CRICKET | Page 3 TENNIS | Page 4 Captain Root Murray admits buries Ashes being out of agony; seeks shape aft er redemption in NZ Davis Cup scare Thursday, November 21, 2019 FOOTBALL Rabia I 24, 1441 AH Mourinho handed GULF TIMES task of reviving struggling Spurs SPORT Page 7 SPORTS EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 Qatar football team, Barshim honoured for excellence Shooters Aysha Yousef al-Suwaidi and Nasra Mohamed Mahmoud win Female Athlete of the Year Award By Sports Reporter Doha atar’s double world champion high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim may have Qwon multiple awards at the Qatar Olympic Committee’s (QOC’s) Sports Excellence Awards over the years, but he reckons they are special every time and the appreciation and the motivation of the fans and those around push athletes like him to greater success. Yesterday, the two-time Olympic silver medallist and two-time world champion was once again presented with the Male Athlete of the Year award by QOC President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani at a glitzy ceremony in Msheireb, while shooters Aysha Yousef al-Suwaidi and Nasra Mo- hamed Mahmoud shared the Female Athlete of the Year Award for their performances QOC President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani presents the Male at the Arab Shooting Champi- Athlete of the Year award to Mutaz Essa Barshim (centre). QOC President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani with the Qatar women’s basketball and handball teams. onships. Qatar’s Asian Cup-winning national football team were presented the Male Team of the Barshim is AS Arab Season Award. Athlete of Year In a speech before the start of the awards ceremony, he QNA said, “Winning the gold medal, Doha that’s a moment I will never forget. It’s the combative spirit that I felt in the hearts of the orld champion Mutaz Essa fans, that helped me, and I be- Barshim won the 2019 Arab Ath- lieve this would help any ath- Wlete of the Year, presented by the lete reach even further whether Spanish newspaper AS, after winning the you are an Asian champion or a gold medal of the high jump competition world champion or an Olympic at the IAAF World Athletics Champion- champion.” ships Doha 2019 recently. Later, talking to Gulf Times, In a report on the Qatari champion, the he said, “I am just happy to win newspaper called Barsham Qatar’s ‘High this award. People appreci- Bird’, saying he is an adventurous figure. ate what we do and I would be Barshim is the fruit of the well-sponsored lying if I said that I wasn’t ex- Aspire Academy in Qatar. pecting to win this one. Barsham won two Olympic medals, the “I am also happy that my first was a bronze in London 2012 and the coach got to win the best coach Shooters Aysha Yousef al-Suwaidi (left) and Nasra Mohamed Mahmoud shared the Female Athlete second a silver in Rio 2016. He is a two- of the year,” he said, referring of the Year Award. Qatar Athletics Federation won the Golden Federation Award. time world champion having won gold to his long-time coach Stanis- in at London 2017 before becoming the law Szczyrba. pics, he said, “It’s not easy as Among the winners of the naim (Jockey of the Season ganisations, private organisa- naments. We are really happy only high jumper to successfully retain his “It is been a tremendous people make it out to be. It’s awards were Qatar Athlet- Award), Ibrahim Saeed al- tions and individuals. about their approach, and we world title at Doha 2019. amount of work, and we have the Olympics, and it is going to ics Federation (Golden Fed- Malki (Qatari Horse Trainer QOC Secretary-General are looking forward to sup- At Doha 2019, the Qatari champion cap- been through so many sacri- be double as diffi cult as Doha eration Award), Khalid Rashed of the Season Award) and His Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain port them every year as they tured the gold medal after clearing 2.37m fi ces. We have been away for to be in top shape. But it is a al-Marri (Male Administrator Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin said, “We are happy for these achieve excellence in their on his first attempt before watching on as almost a year, especially com- challenge, and I have always of the Season Award), Ahlam Khalifa al-Thani (Horse Owner achievements of our fed- sporting disciplines. his rivals failed to match his eff ort. ing out of a very diffi cult injury. loved challenges. My coach is Faraj al-Abdulrahman (Female of the Season Award). erations and our athletes. We “There is no doubt that this Following his victory, Barshim said, “For I am just happy about that,” the going to be back in a week, we Administrator of the Season Local Organising Commit- are very happy being here at recognition by the Qatar Ol- me, it was just a dream, At home, it was 28-year-old said, talking about are going to sit down and plan Award), Khalid al-Hail and Ali tees for IAAF World Athletics Msheireb for the Sports Ex- ympic Committee of our ath- just amazing.” his epic comeback that saw our next season, and we will al-Yazeedi (Referee of the Sea- Championships Doha 2019 and cellence Awards. You must letes and federations and insti- “I was not 100 percent ready but when I him win gold in front of a rau- see from there.” son Award), Salem Jaber Faran ANOC World Beach Games have heard Mutaz and his sto- tutes means a lot for them, and came here and see all those people cheer- cous home crowd a year after As far as his physical fi tness (Camel Trainer of the Season Qatar 2019 were also appre- ry to inspire our new athletes could help them to give more ing for me, even if I was dying, if they take he suff ered a career-threaten- is concerned, he said, “I am re- Award), Nasser Abdulla al- ciated for hosting fantastic and we have so many male and and more, not just for them- me from the wheelchair or ambulance I ing injury to his ankle. covering still but I am fi ne, and Mesnad (Camel Owner of the events, and so were valued female athletes who achieved selves but also for our country, would do everything I can.” Talking about Tokyo Olym- happy about the process.” Season Award), Faleh Bugha- sponsors, governmental or- good results in different tour- and sports in Qatar.” List of Sports Excellence Awards 2019 winners Golden Federation Award: Qatar Promising Male Athlete of the Sea- Referee of the Season Award: Khalid Nasser Abdulla al-Mesnad nels Organising Committee Athletics Federation son Award: Tamim Mohamed Hassan al-Hail, Ali al-Yazeedi al-Hamaida Community Activity of the Season Recognition Award for Personalities Appreciation of Local Organising Men’s Team of the Season Award: Men’s Para-Team of the Season Award: Qatar Cyclists that Served Sport in Qatar: HE Sheikh Committees: ANOC World Beach Qatar national football team Promising Female Athlete of the Award: Qatar Goalball Team Mohamed bin Khaled bin Hamad al- Games Qatar 2019 Local Organising Season Award: Al Maha Meshal Attiq Distinguished Governmental Or- Thani, Dr Saif Ali al-Hajri Committee Women’s Team of the Season Award: al-Ali Male Para-Athlete of the Season ganisation in Supporting Olympic Qatar Women’s Sports Committee (Qa- Award: Saud Harban al-Sulaiti Movement Award: Ministry of Interior Off icial Sponsor of Sport for Life Jockey of the Season Award: Faleh tar Basketball and Handball teams) Coach of the Season Award: Stanis- Programmes Award: Sports Corner Bughanaim law Szczyrba Female Para-Athlete of the Season Distinguished Organisation in Sup- Male Athlete of the Year Award: Award: Salma Dhahi Hamad porting Sport and Organising Com- Distinguished Company in Support- Qatari Horse Trainer of the Season Mutaz Essa Barshim Male Administrator of the Season munity Sport Programmes Award: ing Sport: Ooredoo Award: Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki Award: Khalid Rashed al-Marri Camel Trainer of the Season Award: Katara Cultural Village, Aspire Zone Female Athlete of the Year Award: Salem Jaber Faran Foundation Appreciation of Local Organising Horse Owner of the Season Award: Aysha Yousef al-Suwaidi, Nasra Mo- Female Administrator of the Season Committees: IAAF World Athletics His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin hamed Mahmoud Award: Ahlam Faraj al-Abdulrahman Camel Owner of the Season Award: Media Partner Award: Al Kass Chan- Championships Doha 2019 Local Khalifa al-Thani Gulf Times 2 Thursday, November 21, 2019 CRICKET FOCUS OPINION Batting line-up needs to support Smith Australia have done more, says Paine Reuters from one-year bans for their Sydney roles in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Warner managed only 95 runs ustralia’s other bats- in 10 innings over the Ashes se- homework on young men must off er more ries but Paine said he was con- support to Steve Smith fi dent the pugnacious opener during the two-test se- would rediscover his best form Aries against Pakistan than they back on home soil. did in England earlier this year, “Davy’s certainly one of those captain Tim Paine said in Bris- guys who’s really keen to get bane yesterday on the eve of the among the runs,” Paine added. fi rst test. “Just watching him the last Pakistan: skipper Former captain Smith tops few days in the nets, he looks as the test batting world rankings good as I’ve seen him in a long ‘That’s the thing with Pakistan, they have a lot of diff erent options, a lot of skill...’ after scoring 774 runs at average time, which is a great sign for of 110 as Australia retained the us.” Ashes in England but most of his Australia will be strong fa- fellow batsman had more patchy vourites to win a series which campaigns.