Ferrari’s Vettel eager to take on Mercedes’ Hamilton in Singapore PAGE 17 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 Coach Sanchez changes 2022 policy, to give weightage to fitness over experience PAGE 18 BASKETBALL QATAR VS AUSTRALIA (6 PM) FINA 2018 SWIMMING WORLD CUP DOHA Three-time Olympic champion and a seven-time long-course world champion Hungary’s “Iron Lady’ Katinka Hosszu (left) poses for a selfie with Russian swimmer Anton Chupkov; (Right) South African star and last year’s men’s FINA World Cup champion Chad le Clos with a young Team Qatar swimmer soon after the FINA Swimming World Cup 2018 Doha Leg press conference at the Torch Hotel on Wednesday. (PICS: HANSON K JOSEPH) Top swimming stars ready to set Hamad Aquatic Centre alight in Kazan between September Doha leg of 2018 7 and 9. You can expect more records to fall by the wayside FINA Swimming at Doha’s state-of-the-art World Cup to be aquatic centre. Le Clos will look to con- held over 50m tinue his love affair with Doha where he picked six medals in- course from cluding four gold medals last year. Russian world record Sept 12 to 14 holder Vladimir Morozov and his compatriot Kirill Prigoda VINAY NAYUDU will join the South African DOHA maestro in men’s battles. American Michael Andrew, BIG action swimming returns who won four titles at the US to the Hamad Aquatic Centre Trophy to win Nationals this year and Aus- with world class stars all set to Launched in 1988, the FINA sie Mitchell Larkin will also be take to the pool in the second seen in action. leg of the 2018 FINA World Swimming World Cup gathers Among the women, be- Cup Series from Thursday. world-class swimmers in a sides Sjostrom and Hosszu, The much-awaited event series of meets organised Hungarian Zsuzsanna Jaka- each year, this time will have between August and bos, Dutch Ranomi Kromow- more thrill given that it is be- November each year. Across idjojo and China’s Yifan Yang ing held over the 50-metre nine locations, the circuit is are among the other stars who long course and over three structured in clusters (Middle to watch out for. days (September 13 to 15) East, Europe and Asia) and Doha leg will conclude unlike earlier when it was of Swimmers Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden, South African Chad Le Clos, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu and Anton Chupkov of Russia with distributes a total of prize Cluster 1 comprising long 25-metre short course and Qatar Swimming Association President and FINA Bureau Member Khaleel al Jabir at the press conference on Wednesday. money reaching US$ 2.5 course contests, with the re- lasted two days. million. From this year, the maining two clusters of the Over 130 swimmers from and FINA’s Technical Del- new fans to this exciting sport. received treatment at the Asp- first leg in Kazan (Russia), World Cup to be competed 23 countries have descended egate Craig Hunter expressed We thank FINA and its part- etar Sports Medicine Hospital said she was excited to be winners of the overall ranking on short course. Cluster 2 in Doha and are all set to make enthusiasm and exuded confi- ners for their continued sup- which makes it very close to back in Doha again. will be awarded with a includes Eindhoven (Nether- the big dash. dence for another spectacular port, which has helped us in me. I’ve also been quite suc- “My last year’s competi- gleaming World Cup trophy lands) and Budapest (Hunga- Addressing the media edition of the Doha leg. achieving our mission. cessful in the pool here. While tion in Doha was successful, besides a top prize ry) meets while legs in Beijing ahead of the competition on Welcoming the athletes “This year’s World Cup will I am eager to excel once again, and after that I won the over- of $150,000. (China), Tokyo (Japan) and Wednesday, Olympic and and officials alike, QSA Presi- continue to build on this suc- I would say that I shall make all title. I am targeting another Singapore form Cluster 3. World Champion Le Clos and dent Al Jabir said, “The Qatar cess,” he added. two out of three,” said the good performance at this ven- Qatar, the host country for last year’s overall FINA World Swimming Association is hon- Meanwhile, FINA an- South African. ue and hoping to be faster than races,” she said. 2023 FINA World Champion- Cup winner, Russia’s Anton oured to welcome the world’s nounced that this year on- Le Clos will be in must- Kazan,” she said. Russian Chupkov said, ships, has been hosting the Chupkov – currently second best swimmers in Doha for wards, the overall winners watch contests hoping to Hosszu, the ‘Iron Lady’ “This is my first time in Qa- FINA World Cup legs success- on points among men, Swed- the FINA Swimming World shall be awarded a World Cup improve his rankings. He tri- with ten podium finishes and tar and I hope to have a good fully since 2012 and the Qatar ish woman star Sarah Sjos- Cup 2018. trophy besides a top prize of umphed in 200m fly in Kazan, five golds in Kazan can be time.” Swimming Association shall trom – current overall leader “One of our main goals $150,000. and is on 5th position in the expected to be fish for many With 978 points, Chupkov be delivering another block- – and Hungary’s ‘Iron Lady’ when we first hosted the event Le Clos said he was de- current rankings. more at the HAC pool again. emerged as the Best Performer buster event from Thursday. Katinka Hosszu along with back in 2012 was to promote lighted to be back what he Sjostrom, who broke the “I love being here and in Kazan and can be expected Each day there will be two Qatar Swimming Association swimming in Qatar and in the calls his second home. “I’ve record of Japan’s Rikako it’s been a favourite hunting to continue his top show. sessions; heats in the morn- (QSA) President and FINA Bu- region as a whole, to inspire always considered Doha as Ikee (set in 2015) in the venue. I am hopeful of giving A total of eight World Cup ings (from 10am) and finals reau Member Khaleel al Jabir new athletes and to introduce my second home and I’ve also 100m butterfly event at the a good show and win more records were set at the first leg (from 6pm) in the evenings. Qatar host Australia at Gharafa in must-win FIBA World Cup Qualifiers clash tonight AYENI OLUSEGUN strong perform- “We have The team scored more points DOHA ance overall, a really tough from the bench than all of despite a disap- group and their opponents in round one. THE Qatar national basketball pointing loss games especial- They have also shared the ball team will host Asian giants to Japan in the ly against Japan effectively, behind only New Australia in the Second Round third window. Big battle and Australia Zealand in assists per game in of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qatar’s most but we have Asian Qualifying. qualifiers at the Al Gharafa notable team Qatar, with six points, gotten better as Australia sit on the top five Stadium Indoor Hall at 6 pm statistic is how made the round beating we play games across all Asian qualifying for on Thursday. effective they Iraq in a winner-take-all consistently points per game, field goal per- Qatar, with six points, have been in clash in July for their which is what centage and three point shots made the round beating Iraq protecting the second win in six games. we need,” Qa- made. The team’s efficiency in in a winner-take-all clash in rim, averaging tar coach Tim defence has seen them allow July for their second win in six four blocks a Lewis said after opponents to score just 65.3 games. Australia, on the other game, which is in line with the the game against Iraq. points per game in the First hand, boast of a sea of stars best teams in Asia qualifying. After finishing third in Round of the Qualifiers, which from the NBA like Matthew Injured star Abdulrahman Saad their Asian Games group, Qa- is the second-best defensive Dellavedova and Thon Maker has been the team’s most con- tar played two friendly games record in Asian qualifying. both of the Milwaukee Bucks. sistent offensive leader, play- with New Zealand which they So in the light of these stats, The Boomers have won five ing in all of Qatar’s games and lost. Lewis had earlier in July it is undoubtedly going to be a of their six games in qualifying averaging 16.2 points per game. emphasised on the need for difficult game for Qatar who so far and they enter the Sec- In the three games he’s played, the team’s young core to play will next play the Philippines ond Round in a strong position Clinton Johnson has also been more competitive games. in Manila on September 17, but in Group F. The Australians will a potent scoring threat, averag- Australia, however, a win against Australia can set Qatar basketball team against Iraq during the First Round of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers. be looking to maintain their ing 17.7 points per game. present a different challenge. the tone in a tight Group F.