FORMULA 1 | Page 2 TENNIS | Page 4 Sainz, Ricciardo Japan’s Osaka set for moves as using lockdown Alonso return to conquer mooted inner demons Thursday, May 14, 2020 CRICKET Ramadan 21, 1441 AH Babar named ODI GULF TIMES captain, Amir loses Pakistan contract SPORT Page 3 HORSE RACING Impressive Wooded is a new group winner for Al Shaqab Racing Agencies 3 Prix La Rochette in September. He showed an excellent turn his rhythm. It’s a great start and Chantilly, France On his home racecourse of of foot off a very fast pace, and it’s good to see him win by such Chantilly, Wooded fulfilled all victory never looked in doubt. a large distance. Alocasia, the the promise he had shown at two He finished three and a half second, also drew clear from the l Shaqab Racing’s with a dominant display of speed lengths in front of Alocasia, who rest of the field. We can dream of Wooded won the Prix in a strong renewal of this six- was herself a Listed winner and running him in Commonwealth Texanita (Group 3) furlong race. Group-placed at 2, with another Cup, if the owner and the trainer Ain superb fashion at Starting favourite under jockey two lengths to the third placed, want to go and if that is possible. Chantilly yesterday. Pierre-Charles Boudot, he was My Love’s Passion (Elvstroem), In France, he would have to face The 3-year-old colt, trained sharply away. Two of the pack also Group placed at a 2. older horses. He has the right to by Francis Graffard, lined up for broke away to run down the far Al Shaqab Racing Racing man- try his luck in a Group 1.” his first start of 2020, having side, whilst Wooded went for- ager Rupert Pritchard-Gordon Wooded is by Wootton Bassett, placed twice at Group level as a ward to sit up near the pace on said, “He showed that he’s got a sire of Champion Almanzor, and two-year-old, when third in the the stands side alongside Alocasia lot of speed. Wooded had a good was bought by Al Shaqab Racing Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon last (Kingman). Once three furlongs winter, he is much stronger. His at the Arqana October Yearling October on very soft ground, and had run by Wooded began to pull jockey gave him a very good ride: Sale in 2018. He is a full brother Pierre-Charles Boudot rides Wooded to Prix Texanita (Group 3) victory at Chantilly yesterday. (Scoopdyga) nosed off for second in the Group clear, with Alocasia giving chase. the colt set a good pace, but in to the useful Beat Le Bon. ATHLETICS Khalifa stadium, home fans a different feeling: Barshim Qatar’s high jump star talks Tokyo Olympics, his liking of Japan, recovery from injury and... his cooking skills By Mikhil Bhat 2009. Else I am only travelling, Doha training, competing most of the times,” he said. So, at times, he is also helping with Ramadan ac- lympic Games are as tivities of the federations. exciting a dream for an At home, he is packing and un- athlete as they are elu- packing things, and involved in Osive. It is a four-year renovation, like getting a graffiti cycle where everything in the life wall painted. “I have begun cook- of an athlete is geared towards ing and I am surprisingly getting participating and excelling at better at it. My wife is a great the biggest sporting event in the cook and she helps me get better world. It is also the four-year cy- at it. We make Arabic dishes, ma- cle where everything in the life jbous, we bake, date cakes, ba- of an athlete, from his/her age to nana cakes, chocolate fondants, his/her life choices, has the po- pastas. It’s good that we are in a tential to disrupt the very dream. position to do this,” he said. And then there are factors be- yond one’s own being — a world- I love competing and I wide pandemic, for instance. love Tokyo. I am sure Like Qatar’s track and field star of them hosting the Mutaz Essa Barshim told Gulf Olympics at a very high Times, “Once Rio (2016) finished, ‘ level. your mind and body was pro- grammed for 2020. That’s what — Mutaz Barshim athletes were gearing up for. So when they (IOC and the organ- But the world champion that isers) pushed it (2020 Tokyo Ol- Barshim is, Tokyo is on his mind. ympics) back a year, your plans, And also his heart, having visited the way your whole life revolved the place often in the past. around that event is shocked a “I have loved manga (comics) little. However, in the current since I was 15 or 16. In Japan, I am situation, the pandemic was like a kid again. the only reason that could have “I love the culture in Japan, the pushed the Games back and it is food, have lots of friends there. I the right reason.” like technology, futuristic things, electronics, and you see things Once Rio (2016) finished, there that you haven’t else- your mind and body where,” he said. was programmed “(On my last trip) I would even for 2020. That’s what see the Olympic Stadium being ‘ built…” athletes were gearing up for... However, in the current Any anxiety? situation, the pandemic was “Only excitement,” was the re- the only reason that could ply. “I love competing and I love have pushed the Games Tokyo. I am sure of them hosting back and it is the right the Olympics at a very high level.” reason. Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim celebrates winning his gold medal in the men’s high jump event at the Doha World Athletics Championships on October 4, 2019. (Red Bull Content Pool) And then it’s up to the athletes, who are having a tough time — Mutaz Barshim He had a run of six years where is a different feeling. You can kle injury in 2018. an injury and it was nice talking month, had said after the 2019 finding training grounds in these he flew over 2.40m, also becom- never match the home fans. The to him. Worlds that he still wasn’t at a times. Rio was also where the high ing the athlete to come closest to (World) championships there… I have a nice memory of “I don’t like to control every- 100 percent even though he had “A lot depends on when the jumper became the first silver- Javier Sotomayor’s world record what I achieved at home.” the place. It is the first thing but there are some things won gold. training facilities will open up. medallist for Qatar at the Ol- of 2.45m with a 2.43m effort in The Doha 2019 Worlds served place I jumped 2.40m that I would like to be more cer- With on-field action ceasing And also when can we compete ympics, having won a bronze in Brussels in 2014. as a happy conclusion for a tu- (back in June 2013). tain about. The injury was such everywhere in the world due to because to get into a rhythm, a London alongside shooter Nasser Recently, on an Instagram ‘fill- multuous and uncertain time in ‘ thing. Yes, the surgery was done the Covid-19 pandemic, an un- certain shape and form, you need Saleh al-Attiyah. in-the-blanks’ story, Barshim the life of the athlete, who came — Mutaz Barshim and it had gone well, but beyond scheduled extended break could competition. Everybody is train- Since then the former World indicated how the Hayward Field out of a career-threatening ankle on Hayward Field in that there was no clear answer. If give his body time to recover ing at whatever levels they can. I junior champion has also become in Eugene, Oregon, also the ven- injury, and flew 2.37m in a jam- Eugene, Oregon there was no competition com- completely. “My body may be can’t get to a track. We can only the only man to successfully de- ue for the next World Athletics packed stadium for a much-de- ing up, it would have still been getting time to recover, but can’t do body weights, movement and fend his senior World champion- Championships, was special for served gold. “Once you really deal with ok, I can take time. But there was even compare. Around the world, cardio. No one wants to hit full- ship title in high jump, the second him. In an online live session last it (an injury), you understand,” a big championship coming up the times are difficult,” he said. time training without at least of which came last year at home “I have a nice memory of month with fellow high jump- Barshim said yesterday. “It is way (in the next season) and that too But like most people around some fitness, even if it is 30-40 in front of a boisterous crowd and the place. It is the first place I er and dear friend, Gianmarco harder than what you think when at home, and that was not a great the world, he has been using the percent. Even the coach knows in the presence of His Highness jumped 2.40m (back in June Tamberi, he had spoken about you look at it from outside. He feeling, being in that 50-50 situ- downtime to do other things. “It it is the same situation for every- The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- 2013),” Barshim said.