SPORTS Tuesday, January 3, 2017 23 Bolivian racers of the Puch Team, Fortunato Colman and his co-pilot Victor Alarona, Al Attiyah wave during the official launch ceremony “I don’t know how many years I have left, but I am enjoying the football. draws Every year they (Premier League clubs) have been calling me and it was not feeling good, so I wanted to come when everyone thought I was over” kicks off first blood -Zlatan Ibrahimovic Asuncion Pons was 24sec adrift in his Paraguayan capital. atari two-time winner Ford Ranger while fellow Participants swiftly resumed Nasser Al Attiyah Spaniard Nani Roma came last-minute technical checks Qovercame a fire in his Toyota in a further 5sec back in his after seeing in the New Year to win a dramatic opening Toyota. ahead of the traditional pre- stage of the 2017 Dakar Rally Nine-time world rally race briefing Sunday evening. STAGE DISTANCES (km) Ferrer beats Tomic to champion Sebastien Loeb Riders and drivers must Special section Total yesterday. Bikes, Cars, dash local hopes at Al Attiyah completed the was 55sec off the pace as negotiate some 4,000km of Quads UTV* Trucks PERU Brisbane 38.5km special stage in 25min he came in sixth while special stages before reaching 1 39 La Paz 41sec, the first on a high- defending champion Stephane Buenos Aires on January 14. Jan 2 454 6 Former world number three 2 275 275 284 octane, high-altitude 8,800km Peterhansel was 1min 34sec Altitude concerns Oruro David Ferrer dashed local Jan 3 803 803 812 BOLIVIA (5,500 mile) continent- behind Al Attiyah in 12th. 5 hopes when he downed Five stages will be held at 3 364 364 199 7 BRAZIL crossing trek from Asuncion Peugeot’s Peterhansel Jan 4 780 780 757 Australia’s Bernard Tomic above 3,500 metres altitude -- Uyuni Tupiza in Paraguay to Buenos Aires. is seeking to add to an and participants will get a day 4 416 in straight sets in the first Jan 5 521 8 4 “About a dozen kilometres extraordinary record in the PARAGUAY round of the Brisbane off on Sunday to see a little 5 447 447 438 CHILE Jujuy out from the finish we race which comprises six wins 1 International yesterday. of the Bolivian capital La Paz, Jan 6 692 692 683 Salta 2 3 smelt smoke by (co-driver) apiece in both moto and auto 6 527 527 513 the world’s highest capital at OCEAN PACIFIC 9 Matthieu’s (Baumel) seat and categories 3,600m. Jan 7 786 786 772 Ex-Liverpool striker Babel there was a bit of a fire. We Earlier, Australian KTM The motorbikes section is Jan 8: Rest day Resistencia signs for Besiktas slowed down to finish the rider and defending champion 7 322 Tucumán Asunción also looking open coming out Jan 9 622 10 Start Jan 2 Former Liverpool striker stage and were able to put it Toby Price set out at the start of a decade of domination by 8 492 Chilecito Ryan Babel on Tuesday of the two-week rally, which Jan 10 892 out at the finish,” the Toyota Frenchman Cyril Despres and 12 signed a three year deal 9 406 URUGUAY driver said after arriving in the will take participants via Spaniard Marc Coma, five- San with top Istanbul side Argentinian city of Resistencia. Bolivia through unforgiving time winner with KTM and Jan 11 977 Juan 11 Besiktas, the club said in a 10 449 Río Cuarto The Qatari’s teammate mountainous terrain. now on board with organisers Jan 12 751 statement. Giniel de Villiers had to come Competitors were Buenos Aires ASO. 11 288 292 288 Finish Jan 14 to the rescue and tow him watching the skies before The 2017 race will be the Jan 13 754 759 754 ARGENTINA Terminally ill Sunderland away. Former World Rally the start following days of 12 64 250km ATLANTIC ninth time the Dakar has been OCEAN fan, 5, wins goal of the Championship driver Xevi violent tropical storms in the Jan 14 786 150 miles held in South America. (AFP) Source: ASO Picture: Associated Press *Utility Task Vehicle © GRAPHIC NEWS month A five-year-old Sunderland fan who has terminal cancer was adjudged joint winner of the BBC’s December goal of the month award. Djokovic survives scare in Doha season opener Novak Djokovic bat- tled back from 5-1 down against world num- French pilot Stephane Peterhansel and co- ber 63 Jan-Lennard Struff to pilot Jean Paul Cottret, of Peugeot Total team, claim his first victory of the arrive for the technical check-up season at the Qatar Open on Monday. Lakmal takes first Test wicket of 2017 Battler Elgar warns Sri Lankans Sri Lanka seamer Suranga Lakmal had the honour Cape Town definitely the most grass I’ve success. Port Elizabeth was also of claiming the first Test pening batsman Dean seen. Against a sub-continent a good cricket wicket.” wicket of 2017 when he dis- Elgar battled his way to team we definitely don’t want He said the pitch offered missed South Africa opener aO career-best century on the to make it comfortable for plenty of help to the bowlers Stephen Cook in the first first day of the second Test them,” he said. Elgar said he early on. “It’s definitely a new over of the second Test yes- against Sri Lanka at Newlands saw no problem in South Africa ball wicket and it’s going to terday. on Monday, then predicted preparing pitches to negate be that nature throughout the that South Africa’s fast bowlers the opposition’s spin bowling game. When they took the For more, catch us could thrive on a grassy pitch. strength, as happened in Port second new ball there was a online at: Elgar made 129, his sixth Elizabeth when South Africa lot of seam movement.” Elgar www.newsofbahrain.com Test century, before falling won the first Test by 206 runs. said he looked forward to South African bats- to the second new ball. South “In saying that, it’s a good seeing South Africa’s new ball man Dean Elgar cel- /nobonline Africa were 297 for six at the cricket wicket,” he added. “If bowlers, Vernon Philander and ebrates after scoring close after being sent in to bat. you apply yourself with the bat Kyle Abbott, against the Sri a century (100 runs) /newsofbahrain “It’s my fourth Test here and or the ball you are going to get Lankan batsmen..