SPORT Wednesday 29 August 2018 PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 Nadal sends Ferrer Abdulla braces into Slam retirement; for Baja Poland Murray advances challenge Ahmed, Cherif clinch gold for Qatar ARMSTRONG VAS THE PENINSULA DOHA: Qatar continued their impressive run at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia by clinching three more medals – one gold and two bronze to take the medals tally haul to double digits. Yesterday, the beach vol- leyball pair of Ahmed Tijan and Cherif Younousse delivered the knock out punch by clinching the gold while Abdullah Abubakr won the bronze medal in the 800m and Qatari riders won the team bronze in showjumping event to take the medals tally to 10 medals. In beach volleyball, World’s 10th ranked Ahmed/Cherif proved their superiority by beating the host pair Ade Candra Rachmawan and Mohammad Ashfiya 2-0 (26-24, 21-17) at the final showdown at Jakabaring Sport City Beach Volleyball Court. Cheered by thousands of local spectators, host pair of Rachmawan/Asfiya came into the match quickly with their fast moving and variegated attacking. However, the Qatari duo showed no inferiority by tailing after the host duo closely before they were left behind 12-15 following a dip by opponent to finish the rally. Qatar called a timeout and it worked as they soon caught up to 19-19 tie, forcing host pair to call a timeout. Nevertheless, the Qatar duo led to reach the set point and after several deuces, they managed to win the close set 26-24. Keeping the momentum to the second set, Qatar established a narrow lead from the beginning. Despite the host duo attempted several times to draw nearer to one point difference at Action during the men’s beach volleyball final of the 2018 Asian Games between Qatar and Indonesia at the JSC Beach Volley Arena in Palembang, Indonesia yesterday. 12-13 and 15-16, Qatar refused Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan beat Ade Candra Rachmawan and Mohammad Ashfiya in the final yesterday. INSET: Podium winners pose for a photograph them to step further. Following a clean block by Cherif, Qatar during the presentation ceremony. took the set 21-17, the match 2-0 and their first Asian Games gold In the bronze medal contest, World’s 10th ranked Ahmed/Cherif proved their claimed the gold while the Jap- medal. host pair of Gilang/Anangsyah superiority by beating the host pair of Ade Candra anese team finished second. MEDAL TABLE (TOP 10) “I am so happy to win the maintained their fantastic groove In Boxing, Tharumalinga Rachmawan and Mohammad Ashfiya 2-0 (26-24, Rank Country G S B Total gold medal. We have be well pre- and knocked the higher-seeded 21-17) at the final showdown Thulasimaaran lost to Jordan’s pared and we believe the gold and taller Chinese duo Gao/Li out Eashash 0-5 in the quarter-finals 1 China 97 64 45 206 medal belongs to us. ” Cherif said. of the top three in 2-1 (21-15, of Men’s Welter (69kg) while the “We just focused on the play. 19-21, 15-6). 1:46.15 and his teammate Jinson day came when equestrian riders Squash team lost the Men’s Team 2 Japan 43 38 61 142 There is no much affection from In the 800m, Qatar’s Johnson who won the silver with comprising of Sheikh Ali bin Pool B match to India 2-1. 3 South Korea 32 40 46 118 the local cheering spectators. We Abubakr claimed the bronze a time 1:46.35. Qatar’s Jamal Khaled Al Thani, Basem Hassan, In the men’s volleyball 4 Indonesia 24 19 29 72 experienced more spectators medal with a time of 1:46.38 after Hairana finished in six place with Hamad Al Attiayah and Salmen quarter-finals, Qatar defeated than here before. We just get used Indian runner Manjit Singh who a time of 1:49.05. Al Suwaidi claimed the third Japan 3-2 to book a place in the 5 Iran 17 16 16 49 to that.” won the gold with a time of Qatar’s second bronze of the place in the team . Saudi Arabi last four stage. 6 Chinese Taipei 13 14 20 47 7 DPR Korea 12 8 7 27 8 India 9 19 22 50 9 Uzbekistan 9 15 14 38 10 Thailand 9 11 33 53 11 Kazakhstan 8 9 30 47 12 Bahrain 8 3 5 16 13 Hong Kong 4 12 16 32 14 Malaysia 4 8 8 20 15 Qatar 4 3 3 10 16 UAE 3 6 3 12 17 Singapore 3 4 10 17 18 Mongolia 3 2 5 10 19 Philippines 3 0 12 15 20 Vietnam 2 11 13 26 21 Kyrgyzstan 2 6 9 17 22 Jordan 2 1 8 11 23 Kuwait 2 1 0 3 FROM LEFT: Qatari equestrian riders Salmen Al Suwaidi, Sheikh Ali bin Khaled Al Thani, Hamad Al Attiyah and Basem Hassan pose for a photograph after winning the 24 Cambodia 2 0 1 3 bronze medal in the team event during the Asian Games yesterday. RIGHT: (From left) Iran’s Amir Moradi, India’s Manjit Singh, India’s Jinson Johnson, Bahrain’s Abraham Rotich and Qatar’s Abubaker Abdalla compete in the 800m final yesterday. 25 Saudi Arabia 1 2 1 4 WEDNESDAY 29 AUGUST 2018 SPORT 17 Qatar’s Osman Wagihalla spikes the ball during the men’s volleyball quarter-final match against Japan in Jakarta, Indonesia yesterday. Happy 14th birthday for Yesterday’s China’s gold highlights REUTERS winning diver AFP JAKARTA: Highlights of day 11 of the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang JAKARTA: Two 14-year-old divers yesterday: from China became the youngest gold medallists at the 2018 Asian Games SOUTH KOREA WIN WOMEN’S when they romped to victory in the TEAM TRACK CYCLING GOLD women’s synchronised 10 metre South Korea avenged their defeat at Qatar clinch thriller platform yesterday. Incheon in 2014 with a dominant win, Zhang Jiaqi and Zhang Minjie which saw them overlap defending cham- (pictured above) -- fresh from a win pions China en route to victory in the at the Wuhan World Cup event in women’s team pursuit final. to set up Iran semi June -- tumbled into a commanding Japan beat Hong Kong to claim the lead from their exquisite opening dive bronze medal. and never looked threatened, AVC Mubarak Hammad scored a match-high 31 in nine players competing in securing the top spot with 361.38. IRANIAN WEIGHTLIFTER KORDA- points including 25 kills from 50 attempts and a the previous Games in Victory was the icing on the cake SIABI RETIRES JAKARTA: Devastating team-leading 5 blocks as Qatar advanced to the Incheon, where they had to for Zhang Minjie, who was cele- Iranian weightlifter Behdad Salimi Kor- Qatar saved incredible nine semi-finals of the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta. be content with bronze brating her 14th birthday on Tuesday. dasiabi has announced his retirement after match points to stun Japan medal, silenced the cheering Behind the terrific teens came winning his third consecutive Asian Games (25-18, 26-28, 25-21, 22-25, home crowds with their North Korean duo Kim Kuk Hyang gold medal in the men’s 105kg category 24-22) in a clash of the Titans Nagano who joined the gold- scored a match-high 31 incredible jumping ability and Kim Mi Rae -- who placed fourth on Monday. to go up against title-holders winning team at the last points including 25 kills from and awesome combinations. in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio -- The 28-year-old was also a gold med- Iran, as fired-up Korea year’s Asian Senior Men’s 50 attempts and a team- They hustled and dived on 337.86. allist at the 2012 London Olympics and cruised to gritty 3-0 victory Championship in Surabaya, leading 5 blocks. Shunsuke around the court, going for Malaysian pair Leong Mun Yee twice winner at the World over hosts Indonesia to chal- Indonesia, counter-attacked Chijiki led Japan with 25 everything. Despite a sturdy and Nur Dhabitah Sabri bagged the Championships. lenge Chinese Taipei in to take the hotly-contested points. challenge from Indonesia, bronze with 310.80. “Behdad Salimi officially said goodbye tomorrow’s semi-finals of second set 28-26. Qatar advanced to the star spiker Moon Sungmin Zhang Jiaqi, ranked five in the to the sport of God’s championship after the 18th Asian Games Qatar, led by Mubarak semi-finals of the 18th Asian and Jung Jiseok unleashed on world, and world number nine Zhang the gold medal of Asian Games,” the Iran volleyball competition at the Hammad and Ndir Sadikh, Games in Jakarta, their several powerful blows to Minjie showed no hint of nerves as Weightlifting Federation said on Instagram. GBK Tennis Indoor Stadium regained their composure to second time in history that help the team storm into the they rolled out a spectacular back “Behdad Salimi took his shoes to say yesterday. bring their brilliant form they could make it to the top semi-finals after 3-0 (25-22, two-and-a-half somersaults and one- goodbye from the Championship and Japan and Qatar engaged back on track to snatch the four teams in the Asia’s 25-18, 25-18) blitz over the and-a-half twists in the fifth and final kissed the weights.” in a fiery duel in yesterday’s third set 25-21. In the fourth biggest sporting event.