Qatar thump Sri Lanka 5-1 in AFC U-19 Qualifiers in Doha PAGE 14 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019 For Lebanon From Ray Bassil: A tale of sweat, blood, tears and gold! VINAY NAYUDU troubled times. and step out of the box (be- DOHA “People see the results, ing eliminated). But I never they never see what’s been called out, and I was like I am FOR a trapshooter who is behind the result. Honestly, there, I am there.” a twice Olympian (London I’ve been really working very Also playing a big part in 2012, and Rio 2016), compet- hard for it for the past one Bassil’s success was her men- ing at the 14th Asian Shooting year and it’s a result of very tal coach Anthony Youssef Championships at the wind- hard work and dedication. Rizk. swept Losail Shooting Com- Also, every step given the He insisted that his stu- plex on Wednesday shouldn’t situation in Lebanon it was dent has paid a real price for have been a big deal. regardless of anything that this success. But for Lebanon’s Ray happened, it was like this is “A lot of people say they Jacques Bassil, the women’s it for me. It’s time, it’s mine want to be successful, they trap final was a key battle (the gold medal). I wanted to want to achieve the next where she just didn’t want grab it, and I’ve done it,” the level but they actually don’t to lose. But as luck may have tall athlete revealed the emo- to sweat and get tired. Ray it, the ISSF World Cup gold Heartfelt tional connect. Bassil is one of those shooters medalist at the 2015 Arab “My heart has swelled who has the inspiration and Shooting Championship in My heart has swelled with pride for the people back dedication. Morocco and in 2016 at Nico- home. As much as I can tell as “She wakes up in the sia, Cyprus, was in for some with pride for the to how I feel deep inside me, morning and trains wheth- serious challenge. people back home. As it’s not enough. Because I can er it’s sunshine, raining or Kazakhstan’s Sarsenkul see the sadness we have back even snowing. She never Rysbekova would only make much as I can tell as to home, so I hope this will cheer misses a day even if she’s things difficult for Bassil, how I feel deep inside everyone up,” she elaborated. sick. It’s been a story of matching shot for shot. And me, it’s not enough. When asked if the wind sweat, blood and tears actu- even if one did miss rarely, Women’s trap event gold medal winner at the 14th Asian Shooting Championships, Ray Basssil of Leba- make it any difficult for her?, ally. She has earned the suc- the other would follow suit non (centre) with Sarsenkul Rysbekova of Kazakhstan, who won silver (left), and bronze winner Yukie Because I can see the she quipped, “ It does, but cess,” he stressed. and vice versa. Nakayama of Japan at the Losail Shooting Complex on Wednesday. sadness we have back when you are strong mental- Bassil couldn’t win herself In the end, with both home, so I hope this will ly, nothing can move you. a place for Tokyo Olympics, shooters tied at a score of Till then, the 31-year-old rived, she sunk to her knees umph was a victory of sorts “I didn’t see the score- but didn’t seem disheartened. 36, the final two shots made Bassil looked rock solid, calm and tears flowed. for this shooter, something cheer everyone up. board at all. I was just stand- “It’s a new beginning for the difference. Rysbekova and deeply focused. But just It took her a while to over- to make people back home in – Ray Jacques Bassil ing at my position and wait- everything,” said the recently missed, Bassil didn’t! as her golden moment ar- come the emotion. The tri- Lebanon cheer about in these ing for my name to called out married shooter. Trap delight: Rumaihi seals Olympic spot, Qatar team bags bronze medal TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA RESULTS MEN: IT wasn’t just Mohammed Trap: 1. Talal Alrashidi (Kuw) 42; 2. Khaled Almudhaf (Kuw) 38; 3. Naser Meqlad (Kuw) 29; 4. Kun-Pi Yang al Rumaihi who provided (Tpe) 26; 5. Mohamed al-Rumaihi (Qat) 18; 6. the shotgun joy for Qatar by Kynan Chenai 13 (Ind) clinching an Olympics quota Team: 1. Kuwait 363; 2. India 357; 3. Qatar 354. place in the men’s trap event 25m Rapid Fire Pistol: 1. Lin Junmin (Chn) 35 (585); 2. Li Yuehong (Chn) 32 (588); 3. Yao Zhaonan at the 14th Asian Champion- (Chn) 27 (578) ships on Wednesday. The Qa- Team: 1. China 1751; 2. Korea 1736; 3. India 1716. tar men’s trap team added to Junior: 25m Rapid Fire Pistol: 1. Zhu Haojie (Chn) 33; 2. home delight by winning the Cao Jiahao (Chn) 26; 3. Shin Hyeonjin (Kor) 22 bronze medal. Team: 1. China 1723; 2. Korea 1676; 3. India 1676. The Qatar team of Mo- 50m Rifle Prone: 1. Yu Hao 617.6 (Chn); 2. Niraj hammed al Rumaihi, Rashid Kumar (Ind) 616.3; 3. Abid Ali Khan 614.4 (Ind) al Athba, and Saeed Abu-Shar- Team: 1. India 1845.0 (ARJ); 2. China 1844.4; 3. Korea 1818. ib tallied 354 points to finish Mohammed al Rumaihi soon after claiming Olympic quota place at behind Kuwait 363 (Naser WOMEN the Losail Shooting Complex on Wednesday. Meqlad, Khaled al Mudhaf Trap: 1. Ray Basssil (Lbn) 36; 2. Sarsenkul Rysbekova (Kaz) 36; 3. Yukie Nakayama (Jpn) 28 and Talal al Rashidi) and India Team: 1. Kazakhstan 341; 2. China 338; 3. Chinese 357 (Kynan Chenai, Manavjit Taipei 335; 4. India 329. QSAA chief, Qatar coach Sandhu and Prithviraj). Junior: Meanwhile, the Chinese 50m rifle prone: 1. Ma Yuting (Chn) 618.1; 2. Nischal (Ind) 615.3; 3. Bhakti Bhaskar Khamkar applaud Rumaihi show juggernaut continued to roll. (Ind) 614.2 The men’s 25 metres rapid fire Team: 1. India 1836.3; 2. China 1829.1; 3. Korea Continued from page 1 the next couple of days. pistol final, which saw China 1820.7. “It was a very tight com- claim a medal sweep. THURSDAy’s FINALS “But I am very happy to have petition, went very close but Lin Junmin took the gold 11.15am: 10m Air Pistol Women’s Junior qualified forT okyo 2020 we all are very happy for Ru- medal with a total of 35, while 1.30pm: Trap Men Junior Olympics, Alhamdulillah. I am maihi. I hope this good show Li Yuehong finished second Qatar’s men’s team trap bronze medal winning members Mohammed al Rumaihi, Rashid al Athba, and 3pm: Trap Women Junior delighted on clinching the first of his will bring more people with 32 and Yao Zhaonan Saeed Abu-Sharib with coach Robert Mlodzianowski at the medal presentation ceremony at the Losail quota place for Qatar in shoot- to the Losail Shooting Range came third with 27. Shooting Complex on Wednesday. ing. I wish all my other col- to come and watch our shoot- There was disappoint- the fourth quota place on offer. leagues good luck,” he added. ers in action.” ment, however, for China in han, 16-6 winners over Iran’s at least three possible Tokyo bronze medals. The other quotas in the President of Qatar Shoot- Team Qatar’s Polish the 10m air rifle mixed team Najmeh Khedmati and Hos- 2020 Olympics quota places. In the men’s 25m Rapid event went to Japan, Korea ing & Archery Federation Ali coach Robert Mlodzianow- gold medal-match as Yang sein Bagheri in the bronze India, thus, increased its Fire Pistol, Anish Bhanwala and Pakistan. China’s world Mohammed al Kuwari ski applauded his ward’s fo- Qian and Yu Haonan lost 16- medal match. medals tally to 13 after the five finished 11th in qualification champion Lin Junmin won praised Al Rumaihi’s per- cus given the twilight condi- 14 to South Korea’s Keum Ji- India shooters bagged the country’s shooters won on and in the end, he narrowly gold in the event. formance. “I am very happy tions. “It was not easy at all. hyeon and Choo Byounggil. eight medals on the second Tuesday. missed out on an Olympic The Indian trio of An- with Qatar having clinched The competition was tough, Third place went to China’s day of the championships, India’s tally now stands at quota to a Thai competitor, ish, Bhavesh Shekhawat and the first quota place. We had besides the final started too Zhao Ruozhu and Song Bu- but narrowly missed out on four gold, three silver and six who finished 10th to pick up Adarsh Singh, however, won two of our shooters (Al Ru- late in the afternoon. With the team bronze with a com- maihi and Rashid al Athba) the setting sun, the visibility bined score of 1716. Korea make it to the final qualifica- of the target (clay pigeons) bagged the silver while China tion shoot-off. was not easy. Yet, our shoot- clinched the gold. “Unfortunately one of er’s sighting was exceptional Indian shooters in the jun- them couldn’t make it to the maybe he couldn’t finish as ior section of the same event final six. Had both qualified we may have wanted him to also emulated their seniors for the final, we could have but he managed to claim the with Ayush Jindal, Ayush had two quota places for Olympic quota place and we Sangwan and Japtyesh Jaspal Olympics.