SPORT Monday 30 April 2018 PAGE | 28 PAGE | 29 Real Madrid Hamilton winsns survive action-packedd LeLeganes scare Azerbaijan GPP Fans in for a treat as Diamond League set for Doha return ARMSTRONG VAS THE PENINSULA DOHA: Sports fans from Qatar will get an exclusive, unique and free opportunity to get up and close to some of the world’s best athletes ahead of the May 4 Diamond League season opener in Qatar, it was announced here yesterday. On Thursday, Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim, winner of the World Athlete of the Year, along with Kenya’s 3000m World Champion Hellen Obiri and Greece’s pole vault legend Katerina Stefanidi along with other stars will take ques- tions from the public at the press conference. Hamad Issa Al Fadalah (centre), Secretary-General of Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) poses for Public are invited to join a press conference a photograph with QAF officials and some of the star Qatari athletes during a press conference and panel session with a multitude of Olympic held at Qatar Olympic Committee headquarters yesterday.Picture: Baher Amin/The Peninsula and World medallists on the first floor of City Center Mall, which is open to everyone to attend for what promises to be a phenomenal Diamond Reigning World Champion, Ramil Guliyev of for free. League opening meeting of the 2018 season.” Turkey, goes up against Olympic silver medallist The global superstar athletes go head to head “The Doha Diamond League is the only IAAF Andre De Grasse of Canada, 2017 Diamond in a thrilling Diamond League action at Qatar Diamond League meeting in the Middle East and League Champion Noah Lyles of the USA, and Sports Club on Friday. is one of the most exciting and unmissable World bronze medallist Jereem Richards of Speaking ahead of the 2018 Doha Diamond sporting events hosted annually in Qatar,” the Trinidad and Tobago. However, the biggest sur- Abdulrahman Samba League, President of the Qatar Athletics Feder- QAF President has said. prise could come from Omar McLeod of Jamaica, ation (QAF), Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Meanwhile, further athlete announcements who is the Olympic and World Champion in the said: “We are so excited to welcome so many of were made yesterday with a thrilling showdown 110m hurdles but will be trying his hand at the the World’s biggest athletics stars back to Doha anticipated in the Men’s 200m. 200m in Doha in an intriguing switch. Samba dreams big Haroun targets gold ARMSTRONG VAS “For 2019 and 2020, the prep- working hard. Also, this event is FAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA important I go step by step and don’t suffer arations and pressure has begun at home, in front of my family and injury,” Samba said. now. These are two very friends, so I am looking forward In Doha last year, Samba stunned a star- DOHA: Qatar’s Abdalelah Haroun important years for all of us,” said to it. I have a feeling we will DOHA: Abdulrahman Samba is improving studded line-up to win gold medal at the is eager to begin this year’s Haroun. perform this season,” he said. with each passing day. The promising Qatari Qatar Sports Club and he targets the same Diamond League campaign on a Haroun said he had a ham- Speaking about his pre-season athlete set a world leading time this month in the upcoming meet. winning note in the season- string scare a couple of weeks training he said: “My pre-season and he feels his best is yet to come as he “I am ready for the home competition. I opening leg at the Qatar Sports back but has fully recovered. training was non-stop and very pursues Olympic and World records. love to perform in front of home crowd. It is Club Stadium on May 4. “Two weeks ago, I had a ham- tough, but it paid off The 22-year-old hurdler is gearing up to very special to win a gold medal in Doha and The 21-year old, a bronze string problem, but it is ok now. I as I started off the defend his Doha crown as the Qatari capital I am looking forward to do that this weekend medallist at last year’s World had been jogging, gym training, year very well by braces to stage the season-opening meet of and start the Diamond League campaign with Championship in England, said a and now I have also moved to do winning the Asian the for Diamond League this Friday. a victory. It will definitely give confidence gold at the home event with be an track training. The feeling is good,” Indoor title for “I have big dreams as I want to win eve- for the season.” ideal one as he has embarked on he said. the second time.” rything,” the star athlete told reporters at The star athlete also shared his expe- his preparations for the 2019 He said that he is top form and Qatar Olympic Committee headquarters in rience of the World Championships in World Championships in Qatar. ready for the season ahead. Doha yesterday. London where he suffered a heartbreak and “Gold is the target (at the “Right now, my form is good. The middle-distance runner, who had to content with 7th position despite a Diamond League in Doha). It I started the year in Tehran, where clocked 47.89 in South Africa to set world blazing start in the final. would be good to get one here I got two golds – 400m and leading time earlier this month, said he has “I couldn’t believed the result for three especially with the 2019 World 4x400m. After that I came back the ability to do even better. days as I did a lot of training for the World Championships coming here in to Qatar and I trained here. Then, “It was a confidence boosting per- Championships. I was very close to winning Qatar. There is already some I left for a training camp in Brazil formance and I am eager to improve this but I hit the last hurdle. It was a heartbreak amount of nervousness because (for one month). I also had a time,” he said. but at the same time it gave me motivation the work starts now. This year we training camp in Turkey (for “I’ve been training very hard for the new to achieve something. I spoke to myself that have to work hard, focus on our another month),” he informed. season. I’ve been attending a camp in South I can do something,” he said. dreams, and next year it’s a big The sprinter is happy with Africa since three months. This year I want Samba is one of the 16 athletes who will chance,” said Haroun, while his timing, which he said will to win the Diamond League Championship, represent Qatar at the Doha Diamond talking to journalists. improve in the course of time. a gold medal at the Asian Games and the League. The Qatar squad also includes Abdel- Haroun, who secured the “I have done 45.41 at the World Cup title. I am targeting those achieve- lelah Haroun, the 2017 World bronze med- bronze medal at the World Cham- start of the season. It’s ok, not a ments and I hope that someday I would be allist and Ahmed Bader, the 2017 Islamic Sol- pionship clocking 44.48 seconds bad timing to build on. After that able to break world records. But it’s idarity Games champion in the javelin. in the men’s 400 metres final, said I did the 200m in 21.16. But then the next two years are important got a little bit of an injury. But now Abdalelah Haroun years of his career. I am feeling good, I have begun Mesaimeer’s Ahmed Mesaimeer stun Al Sailiyah Kano (left) celebrates with a team- mate after to reach quarter-finals scoring the THE PENINSULA winning QSL side and meant business right from kick off. goal against The second division outfit attained success on Al Sailiyah DOHA: A brilliant first half goal from Ahmed Kano the goal front through a combined move initiated yesterday. against Al Sailiyah helped Qatargas League side by Robert Brito Luciano and Kano. Mesaimeer to continue their impressive run in the The Brazilian beat the challenge of a rival Emir Cup and move into the quarter-finals of the defender and essayed a cross which found an prestigious tournament. unmarked Kano at the far post. The Omani wasted The Omani striker struck with five minutes to no time in finishing the move with a brilliantly exe- go for the first half whistle, which turned out to be cuted side volley which beat Al Sailiyah keeper the only goal of the match. Abdraman Mahamat Aziz all ends up. Mesaimeer now take on Al Gharafa in the last In the next five minutes of the first half Al eight clash on May 4. Sailiyah build up the pressure but could not pene- Coach Dragan Tadic side having defeated QNB trate deep into the rival defense. Stars League (QSL) side Al Ahli in the first round In the second half, Al Sailiyah pressed the panic match were impressive playing with yet another buttons, but the score continued that way till the end. 28 SPORT MONDAY 30 APRIL 2018 QFA President holds discussions with CAF Chief in Doha Five Qatari players set The President of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa for Chess Olympiad bin Ahmed Al Thani with the President of the challenge in Georgia Confederation of African Football (CAF) Ahmad Ahmad QNA at the QFA Headquarters in Doha yesterday.