Today Is Mother's Day at the Athletics Worlds
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ATHLETICS | Page 2 RACING | Page 4 Netherlands’ 16 quality Hassan takes horses entered 10,000m gold for Qatar with late surge Arabian W Cup Sunday, September 29, 2019 RUGBY Muharram 30, 1441 AH World Cup explodes GULF TIMES into life as hosts Japan stun Ireland SPORT Page 7 ATHELTICS Coleman is fastest man on earth with sizzling 100m win ‘I have been blessed with incredible talent and tonight I was able to show it. Being able to come and compete here and run in this race is a dream’ By Mikhil Bhat an injury that had plagued him Doha at the Rio Games for a bronze in 9.90 seconds. “I have been blessed with chest-beating, roar- incredible talent and tonight I ing, kiss-blowing, was able to show it. Being able all-swagger Chris- to come and compete here and tian Coleman blitzed run in this race is a dream,” an Athrough to the men’s 100m gold ecstatic Coleman said. “I have in a pulsating fi nale on the sec- been working incredibly hard ond day of the IAAF World Ath- and this just makes it all worth- letics Championships Doha 2019 while. yesterday. “At the end, all my worries Coleman, who made it to the just evaporated out there. It was Worlds after USADA dropped a crazy feeling. To add my name charges against him for missed to the list of the legendary guys tests earlier this month, had who have come before me is an made his intentions crystal clear honour and a blessing. after coming through the open- “Justin Gatlin is a great guy ing rounds as the man to beat and a great competitor. He has with sub-10 second times. always been there. I remember A few moments after an in- watching him back in 2004 when credible light show at the state- I was eight years old and to think – I’m coming. He’d better be of-the-art Khalifa International all these years later I could come ready.” Stadium introduced the eight- and win gold too is a great feel- For De Grasse, the bronze was strong fi eld on the pink track to ing.” an encouraging sign. He said: “I a bedazzled audience, Coleman Veteran Gatlin was all praise am grateful to get myself back on was quickly in business, taking for his younger compatriot the podium. I thought I could do the lead almost out of the blocks even as he felt good about his a little bit better, but I can’t dwell with compatriot and defending achievement. “This season is a too much as I have to get ready champion Justin Gatlin in pur- testament to my endurance and for the 200m tomorrow. suit. 100M RESULTS USA’s Christian Coleman will power because I have had “In the last couple of years, Halfway through, however, (L) crosses the finish line so many knick knacks. Even in I have been trying to keep my one knew that there was no Gold: Christian Coleman ahead of USA’s Justin warm up I was feeling knee nig- mind positive and telling my- catching the 23-year-old, who (USA) — 9.76secs Gatlin to win the Men’s gling,” he said. self that I can come back and be swapped places with Gatlin from Silver: Justin Gatlin (USA) 100m final at the 2019 “But I managed to get out and back where I was and even bet- the 2017 London Worlds for a — 9.89secs IAAF World Athletics run 9.89 and get a silver medal. ter. Defi nitely today was a good fantastic victory in a world lead- Bronze: Andre De Grasse Championships at the Christian has had a spectacular sign. I had a personal best. I will ing time of 9.76 seconds, which (CAN) — 9.90secs Khalifa International season and I knew he would be take it.” is also the sixth fastest time in Stadium in Doha tough to beat.” African champion Akani Sim- history. yesterday. At right, But Gatlin did add an aster- bine and Jamaican Yohan Blake Canadian Andre de Grasse Coleman lets out a roar. isk too. “He ran a great race but rounded the top fi ve with 9.93 made a fantastic comeback from I have a message for next year and 9.97 eff orts respectively. BOTTOMLINE Samba storms to fi nal, Abubaker makes semis By Mikhil Bhat his fi rst world championships. “I time – 1:45.16. Doha Abderrahman Samba feel pretty good. I just wanted to Korir’s compatriot Ferguson of Qatar reacts after get out there and manage the race Rotich (1:45.98), second on this the 400m hurdles and run smart so that I could set year’s world list with 1:42.54, was urdler Abderrahman semi-finals yesterday. up a good fi nal on Monday,” he the last of the 10 athletes who Samba and 800m run- said. were under 1minute 46 seconds. ner Abubaker Haydar “All the Diamond Leagues have “As planned I tried to get to the Abdalla kept the Qatar prepared me for this. I am used semi-fi nal, and thanks to God, Hfl ag fl ying high on the second to the hype and the talk, so it is I managed to do that. Tomor- day of the IAAF World Athletics pretty exciting. I love the warmth row hopefully we will be run- Championships yesterday, both here a lot.” ning again, and I will do my best advancing to the next round of That night in Zurich in August, to reach the fi nals,” said Abdalla, their respective disciplines. it was defending world champion who reckons that a time of 1:44 Samba was in the same heats Karsten Warholm who had ran a will be a safe time to earn a spot as his American rival Rai Ben- blistering 46.92 seconds to beat in the fi nal. jamin, and the two unsurprising- Benjamin, and even yesterday, Talking about his experience ly locked the top two spots for a ran the fastest time of the semi- out there on the track at home, lane in tomorrow’s 400m hurdles fi nals, winning the second heat of he said, “It was great. We had the fi nal. the discipline in 48.28 seconds. Asian championships here too, While US national champion Norwegian Warholm, eased and now the Worlds. To be able Benjamin ran a 48.52 to win the past his competition in his semi- to compete at two big champi- heats, Samba, the Asian cham- fi nal heat and was his usual con- onships at home, that is some- pion, crossed the fi nish line in fi dent self, when he said, “On the thing… Not every athlete gets 48.72 seconds. The two have al- track, I felt better than yesterday. that opportunity. ready clocked the third fastest I think I managed a pretty good “Your friends and family are time in history at 46.98 – while run and maybe spared some en- here to cheer you on. It gives you Samba ran the time in Paris last ergy for the fi nal. I did not have Qatar’s Abubaker Haydar Abdalla (R) in action with Canada’s more motivation to perform well. year, Benjamin’s eff ort was good the chance to watch the others Brandon McBride and France’s Pierre-Ambroise Bosse during their We have great athletes on our enough for a second place in Zu- but it is OK. I am just focused on 800m qualifier yesterday. team: Barshim, Haroun, Samba rich. myself.” and I am fortunate to be a part of “So far, I am enjoying these Brazilian Alison Dos Santos’ dles has expectedly become a pion Abdalla breezed into the it.” championships and the atmos- personal best of 48.35 was good tantalising aff air, with the ath- semi-fi nal of the men’s 800m Abdalla’s compatriot Jamal phere. But ask me after the fi nal enough for a win in the fi rst heat letes with three fastest times in with a second place fi nish in the Hairane fell just short of a place if I still do. It is great to run here and a spot in the fi nal. 26 years since Kevin Young set a third heat of the discipline. in the semi-fi nal after he fi n- in front of my home crowd. Feel- South American champion world record 46.78 all in tomor- The 23-year-old fi nished sec- ished fi fth in the second heat, ing great support… (but) no pres- Dos Santos fi nished 0.04 sec- row’s fi nal. ond behind Canada’s Brandon which was won by Kenyan Ngeno sure,” Samba said after his run onds ahead of Turkey’s Yasmani Earlier in the evening, after a McBride on a day when the sixth Kipngetich. While Hairane’s time yesterday. Copello, who ran his season’s loud cheer at the air-conditioned fastest athlete of all time in the of 1:46.40 kept him in the fray for For his part, Benjamin felt con- best 48.39. Khalifa International Stadium discipline, Emmanuel Kipku- a spot right till the last heat, it fi dent about his preparations for And with that, the 400m hur- from the home fans, Asian cham- rui Korir of Kenya set the fastest wasn’t enough. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, September 29, 2019 FOCUS Today is Mother’s Day at the athletics worlds The first Sunday at the Doha world championships could in the future be remembered as an out-of- season Mother’s Day.