Sports44 FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014 Impressive line-up at Diamond League in Doha DOHA: Jamaican sprinting starlet Shelly-Ann because I believe I need to work hard and train will aim to convert one of the most memorable son, fitness notwithstanding. Fraser-Pryce will headline an impressive line- consistently to perform well. But I rested.” indoor campaigns in recent memory to out- Another outstanding female athlete on up at the opening Diamond League meet in She added: “So as always I just wanted to doors. In a span of just five days in February, show will be New Zealand’s Valerie Adams, the Doha today, with unstoppable Ethiopian execute and see where I was and what needed the 23-year-old Ethiopian shattered two world dominant figure in women’s athletics and shot Genzebe Dibaba also going in the women’s to be worked on. “The 200m came and I com- indoor records, first over 1500m in Karlsruhe, put. The double Olympic champion also has 3,000m. pleted it in 22.53sec with quality athletes in Germany, and then at 3000m in Stockholm. four outdoor and three indoor world titles, and Fraser-Pryce, the reigning two-time the field. My number one priority after any Her 3:55.17 run in the 1500m knocked more will arrive in Doha with a winning streak of 46 Olympic sprint champion who also claimed race is to finish healthy and I did. than three seconds from the previous mark finals, having not lost a competition since world 100m gold in Moscow last year, will “It was assessment time in my head first while her 8:16.60 performance in the August 2010. arrive in the Qatari capital brimming with con- and then to hear from my coach. Overall it was Stockholm 3000m smashed the old record by In the absence of Usain Bolt, Jamaican fidence after her podium-topping outing in a good outing and I was pleased. “I now look more than seven seconds. It was the fastest teammate Warren Weir will be the star attrac- the world indoor 60m in Poland in March. forward to competing in my first 100m in Doha performance the world has witnessed since tion in the men’s 200m, compatriots Nickel After skipping a couple of meets, including and you know it will be exciting.” Fraser-Pryce 1993 indoors or outdoors; only three women Ashmeade and Rasheed Dwyer also in the line- the Penn Relays, on medical advice, Fraser- will be one of 10 Olympic champions and a fur- have ever run faster, all outdoors. up. Missing the opening meet of the elite track Pryce bounced back to win the 200m at the ther 25 Olympic medallists poised to compete Dibaba then capped her indoor campaign and field, however, is 800m Olympic champion Kingston Invitational last week. in the opening meet of the 14-leg Diamond with a world 3000m title in Sopot to further and world record holder David Rudisha, out “My outdoor season has begun,” she said League that travels to the United States, Asia move out of much-decorated sister with a calf muscle injury. “I’m very disappoint- on her Facebook page. “As an elite athlete I and Europe. Tirunesh’s shadow, and looks set to be a ed not to be able to race in Doha,” the Kenyan didn’t take kindly to resting for two weeks, Elsewhere on the track, Genzebe Dibaba daunting challenge for all-comers this sea- said. —AFP Cook grateful for England support ABERDEEN: Alastair Cook said yesterday the backing of his col- leagues and team management had persuaded him to continue as England captain after he questioned his own position follow- ing a wretched Ashes series. Cook found himself under the spotlight after England’s recent 5-0 thrashing in Australia, a campaign where the opening bats- man managed just 277 runs at an average of under 28. Team director Andy Flower resigned and one-day coach Ashley Giles was axed following England’s embarrassing defeat by the Netherlands at the subsequent World Twenty20 in Bangladesh. “Disconnected” star batsman Kevin Pietersen was sent into international exile but the England and Wales Cricket Board hier- archy remained strong in their support of Cook. “I was asked about (my future) after Sydney and after a long, gruelling winter, I gave it consideration,” Cook, speaking in Aberdeen, where England play Scotland in a one-day internation- al on Friday, told reporters. “I think it would be wrong if I didn’t,” he added. “We’d lost a lot of games and we hadn’t played to the stan- MONTMELO: Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso of Spain (right) talks with Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany dur- dard that side was capable of, and the stuff we were doing was ing a news conference at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo yesterday. —AP not making a difference. “If you don’t question your position as leader then, you never will.” But with backing from the likes of Stuart Broad and Ravi Bopara, a longstanding colleague of Cook at Essex as well as with England, the left-hander decided to carry Alonso eyes F1 Ferrari on as skipper. “It was nice that the guys I spoke to, other members of the side, were very supportive and that’s good to hear,” Cook said. “I resurrection in Spain spoke to Stuart Broad and Ravi Bopara and they said ‘no, you must carry on’. BARCELONA: Fernando Alonso returns domination with Hamilton reeling off straights, but the Red Bull is very, very ‘GREAT HONOUR’ to race on home soil this weekend hop- three straight wins following Rosberg’s quick though the high-speed (corners), “The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board), since Paul ing for an unlikely resurrection of the opening triumph in Australia, but also a which tells me they maybe have a little Downton’s come in, they’ve backed me and we’ve got to justify form and pace that delivered his and solid consistency from Alonso in the bit more down-force than us. that confidence. Ferrari’s last victory. chasing Ferrari. It has also witnessed Red “Last year there was a massive gap. “It’s a great honor to captain England, when we walk out at That came a year ago in the 2013 Bull sliding out of contention for victo- We’ve definitely closed that up, but I the venues and they announce the England (team) led by me it’s Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de ries, a scenario that may change this think we can do a better job, so we’re a great feeling. But you’ve got to be winning games of cricket.” Catalunya where the two-time world weekend as the Milton Keynes outfit, going to keep pushing.” England launch their new era against a Scotland side who will champion won ahead of Kimi along with the rest, will introduce a raft Rosberg said: “It’s taken four and a be among their pool opponents at next year’s World Cup in Raikkonen, then of Lotus, and Felipe of car and engine updates for what is half years, but we really have a strong Australia and New Zealand.—AFP Massa in the second Ferrari. A repeat of often a dull and predictable spectacle. team now. Starting with Toto (Wolff) that result would delight not only local Aware of this threat to their suprema- and Paddy (Lowe) at the top, I think we Spanish fans, but also deliver a Ferrari cy-they lead the title race with 154 have a good structure all the way. one-two as Raikkonen joined the Italian points to Red Bull’s 57 while their drivers “This year’s development race will be ‘scuderia’ this season for a second time. also head the drivers’ standings with much more extreme than we’ve seen in It would also please Williams fans, Rosberg on 79 and Hamilton on 75 — recent years, because the regulations too, as the much-improved British team Mercedes have also focused on improv- are so new.” Talking about their in-team is now home for the likeable Massa. A ing performance. duel, Hamilton added: “Nico is driving year ago, the race may have been won The Spanish race comes three weeks really well, he’s pushing me very hard by Alonso, but qualifying was dominat- after the Chinese Grand Prix and that and keeping me on my toes. ed by the fast Mercedes pairing of Nico gap has allowed everyone to work on “We’re going to see from race to race, Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, who took developing their machines. there are going to be times when he’s the front row. Rosberg led for 10 laps, Mercedes have struggled to compete going to be quicker and I’m going to be before he fell away and finished sixth in the ‘development race’ since return- quicker, as we saw last year. behind the two Red Bulls-a scenario that ing to F1 in 2010, but both Hamilton “What I’m really trying to focus on is is less likely this season since Mercedes and Rosberg believe they have what is those circuits where I am maybe weaker, have won all four of the opening ‘fly- needed to stay on top. or not as close to him. I want to close away’ races ahead of this opening round “We’re not sitting comfortably-we that gap. (It’s) damage limitation (for of the European part of the season. know we’ve got more work to do,” said me) on those races and I think Bahrain Alastair Cook This year has seen not only Mercedes Hamilton.