SPORT PAGE | 03 PAGE | 08 Qatar’sQat Al Attiyah AFC Champions ssealsea 15th MERC League: Al Sadd title with win set for feisty clash in Cyprus against Al Hilal Tuesday 1 October 2019 Samba clinches first medal for Qatar as Warholm wins 400m hurdles gold FAWAD HUSSAIN Samba, whose build up for the place. I’m gonna prepare THE PENINSULA the worlds was marred by injury, myself for next season now,” recovered well in the last to Samba said. The much-anticipated men’s 400 clock 48.03 and earn first medal Warholm, ran in the final hurdles final last night had spec- for the home side. differently to his normal tators on their feet at the Khalifa “I think I cannot explain this approach, holding back through International Stadium, and feeling today because it’s the back straight rather than Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba did amazing. I know third place was going out hard. Samba, who was not let the home fans down. not my (desired) place but I say behind till the last moment, fin- Although the star athlete did thank you God because three ished well after a well-judged not win the race, he still days ago I was not sure to race. managed to clinch first medal compete or not. This season was “It’s very easy to say that you for the hosts at the IAAF World very hard for me because I had knew (I would win) afterwards. Athletics Championships Doha a lot of injuries. I say thank you I wanna say it too, but I wasn’t 2019, winning a bronze medal. God because I’m here tonight too sure, to be honest. This was Samba’s rivals, Karsten and I celebrate with this medal,” a very tough race. I actually felt Warholm of Norway success- Samba said after winning Qatar’s my heart was going to stop, it’s fully defended his title with a run first medal at the home no joke! I actually had pain in of 47.42 while American sen- Championships. my chest, thinking I’m gonna die sation Rai Benjamin claimed a “Actually, I started to but it’s gonna be worth it. And silver medal on his debut at prepare for next season now here I am, world champion and worlds, finishing the race in because I’m happy with the I’m not dead either,” Warholm 47.66. medal but I’m not happy with said after his victory. “This is only the beginning. I’m very lucky to win. In the future, these guys are going to be even tougher to beat so tomorrow I’ve gotta get up and work again. That’s what I love, always one more,” he said. “It’s very hard to describe. Norway is a small country, we put a lot of glory in our sport. For me to be showing up at the Abderrahman Samba with the Qatar Olympic world stage, it’s better than any- Committee Chairman, H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad thing else,” the winner said. bin Khalifa Al Thani, after winning the hosts’ Kenya’s Chepkoech marks first medal at the IAAF Doha Worlds, yesterday. PICTURES: ABDUL BASIT / THE PENINSULA championships record to win gold In the women’s 3,000 stee- I really wanted to break CR Germany’s Gesa Krause but Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, plechase, there was no match today,” said Chepkoech after took bronze medal after clocking 20.37, failed to go to Kenya’s world record holder, winning the race. clocking 9:03.30 – a national through. Beatrice Chepkoech, who “I want to dedicate this record. In the men’s 110m hurdles demolished the field to win a medal to my parents – my dad heats, this year’s Diamond gold medal. and mum.” Lyles into men’s 200m final League champion Orlando Chepkoech, who ran 8:57.84 The opening kilometers World leader Noah Lyles Ortega of Spain was fastest with to make new world champion- lead made it easy for the yesterday looked a little out of a time of 13.15, followed by ships record, got off to a fast start Kenyan to overcome America’s sorts, but still finished the men’s Jamaica’s Omar Mcleod (13.17) and build lead right from the defending champion Emma 100m semi-final with quickest and USA’s Grant Holloway (13.22). beginning. The Kenyan missed Coburn, who finished with her time of 19.86. Ecuador’s Alex Qatar’s Kenza Sosse, partic- a medal at 2017 Worlds after personal best time of 9:02.35 to Quinonez just finished behind ipating in the women’s 400m taking a wrong turn and a wide secure a silver medal. the USA star with a time of 19.95. heats, failed to advance after fin- berth round the water jump. “I am super proud that I “I am calm and happy with ishing the race in 1:06.76. USA’s “I was cited to be in front have come away with the my time in the semi-finals. The Wadeline Jonathas (50.57), Bot- and controlled. I am glad to medals in the last three cham- focus is on the final, one race at swana’s Galefele Moroko (50.59) improve the championships pionships. As long I am fighting a time,” said Quinonez. and Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser record because I knew the time for those, I am super happy,” Canada’s Andre de Grasse (50.74) took the first three posi- Emma Coburn from London so said Coburn. also qualified for tonight’s final tions respectively. Athletes competing in the men’s 400 metres hurdles final at the Khalifa International Stadium, yesterday. 02 SPORT TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA’s Noah Lyles on his way to Ethiopians shine in 5,000m as win the men’s 200m semi-final. Mariya completes hat-trick ARMSTRONG VAS It was some stunning stuff from the Ethiopian’s as THE PENINSULAS a team and they are rewarded with gold and silver while Mohammed Ahmed of Canada clinched the bronze to Muktar Edris produced some stunning stuff to prevent a Ethopian clean sweep pushing another Ethi- successfully retain his 5,000m title at the IAAF World opian Telahun Haile Bekele to the fourth spot. Championships while Selemon Barega took the silver Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the European to complete 1-2 for the Ethiopians at the Khalifa champion, and one of the three Ingebrigtsen brothers Stadium here yesterday. competing in the event finished fifth. The 25-year-old, roared on by a noisy contingent At one part of time the 19-year-old Norwegian, of flag-waving Ethiopian fans in the crowd, out- the youngest of the three Ingebrigtsen brothers was sprinted compatriot Barega to win in 12 minutes 58.85 leading, but flattered at the last lap. seconds, becoming the first Ethiopian in history to Jakob simply melted away in the final lap, paying successfully defend the world title that he won in for having to surge in the middle of the race to keep London two years ago. in touch, and for being overly physical in the closing It was the first 5,000 world championship final laps. His two others brothers, both former European since 2005 not to feature Britain’s Mo Farah who has champions, Filip did not finish the race while Henrik won the title three times. came 13 in the field of 15. This race was considered wide open because two of the top at the distance, Yomif Kejelcha and Joshua Cheptegei, were not in the field to focus on the 10,000. In the end Edris walked away with the gold to give Ethiopia the first gold of the championship. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Daniel Stahl went one better than his 2017 silver medal with gold in the discus, throwing 67.59 meters. The Swede charged down into the field in cele- bration before being embraced by his Swedish teammate Simon Pettersson. Fedrick Dacres of Jamaica was second and Lukas Weisshaidinger of Austria third. Meanwhile, in the women’s 800m, Halimah Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris (right) winning the men’s 5000 metres final during the 2019 IAAF Nakaayi of Uganda accelerated in right time to burst Athletics World Championships in Doha, yesterday. PICTURES: ABDUL BASIT / THE PENINSULA past Ajee Wilson to clinch the gold. Wilson, who dominated much of the race, leading from the front, finished third. Raevyn Rogers, who seemed broken for much of the race in 7th place, sprinted past a group to take the silver medal from her training partner. Stay focused and forget In the women’s high jump, Mariya Lasitskene, a Qatar’s Kenza Sosse Russian competing as a neutral athlete, continued gestures before the her dominance by becoming the first three-time world the rest: Legend Lewis start of the women’s champion in her discipline. 400 metres heats The day however belonged to 18-year-old Yaro- yesterday. PICTURES: slava Mahuchikh of Ukraine, who cleared a height of ABDUL BASIT / shares winning formula 2.04, a world junior record, in her third attempt to secure THE PENINSULA silver. Vashti Cunningham of USA took the bronze. FAWAD HUSSAIN “It’s obviously very, very THE PENINSULA competitive but I don’t think it’s any more competitive at Athletics legend Carl Lewis the championship level than China sweeps podium in yesterday gave a simple it was back when we were formula to the modern day competing . I think it’s just athletes to achieve their competitive throughout the women’s 20 km race walk goals, telling them to focus season.