. campaign at the WTA and ATP Osaka advanced to a third- new court The winners of the men’s Miami Open on Friday by out- round matchup against Tai- Naomi Osaka of Japan French Open organisers and women’s singles will each lasting Yanina Wickmayer 6-0, wan’s Hsieh Su-Wei, who de- returns a shot to Yanina have announced an eight per receive 2.3 million euros, up 6-7 (3/7), 6-1. feated American Alison Riske Wickmayer of Belgium cent increase in the total prize 4.55 per cent from last year, Since winning her second 6-2, 7-5. Osaka broke twice for during Day 5 of the Miami money to 42.6 million euros while the singles finalists will consecutive Grand Slam title in a 3-0 lead in the first set and Open Presented by Itau and also inaugurated a new earn 1.18 million euros, an in- January at the Australian Open, blitzed through the final set as at Hard Rock Stadium on court that is the famed Grand crease of 5.36 per cent. Osaka has failed to go deep in well to capture her first match Friday. (AFP) Slam tennis tournament’s Tournament organisers also Dubai or Indian Wells. in two hours and nine minutes third-biggest. inaugurated a new 5,000-seat But she appeared in sold after an opening-round bye. Prize money will jump the court that is the first piece of a form against 141st-ranked On the men’s side, there most for men and women who renovation project launched in Wickmayer, digging deep after was disappointment for her are ousted in the qualifying 2018 at tennis’ clay-court Grand the Belgian forced a third set. compatriot Kei Nishikori. The stage or who lose in the first Slam.