CRICKET | Page 5 NBA | Page 6 Gayle says Thunder sexism row humble was just a Warriors to ‘little fun’ grab edge Tuesday, May 24, 2016 FOOTBALL Sha’baan 17, 1437 AH Neymar strike GULF TIMES helps Barca beat Sevilla in King’s Cup fi nal SPORT Page 3 SPOTLIGHT Talented Rio athletes take part in QOC’s Shine event TEN ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR TRAINING CAMP AT QATAR’S ASPIRE ACADEMY FOR SPORTING EXCELLENCE By Sports Reporter Doha Shine winners celebrate with QOC off icials and ambassadors in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. lmost 200 athletes partici- pated in the Qatar Olympic Committee’s (QOC) ‘Shine’ athletics tournament in Rio Ade Janeiro yesterday. The talented young athletes were competing for the opportunity to win one of 10 places on a training camp at Doha’s world-renowned Aspire Acad- emy for Sporting Excellence, whose alumni include Qatar’s sporting hero, Mutaz Barshim. The QOC established the Shine project to provide support and assist- ance to young athletes from disadvan- taged backgrounds from across Rio de Janeiro and leaving a compelling legacy from the Rio 2016 Games. The QOC, Qatar Athletics Federa- tion and Aspire Academy for Sport- ing Excellence partnered with Futuro Olimpico, an NGO founded by Brazil’s Olympic bronze medallist from Atlanta ‘96, Arnaldo de Oliveira, and the Rio de Janeiro Athletics Federation to organ- ise the project. Speaking about the vision behind the Shine project, Dr Thani al-Kuwari, Sec- retary General of the QOC, said: “The Qatar Olympic Committee believes in the power of sport to change lives and we were determined to ensure that we grasp the opportunity of the Rio 2016 Games to leave a positive impact on young athletes in Rio de Janeiro.” “This will provide a true legacy for both Brazil and Qatar. It is our sin- cere hope that our Shine project will provide invaluable support for these athletes on their journeys to become Brazil’s next Olympic heroes. We look forward to following their progress as their careers develop,” the QOC Secre- tary General added. The Shine tournament was attended by several offi cials from Qatar includ- ing Sheikha Asma al-Thani, Marketing Director at the QOC; Mohamed al- Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Athletics Federation; and Dr Hazem Anabtawi, Deputy Director at the As- pire Academy. The offi cials were able to meet the athletes and learn more about how the project will benefi t them and their future careers. Athletes were competing across 24 events and the most notable result of the day came from 21-year-old Gabriel Oliveira Constantino, whose time of 10.47s in the men’s 100m was just 31 hundredths of a second short of the Ol- ympic qualifi cation time. Despite not qualifying on this occasion, there will be further opportunities and Gabriel’s performance won him a trip to Qatar and a place on the training camp with four other boys and fi ve girls. Speaking from the competition, Mohamed al-Kuwari said: “It has been a pleasure to witness the huge amount of talent on display at the Shine tour- nament, and we pass our congratula- Terezinha Guilhermina, Brazil’s multiple World and Paralympic champion, chats with athletes and coaches; (Right) Men's high jump competition in progress at the Shine tournament in Rio de Janeiro. tions to all the athletes that have quali- fi ed to train in Qatar. further support to Futuro Olimpico, from Futuro Olimpico qualify for the Also in attendance at the Shine tour- Terezinha Guilhermina, the one who The athletes will travel to Qatar with “The Qatar Athletics Federation and which aims to take athletics to stu- once-in-a-lifetime trip to Doha. nament was Brazil’s multiple World achieves her dreams. Arnaldo de Oliveira later in 2016 for the Aspire Academy for Sporting Excel- dents at Rio de Janeiro’s public schools. “This will be the fi rst time that many and Paralympic champion, Terezinha “I experienced fi rst-hand last year week-long training camp. lence are committed to the global de- Proceeds from public entry fees to Bayt of them have left Brazil and the oppor- Guilhermina, who will be competing the impact that hosting the Doha 2015 The Aspire Academy regularly hosts velopment of athletics and we hope that Qatar, the QOC’s hospitality house for tunity to train at the world-class facili- in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games this IPC Athletics World Championships training camps for Asia’s most talented these young athletes’ development and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, will be ties and experience a new culture will summer. had on changing perceptions and young athletes, enabling them to en- performance will be enhanced by our donated to the NGO enabling them to be essential to their development. The Shine Ambassador inspired the breaking down barriers in Qatar and hance their development and perform- world-class coaching, sports science buy uniforms and equipment for the “In addition, the further donations young athletes by sharing her own the Middle East. ance through tailored and optimised expertise and state-of the-art facili- athletes and for further athletes to that the QOC are providing through story of how sport transformed her life “It is an honour to join forces with training programmes. ties. We cannot wait to welcome them benefi t from the partnership. Bayt Qatar will amplify the support from a childhood of poverty to a sport- the Qatar Olympic Committee once The Shine athletes will benefi t to Doha and we hope their stay will be Speaking about Shine, Arnaldo de that we are able to provide to all our ing hero. again and help to show young athletes from the same experience, helping to one to remember forever.” Oliveira said: “Today’s Shine tourna- athletes. I am so grateful to the Qatar “Sport had an amazing impact on from my country that anything is pos- provide new knowledge and expertise In addition to yesterday’s Shine ment has been a huge success and it Olympic Committee for their partner- my life. I went from being Terezinha sible if you work hard and don’t give up that will support their future training tournament, the QOC are providing has been so inspiring to see athletes ship and support.” Guilhermina, the one who dreamed, to on your dreams”. programmes. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, May 24, 2016 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT FOCUS FA Cup not Van Gaal sacked by enough for Van Gaal as United United: Reports seek spark BBC said United would make a statement but there was still no word from them Reuters to players not to take fi rst-time London shots. AFP It also reported that the two London most senior players, Wayne Manchester United scored just 49 or a club that in 2000 Rooney and Michael Carrick, had league goals this season, their was happy to ditch their raised concerns with Van Gaal ouis Van Gaal’s time as manager lowest return for 26 years and many defence of the FA Cup about his post-match “evalua- of Manchester United appeared to supporters felt Louis Van Gaal’s so they could play in the tion sessions” in which he pub- be nearing its end yesterday, amid FWorld Club Championship, win- licly criticised players in front approach ran counter to the club’s reports that agreement on a sev- traditional attacking style. ning football’s oldest trophy was of their teammates With such Lerance package was all that stood in the never likely to be enough to con- widespread dissatisfaction it way of his exit from Old Traff ord. vince Manchester United to keep easy to forget that the 64-year- Both Van Gaal and leading employ- faith with Louis van Gaal. old former Ajax, Barcelona, Bay- ment lawyer Paul Gilroy were seen enter- Too little, too late looks to ern Munich and Netherlands ing United’s Carrington training ground be the thinking of the United coach was seen as the safe option yesterday following reports that former board if, as was widely report- when he was hired in May 2014 Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was ed by British media yesterday, following Moyes’s sacking. poised to replace the Dutchman. the Dutchman is to be sacked He iammediately returned the Gilroy’s clients have included David as manager two years into his club to the Champions League Moyes, whose sacking as United manager three-year contract. If Van Gaal with a fourth-place fi nish but paved the way for Van Gaal’s appoint- had combined that record 12th despite heavy spending on the ment. There has been no offi cial con- FA Cup success by snatching a likes of young forwards Memphis fi rmation as yet from United, 20-times Champions League place then Depay and Anthony Martial and English champions, about the position of perhaps he might have survived German midfi elder Bastian Sch- Van Gaal, who still has a season remain- but, with Jose Mourinho waiting weinsteiger, United stagnated ing on his three-year contract. in the wings, there will be few after briefl y topping the table at But James Ducker, the northern foot- fans lamenting the departure. the end of September. ball correspondent of Britain’s Daily For generations of supporters Martial apart, the new play- Telegraph newspaper, tweeted Monday: brought up to expect high oc- ers have struggled to justify their “Paul Gilroy QC fi nalising Van Gaal’s sev- tane attacking football against fees, and Van Gaal increasingly erance package now...£5mn pay off .” teams who for decades went to turned to talented youngsters Meanwhile The Times’ Paul Hirst Old Traff ord merely to survive, such as Marcus Rashford.