CRICKET | Page 4 Pakistan’s Abid wants World Cup advice from Sachin Monday, April 22, 2019 FOOTBALL Sha’baan 17, 1440 AH PSG bag another GULF TIMES Ligue 1 title but Euro failure hurts SPORT Page 2 ASIAN ATHLETICS Lyu and Gong give China a golden double in Doha Ernest John Obeina of the Philippines breaks the 26-year-old championships record in the men’s pole vault for gold By Mikhil Bhat contingent when Dutee Chand Doha ran a personal best and a na- tional record 11.28 to qualify for the semi-fi nals in the women’s ominant displays by 100m. “I am not surprised with Lyu Huihui and Gong the national record. I can go even Lijiao in the women’s faster, the target is 11.20,” Chand javelin and shot put said after the heats. Drespectively gave China a head- Avinash Mukund Sable won start as they attempt to reclaim India’s second silver on the day their top spot at the Asian Ath- when he fi nished runner-up to letics Championships as the Bahrain’s John Kibet Koech in 23rd edition of the event got un- the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, derway to a cracking start at the while Japan’s Kazuya Shiojiri Khalifa International Stadium in was third. Doha yesterday. Qatar’s Yaser Bagharab, silver The championships began in winner at the last edition in Bhu- the presence of Qatar Olympic baneswar, India, in 2017, had to Committee fi rst vice-president settle for fi fth, behind 2017 gold Sheikh Saud bin Ali al-Thani, winner Hossein Keyhani of Iran. Asian Athletics Association Iran’s Ehsan Hadadi broke president and IAAF vice-pres- his 12-year-old championship ident Dahlan al-Hamad, Qatar record with his fi nal attempt in Athletics Federation president the men’s discus throw landing and QOC second vice-president at 65.95m. Dr Thani al-Kuwari, QOC secre- Compatriot Behnam Shrija- tary-general Jassim al-Buenain, bilou was the only other athlete and other offi cials. to land the discus past the 60m China had missed out on the mark, and he took home silver top spot at the last edition in Lyu Huihui of China (C), Annu Rani of India (R), and Natta Nachan of Thailand (L), celebrate winning first, for that, while Jordanian Musab 2017 to event hosts India, but the second, and third place respectively in the women’s javelin throw during the 23rd Asian Athletics Momani threw his season best two-time World Championships Championships at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil and 58.27 for bronze. medallist Huihui put them one agencies “That was my sixth medal at up early in the evening session this competition, and I am still on the fi rst day yesterday. waiting for the one who will suc- Lyu started the javelin com- YESTERDAY’S RESULTS (All Finals) ceed me in Asia,” a confi dent Ha- petition with a bang, beating dadi beamed. “Maybe my fellow the championship record of Women Men 3. Murli Gavit, India compatriot Behnam Shrijabil- 63.06m with 64.92m, and then Javelin Throw Pole Vault TODAY’S Schedule (all ou.” He added: “My main goals stamping her authority with a 1. Lyu Huihui, China 1. Ernest John Obeina, Philip- FINALS) are the World Championships second eff ort of 65.83m to take 2. Annu Rani, India pines 5:03pm Javelin Throw (Men) Ernest John Obeina of the Philippines competes on way to winning here in Doha and the Olympic gold. India’s Annu Rani clinched 3. Natta Nachan, Thailand 2. Zhang Wei, China 5:10pm 400m Hurdles the gold in the men’s pole vault. Games in Tokyo. I am not that the silver with her fi rst eff ort of 400m 1. Salwa Nasser, Bahrain 3. Huang Bokai, China (Women) young anymore, I am 34, so I take 60.22m, while Thailand’s Nattan 2. Elina Mikhina, Kazakhstan Discus Throw 5:17pm Triple Jump (Men) past the 19m mark, winning with (15:28.87) and runner-up Bontu step by step, no rush.” Nachan was third with 56.01m. 3. Poovamma Raju, India 1. Ehsan Hadadi, Iran 5:20pm 400m Hurdles (Men) her second eff ort of 19.18m. Rebitu (15:29.60) – but fell back He also gave a massive “It has been a fantastic sea- 5,000m 2. Behnam Shrijabilou, Iran 6:15pm 400m (Men) Bahrain’s Noora Jasim won in the later stages. thumbs-up to the state-of-the- son for me so far, with a new 1. Winfred Mutile Yavi, Bahrain 3. Musab Momani, Jordan 6:28pm 800m (Women) silver with an 18m eff ort, while The morning session had art venue, saying, “Khalifa sta- Area record and now today with 2. Bontu Rebitu, Bahrain 3,000m Steeplechase 6:46pm Shot Put (Men) Gong’s compatriot Song Jiayuan seen India’s World U20 reigning dium is so cool with this cooling a new Championships’ record. 3. Parul Chaudhary, India 1. John Kibet Koech, Bahrain 7:06pm 800m (Men) took home the bronze with 17.70. champion Hima Das pull out of system.” Qatar’s Moaaz Moham- I worked hard during winters Shot Put 2. Avinash Mukund Sable, India 7:15pm Hammer Throw Moments before Rani won the women’s 400m fi rst round ed Ibrahim threw a 57.44 for fi fth and changed a basic element of 1. Gong Lijiao, China 3. Kazuya Shiojiri, Japan (Women) her silver, Parul Chaudhary gave heat. The 19-year-old did not place. my technique regarding my fi nal 2. Noora Jasim, Bahrain 10,000m 7:26pm Long Jump (Women) India their fi rst medal of the fi nish the heat in the fi rst session Ernest John Obeina of the step. After two medals at World 3. Song Jiayuan, China 1. Dawit Fikadu, Bahrain 8:05pm 100m (Women) championships, winning bronze yesterday, owing to back spasms, Philippines broke the 26-year- Championships, a gold and a 2. Hassan Chani, Bahrain 8:20pm 100m (Men) in the women’s 5,000m, with a something that has been called old championship record in the silver, I believe I am ready to personal best time of 15:36.03. “nothing serious” in the team’s men’s pole vault for a well-de- win the gold here in Doha in this Chaudhary ran a steady race statement. Das was also sched- served gold. marvellous stadium,” Lyu said beating compatriot Sanjivani uled to take part in the 4x400m Obeina was the only one to after the win. Baburao Jadhav, who had ear- relay, besides the mixed relay. clear 5.71m, beating the 1993 There was no stopping Gong, Athletics Championships with a en’s shot put, her fi rst appear- in 10 years. The reigning World lier kept pace with two Bahrainis The morning session, howev- record of 5.70m by Grigoriy who prepped for the IAAF World dominant display in the wom- ance at the Asian championships Champion was the only one to go – winner Winfred Mutile Yavi er, ended on a high for the Indian Yegoriv of Kazakhstan. BOTTMLINE Samba, Ogunode sail through in qualifying By Mikhil Bhat He added: “I didn’t want to spend too much in a time of 10.74 seconds for his place in the Doha energy; wanted to keep some for tomorrow. I semi-fi nals. am working good. This is my fi rst 400m hur- “This is just a qualifying time. We will see in dles run in competition this year, and tomor- the semi-fi nal. You just have to go as the race osts Qatar had a good day in offi ce on row I am only going for the medal, and I will fl ows and take it as it comes,” Ogunode said. the fi rst day of the Asian Athletics have to run fast to win that.” Al-Mamari, running in his fi rst senior com- Championships with seven of their Hemeida, who had won silver at last year’s petition, said, “It was a hard run. It is great athletes going a step closer to the po- World U20 Championships in Tampere, Flor- that I qualifi ed. I wish to do better in the semi- Hdium in the track events at the Khalifa Interna- ida, was looking forward to today’s fi nal. “It is fi nals. I am hoping to go to the fi nal.” tional Stadium yesterday. a diff erent feeling because it is my first senior After making through the fi rst round heats Mighty Abderrahman Samba almost strolled competition. Other athletes are very strong. I in the morning comfortably, Abubaker Haydar the last few metres of his 400m hurdles heat feel good, and Insha Allah tomorrow, I will do Abdalla, Abdirahman Saeed Hassan and Jamal yesterday to top the charts with a time of 49.57 my best,” he said. Hairane also clinched their spot in today’s seconds. The men’s 100m sprint saw Tosin Ogunode men’s 800m fi nal. Compatriot Bassem Hemeida also qualifi ed and Jaber al-Mamari qualifying for today’s Abdalla ran the fastest time of 1:49.62 in the for today evening’s fi nal, fi nishing third be- semi-fi nal. Ogunode, whose brother Femi semi-fi nals last evening at the comfortably- hind Samba in a time of 49.98 seconds. Abderrahman Samba (R) of Qatar holds the championship record of 9.91 sec- cooled Khalifa International Stadium. “The plan for today was to push until the and Lim Chanho (L) of South Korea onds, fi nished just behind Bahrain’s Andrew Hassan was fi fth fastest with a time of fi fth hurdle, and then relax and fi nish the job.