Austria, Hungary Are Champions in Doha
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SPORT Thursday 1 March 2018 PAGE | 30 PAGE | 31 PAGE | 32-33 Nadal cuts short Federer doubts golden Injury-hit Neymar comeback after oldies’ Grand Slam to miss Real injury flares up success will be matched Madrid clash Austria, Hungary are champions in Doha THE PENINSULA DOHA: Austria and Hungary won the boys’ and girls’ title at the 24th ISF World Schools Handball Championships here yesterday. Germany finished on the los- ing side in both the finals. In the boys’ section, Austria kept their cool to script a fight- ing win. Both the teams were tied 18-all at the end of normal period of play, but Austria took good in the end winning the title. In the girl’s section, Hungary where runaway winners beat- ing the Germany girls 30-17. The nine-day championship was played at three venues in Doha and organized by Qatar School Sports Association (QSSA), in technical collabora- tion with Qatar Handball Federation. Over 20 countries took part in the event including Austria, France, Turkey, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Brazil, Israel, Hungary, Slovenia, Denmark, Romania, Morocco, Georgia, Romania, Czech Republic, Greece, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ser- bia and hosts Qatar. The Boys’ winners of the 24th ISF World Schools Handball Championships, Austrian players and officials The closing ceremony was celebrate on the podium during the presentation ceremony at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Stadium held yesterday at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Stadium in Al in Al Sadd yesterday. RIGHT: The captain of the Hungarian team receiving the Girls’ Championship Sadd, after the boys final. title during the presentation ceremony yesterday. Al Gharafa brace for tough test against Al Rayyan CHINTHANA WASALA “We are seeking a fourth- QNB STARS LEAGUE: FIXTURES THE PENINSULA place finish in the QNB Stars League as that will give us a TODAY DOHA: Dutch star Wesley Snei- chance to play in the Qatar Cup Al Duhail vs Al Sadd jder-led Al Gharafa will be as well as next year’s AFC Cham- At Al Duhail Stadium (6.00pm) looking for full points as they pions League. Al Gharafa vs Al Rayyan look to climb into the QNB Stars “We are preparing our play- At Al Gharafa Stadium (20.10pm) League (QSL) top four when they ers to be ready for any situation TOMORROW take on strong Al Rayyan in their and also for them to stay in good Al Ahli vs Al Kharaitiyat own backyard today. shape as we approach the end of At Al Ahli Stadium (6.00pm) The match kicks off at the season. I hope we collect full Al Sailiya vs Al Khor 8.10pm. points against Al Rayyan. At Al Ahli Stadium (8.10pm) Al Gharafa has reasons for “As far the league title is con- SATURDAY joy as yesterday they were cerned, I feel Al Duhail will Qatar SC vs Umm Salal awarded full points when the sustain the momentum and win AT Qatar SC Stadium (6.00pm) Qatar Football Association over- this time,” said Bulent. Al Arabi vs Al Markhiya turned their 2-3 loss to bottom Al Rayyan, with 39 points in At Al Arabi Stadium (8.10pm) side Al Markhiya. The organis- their account, hover above fourth ers awarded The Cheetahs a 3-0 placed Umm Salal who are just verdict as the The Oryxes had two points behind them and will breached the rule regarding res- look to consolidate their position Al Gharafa are currently ident players by fielding six in the third place. placed fifth in the QSL instead of the stipulated five. Having won their last week’s standings, just one Al Gharafa coach Bulent match by a big margin (4-0) Uygun said that they are trying against Qatar SC, Al Rayyan will point behind fourth hard to gain the desired outcome also look to close the gap on Al placed Umm Salal. this season. Sadd who meet leaders Al Duhail “We are passing through a today. tough phase with the AFC Cham- Coach Michael Laudrup is Al Rayyan,yy , with 39 pions League also. The same is also aware of what Al Gharafa points in their accouaccountnt the case with Al Duhail, Al Sadd side is capable of. wilwilll llookook to consoconsolidatelidate and Al Rayyan. Yet, we are try- Both teams have made it to their position in the ing hard to achieve our goals,” the AFC Champions League and Ugyun said. Laudrup said he is expecting a third pplace.lace. The Turkish tactician also good game today. admitted the fact that it won’t be “Al Gharafa are also playing an easy task against the strong in the AFC Champions League. Al Rayyan. They have done well, winning Abdelaziz Hatem “No doubt, it will be tough one of their matches in the pre- returned to them. against Al Rayyan. They are mier continental competition, so They also took onn going strong and they keep scor- it will be a good game. board Wesley Schnei-ei- ing a lot of goals. They have “I would like to praise Qatar der and Mehdi Taremi.emi. players of high calibre. However, SC for putting up a good per- They are also focusinging on our ambition is to win all formance against us in the last the AFC Championspions matches. I will be forced to make round. Despite winning by four League fixtures andnd theythey some changes in view of the AFC goals, they were strong oppo- need to overcome us in engagements in between,” nents,” Laudrup said. order to be in the top Ugyun said. “Al Gharafa is a big name in four,” he said. AL Gharafa Al Gharafa are currently Qatar. I had expected them to Al Rayyan hadad coach placed fifth in the QSL standings, gain more points since the begin- won 3-2 in the firstt Bulent just one point behind fourth ning of the season. They lost the phase. Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup Ugyun placed Umm Salal. services of Vladimir Weiss, but 30 SPORT THURSDAY 1 MARCH 2018 Rutherford Futuristic superheroes picked as pulls out of Indoor Tokyo 2020 Olympic mascots Worlds AFP team, the city’s governor Yuriko Mandeville, the widely mocked Koike said she hoped the selec- mascots of the 2012 London AFP TOKYO: Tokyo yesterday tion would continue to build Games, proved far from Olym- unveiled its long-awaited mascot “momentum” and “excitement” pic gold. LONDON: Britain’s former for the 2020 Olympic Games: a with less than 900 days to go The one-eyed characters Olympic long jump champion futuristic blue-checked, doe- until the opening ceremony. were dubbed “bizarre” and Greg Rutherford yesterday eyed character with pointy ears The Tokyo 2020 mascot will “creepy” by some, reportedly withdrew from the world and “special powers” that was hope to replicate the success of sending shares in their manu- indoor championships in picked by schoolchildren across Soohorang, the cuddly stuffed facturer down by more than a Birmingham as he battles to mascot-mad Japan. tiger from the Winter Olympics third. regain full fitness following The mascot, which has yet to in Pyeongchang handed out to The Rugby World Cup, injury. be named, was selected by ele- athletes on the podium. which takes place in Japan next Rutherford, who has also mentary school kids from a More than 100,000 stuffed year, has already unveiled a won world, European and shortlist of three competitors dolls (Soohorang and Paralym- pair of pot-bellied lions as its Commonwealth golds, was instantly recognisable as “made pic mascot Banbdabi) were sold mascots. given a host nation place for in Japan”. over the past year, Pyeongchang With luxurious manes, short the event after winning the The students picked option organisers said. horns and faces that appear to British indoor title and sub- “A”, which, according to the Soohorang sparked an inad- be shaped like rugby balls, mas- sequently competed in the Tokyo 2020 organisers, has a Ryo Taniguchi, winning designer of the official mascots for the 2020 vertent social media frenzy after cots “Ren” and “G” are inspired indoor grand prix in Glasgow “strong sense of justice and is Olympics (left) and Paralympics Games, answers questions during a volunteer dressed up as the by “shishi,” the mythical lion-like on Sunday. very athletic”. a press conference at an elementary school in Tokyo, yesterday. tiger got stuck in a doorway, figure that features in Japan’s However, the 31-year- Helpfully, it also has a mag- needing a helper to push him new year celebrations and old has decided not to ical power that enables it “to Mascots are massive in winner was unveiled yesterday through. kabuki theatre. take part at the worlds in move anywhere Japan, the land of Hello Kitty and pronounced the mascots The 2016 Rio Olympics had Organisers turned to chil- order to retain full fitness instantaneously”. Pokemon, and there are literally “unique” and “very cool”. a yellow feline animal represent- dren to select the 2020 in time for the outdoor Its Paralympic counterpart thousands representing every- “I am excited to imagine ing Brazil’s rich fauna and mascot, hoping to avoid a season. sports pink checks derived from thing from small communities these characters on display eve- wildlife named Vinicius after repeat of the bungled roll-out “My performance from Japan’s famous cherry blossom to prisons. rywhere and moving around,” music great Vinicius de Moraes. of the official Olympic logo, the British championships to and is “usually calm, however, Known locally as “yuru- she said. The Paralympic mascot, a which ended up having to be the indoor grand prix in Glas- it gets very powerful when kyara” or “laid-back characters”, But social media reaction predominantly blue and green scrapped following accusa- gow at the weekend showed needed”.