SPORT Friday 22 March 2019 PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 Serbia’s Australia’s Djokovic ready Smith and Warner to play tennis, face World Cup not politics test in IPL FIG World Cup: Stage set for thrilling It is a strong start and we are happy as we look forward finals in Doha as Zonderland cruises to hosting another successful edition FAWAD HUSSAIN Dutch star Epke Zonderland of the World Cup. THE PENINSULA AGF President praises in action in the qualifying The gymnasts will round of horizontal bars at definitely show Dutch star Epke Zonderland is on FIG ART Individual Apparatus good performances course of winning his second gold ‘excellent’ organisation World Cup in Doha, yesterday. to bag medals medal in Doha within a span of four months after he cruised into which will make THE PENINSULA the final of horizontal bars, as the the next two days DOHA two-day qualifying rounds at FIG very interesting: ART Individual Apparatus World Qatar Gymnastics Cup concluded yesterday. The President of the African Federation President Ukranian vault specialist Igor Gymnastics Federation (AGF) Ali Ali Al Hitmi Radivilov and China’s Zou Jin- Zaatar (pictured), who is here to gyuan also displayed sparkling attend the 12th FIG Artistic performances to storm into the Gymnastic World Cup being staged finals yesterday, and the stage is at the Aspire Dome, was all praise now set for spectacular finals, for the ‘excellent’ organisation by which will see top gymnasts bat- the hosts Qatar Gymnastics Feder- tling for supremacy in the next ation (QGF), and the participation two days at Aspire Dome. of athletes from the African region. Zonderland, who won a hor- Qatar has been hosting the izontal bar gold medal at the event for the last 12 years and World Championships in Doha Zaatar said there is no point talking trying to develop gymnastics last November, entered the final about the standards of the meet in despite the hardships,” he comfortably after scoring 14.100 Doha for it is obviously world class. added. points. The Dutchman finished He was also happy that the “Gymnastics is one sport where behind Croatia’s Tin Sribic championship provides a great a small error can make for the big (14.333), Kazakhstan Milad chance for Arab and African gym- difference between winning and Karimi (14.300) and Russia’s nasts to participate and gain losing. But the mere chance of experience. being involved in a championship Alexey Rostov. YESTERDAY’S RESULTS “It is good to be back in “Even if the difference in class which has world stars of artistic Doha,” Zonderland said after of performance is stark between gymnastics is a indeed great gain MEN’S QUALIFICATIONS entering the finals yesterday. the world stars and those aiming for those aiming to learn and reach “I have a lot of good mem- to match them, the common higher,” he stressed. VAULT: 1. Igor Radivilov (UKR) ories by competing in this arena platform provides a chance to excel Among many such athletes 14.916 pts; 2. Hakseon Yang (KOR) not only from the World Cham- and learn and compete,” said who were in action yesterday 14.900; 3. Artur Davtyan (ARM) pionships, but the recent World Zaatar while speaking to the media included Hamza Hossaini of Cups as well. It is always a good on the second day of the four-day Morocco, Ahmet Onder of Turkey 14.849; 4. Jorge Vega Lopez (GUA) organisation and as an athlete World Cup. and Abdulrahman Othman of Libya. 14.762; 5. Christopher Remkes (AUS) you know you can perform well, “There are African countries Hamza in particular was quite 14.699; 6. Marian Dragulescu (ROU) when the organisation is perfect. that are interested in gymnastics impressive in the men’s vault 14.616; 7. Wei-Sheng Tseng (TPE) I was looking forward to coming such as Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, totaling a score of 14.524 points to 14.599; 8. Giarnni Regini-Moran here,” the Dutchman added. South Africa and Nigeria, but ulti- finish 11th missing out on the final (GBR) 14.599. Qatar’s Ahmed Mosa also fea- mately the African Federation is berth by a narrow margin. tured in qualification and earned a creditable score of 12.066. PARALLEL BARS: 1. Jingyuan Meanwhile, Radivilov, the men’s vault qualification when which will benefit me in the Zou (CHN) D-Score 6.6; Total Points: London Olympic medallist, once Abdulrahman Othman became future,” he said. 15.866; 2. Phuong Thanh Dinh (VIE) again proved why he is rated as the first Libyan gymnast to make China’s reigning Asian Games 6.2; 14.733; 3. Ferhat Arican (TUR) one of the best in vault, as he his debut at the FIG World Cup. champion Jingyuan also looked 6.3; 14.633; 4. Andrey Likhovitskiy wowed spectators with his “ I am very happy to rep- at his best as he outsmarted his clinical finishes to top the vault resent my country Libya at this opponents with a huge gap in the (BLR) 5.5; 14.600; 5. Vladislav qualification with 14.916. The stage,” said Othman. men’s parallel bars qualification, Poliashov (RUS) 6.3; 14.500; 6. 26-year-old was followed by “It was a tough competition earning an impressive tally of Mitchell Morgans (AUS) 6.0; 14.333; 7. Korean Hakseon Yang and Artur as leading gymnasts were par- 15.866. Vietnam’s Phuong Thanh Vasili Mikhalitsyn (BLR) 5.4; 14.233; 8. Davtyan of Armenia. ticipating for the finals but I will Dinh, who finished second got Matteo Levantesi (ITA) 5.9; 14.233. History was also made in the take back a useful experience 14.733 while Turkish star gained confidence in his bid to clinch HORIZONTAL BAR: medal by finishing third with 1. Tin Srbic 14.633 points. (CRO) D-Score: 5.9; Total Points: Zonderland, however, failed In the meantime, American and still rings. The women will 14.333; 2. Milad Karimi (KAZ) 6.2; to qualify for the final of the event Jade Carey topped women’s floor compete on vault and uneven 14.300; 3. Alexey Rostov (RUS) 6.0; after he finished 10th with a score qualification to keep her chances bars. 14.133; 4. Epke Zonderland (NED) of 13.966. intact for another double victory “The qualifications rounds 6.1; 14.100; 5. Shudi Deng (CHN) 6.3; in the World Cup series. After have set the stage for interesting Derwael continues placing herself among the finals as top gymnasts will 14.100; 6. Hidetaka Miyahi (JPN) 5.9; golden form finalists on the Vault, Carey compete for the medals,” Qatar 14.066; 7. Randy Leru (CUB) 6.2; After topping the qualifica- earned the top spot on the floor Gymnastics Federation President 14.033; 8. Carlo Macchini (ITA) 5.7; tions in uneven bars on with 14.000. Ali Al Hitmi said. 14.000. Wednesday, world champion Two Italians, Lara Mori and “It is a strong start and we Nina Derwael scored maximum former world champion, Vanessa are happy as we look forward to WOMEN’S QUALIFICATIONS points in balance beam to remain Ferrari will also compete in the hosting another successful BALANCE BEAM: favourite for two gold medals in final tomorrow. edition of the World Cup,” he 1. Nina Doha. said. Derwael (BEL) D-Score: 5.3; Total The Belgian star secured Five gold medals to be “The gymnasts will definitely Points: 13.566; 2. Marine Boyer 13.566 points to finish ahead of decided today show good performances to bag (FRA) 5.7; 13.366; 3. Qi Li (CHN) 5.7; Frenchwoman Marine Boyer Today, five gold medals will medals which will make the next Qatar’s Ahmed Mosa in action during yesterday’s horizontal 13.300; 4. Yumika Nakamura (JPN) (13.366) and China’s Qi Li be awarded with finals scheduled two days very interesting,” he bars qualifiers. 5.0; 12.900; 5. Hua-Tien Ting (TPE) (13.300). for men’s floor, pommel horse added. 5.3; 12.800; 6. Adela Sajn (SLO) 4.9; 12.766; 7. Soyoka Hanawa (JPN) 5.9; 12.700; 8. Aneta Holasova (CZE) 5.1; TODAY’S FINALISTS 12.666. MEN POMMEL HORSE FLOOR WOMEN UNEVEN BARS STILL RINGS Chih Kai Lee (Taipei) Carlos Yulo (Phillipines) VAULT Nina Derwael (Belgium) FLOOR: 1. Jade Carey (USA) Xingyu Lan (China) Harutyun Merdinyan (Armenia) Xiao Ruoteng (China) Maria Paseka (Russia) Yilin Fan (China) D-Score: 5.9; Total Points:14.000; 2. Vahagn Davtyan (Armenia) Kohei Kameyama (Japan) Jonathan Vrolix (Belgium) Jade Carey (USA) Anastasia Iliankova (Russia) Marine Boyer (FRA) 5.0; 13.200; 3. Artur Tovmasyan (Armenia) Kaito Imabayashi (Japan) Ahmet Onder (Turkey) Coline Devillard (France) Diana Varinska (Ukraine) Kim Bui (GER) 5.2; 13.200; 4. Lara Marco Lodadio (Italy) Saeedreza Keikha (Iran) Rayderley Zapata (Spain) Alexa Moreno (Mexico) Kim Bui (Germany) Mori (ITA) 5.3; 13.166; 5. Varvara Courtney Tulloch (Great Britain) Zou Jingyuan (China) Christopher Remkes (Australia) Marcia Vidiaux (Cuba) Jonna Adlerteg (Sweden) Zubova (RUS) 5.1; 13.066; 6. Marta Samir Ait Said (France) Filip Ude (Croatia) Emil Soravuo (Finland) Marina Nekrasova (Azerbaijan) Martina Rizzelli (Italy) Pihan-Kulesza (POL) 5.2; 13.033; 7. Ali Zahran (Egypt) Stephen Nedoroscik (USA) Oksana Chusovitina (Uzbekistan) Yumika Nakamura (Japan) Ibrahim Colak (Turkey) Emily Thomas (Great Britain) Vanessa Ferrari (ITA) 5.3; 13.033; 8. Coline Devillard (FRA) 4.8; 12.833. FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019 SPORT 17 The iconic Khalifa International Stadium will host 23rd Asian Athletics Championships from April 21 to 24 Qatar’s Thulasi Tharumalingam (top) in action in this file photo.