FAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA

World record holder Armand (Mondo) Duplantis, World champion Hellen Obiri and double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah bagged victories as the 2020 Diamond League concluded with a bang at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium in Doha, yesterday.

The final meet, that attracted 27 World and Olympic medalists, fea-tured thrilling performances on the track and field to provide a fitting end to the coronavirus-affected season.

Duplantis, who broke Sergey Bubka’s 26-year-old outdoor world record of 6.14 metres in Rome last week, finished the season unde-feated edging American world champion Sam Kendricks, the last man to beat him, and London 2012 gold medallist Renaud Lavillenie of France.

The trio cleared 5.82m – a meeting record - but the Swede won for clearing the height on his first attempt, with his opponents needing all three to get over. The battle fin-ished when Lavillenie and Kendricks failed in all their attempts at 5.92m with Duplantis also failing twice.

The 20-year-old won all 16 of his meetings in 2020 as well as twice breaking the world record and pro-ducing the best-ever outdoor jump of 6.15 metres.

“It´s been a fantastic season and I enjoyed sharing the moment tonight with the guys. I enjoyed the jump and the rivalry with Sam. It’s been fun with him as we have always got back at each other,” said Duplantis.

“It’s been a roller-coaster year sort of. I broke the indoor world record earlier in the year and I was enjoying the season but all of a sudden the pandemic came and eve-rything shut down and no one knew what will happen next. It’s great back and I hope things keep improving,” he added.

In what was dubbed the most fierce battle on the track at yester-day’s meet, world 5000 champion Obiri emerged winner in the women’s 3000m race, which also saw world steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech, world 5000m silver medallist Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi, world 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop and world 1500m bronze medallist Gudaf Tsegay in action.

Obiri raced to win in 8:22.54 – a world leading time, with Tirop taking second place with a time of 8:22.92. Chepkoech came third in 8:22.92, confirming the all-Kenyan podium finish.

Jamaica’s Thompson-Herah reg-istered her second consecutive win in women’s 100m in as many weeks, clocking 10.87, a little short of her world leading time of 10.85, she set in Rome last week.

“It’s been wonderful been here in Doha, and I want to thank the organisers for putting together such a great event. I am happy to win but my major focus is to finish the year healthy. Preparations for the Olympics is the next on my agenda and it begins in earnest,” said a jubilant Thompson.

Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Cote d’Ivoire finished the race in 11.21 while USA’s Kayla White was third in 11.25.

Also, reigning 1500m world champion Timothy Cheruiyot made a successful ‘international debut’ in 800m, winning the contest with sea-son’s best time of 1:44.16. The Kenyan outpaced an impressive Elliot Giles, who clocked 1:44.56 for a second place with Wyclife Kin-yamal securing the third spot in a time of 1:45.68.

“I am happy to win tonight and end the season on a high note. The pandemic has affected the season but everyone had to adapt,” said Cheruiyot, whose world title also came in Doha last year.

Qatar’s Abbas shines in 400m

M e a n w h i l e , Q a t a r ’ s Mohamed Nasir Abbas excelled at the home event in absence of superstars Mutaz Barsim and Abderrahman Samba, securing third position in the men’s 4 0 0 m r a c e . American sprinter Kahmari Mont-gomery raced to victory in 45.55c with K u w a i t ’ s Y o u s e f K a r a m t a k i n g second place in 45.72. Abbas clocked 4 5 . 9 6 f o r t h i r d

position. “I am happy to

make Qatar proud here tonight and I

thank everyone for their support. It has

been a tough season but it is good to be back on

the track doing what I loved to do best,” said the

Qatari sprinter. Meanwhile, 1500m

Olympic champion Faith

Kipyegon set a world leading time to top women’s 800m race, yes-terday. The Kenyan star clocked 1:57.68 to seal the title while Spaniard Esther Guerrero marked a time of 1:59.22 to take second place, fol-lowed by Britain’s Adelle Tracey (1:59.87).

“I am happy to win here in Doha considering this is my second 800m race after about three years break. I wasn’t really expecting to win, and that’s why I am very surprised not only with the win but with my record here tonight. It’s a great feeling,” said Kipyegon.

In the men’s 110 hurdles, American Aaron Mallet reigned supreme with a time of 13.15, ahead of Jason Joseph (SUI) and David King (GBR), who clocked 13.40 and 13.54 respectively.

Australia’s Stewart McSweyn

posted a n a t i o n a l

record of 3:30.51 to win the

men’s 1500m race, ahead of Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega (3:32.97), with Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali finishing third after clocking 3:33.45.

“I wasn’t in the best of shape coming into this

race but to win tonight is something I

am very delighted about. I just wanted to

race again considering how this season has been. I am happy to be heading home with a win

in Doha,” said McSweyn. Kenya’s Olympic and world

3000m SC champion Conseslus Kipruto did not finish the race.

The women’s 100m hurdles was dominated by American entries with Payton Chadwick clinching the title with an electric time of 12.78, fol-lowed by her compatriot Taliyah Brooks (12.86), Britain’s Cindy Ofili was third in 13.02

Elsewhere, Cote d’Ivoire’s Arthur Cisse sealed the men’s 200m title while Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk was victorious in women’s long jump.

SportSATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2020

Dutch team have bright future: De Boer I’m here to win and to ensure we get results. We have the quality players to do it. I was proud as a player to put on the national team shirt and it is a really special moment for me to be here as national coach.

Sport | 15Frank de Boer Netherlands coach

DuI’mquanatto b

FraFraFraFraFraNetNetN tNetNet

NBA: (WEST. CONF. FINALS) Game 4: Los Angeles Lakers 114, Denver Nuggets 108 (Davis 34 pts, Murray 32) * Lakers lead series 3-1

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri celebrating with her time after winning the women’s 3000 metres during the Doha Diamond League 2020 at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium yesterday.

Qatari sprinter Abbas shines among global stars on home track

Duplantis completes perfect season as Obiri, Thompson-Herah storm to wins

Qatari athletes

impress at home meet

FAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA

The Qatari athletes yesterday made their presence felt with impressive perform-ances at the star-studded Doha Diamond League at Qatar SC Stadium in absence of their much revered team-mates Mutaz Barshim and Abderrahman Samba.

Mohamed Nasir Abbas was the standout performer for the hosts, claiming third position in the men’s 400m race with season’s best time of 45.96.

“I am happy to make Qatar proud here tonight and I thank everyone for their support. I started training about six weeks back in Antalya in Turkey and to emerge third here tonight is a good result. Hopefully the result will push me on going forward,” said Abbas.

Kahmari Montgomery (USA) won the contest in 45.55 while Kuwait’s Yousef Karam took second place.

Also, Youth Olympics champion Abdelaziz Mohamed clocked 20.88s in the men’s 200m race, which was won by Arthur Cisse of Cote d’Ivoire with his personal best of 20.23. Qatar’s 18-year-old claimed sixth position with his time.

Mohamed Al Garni finished second in 1500m race, which was not a part of the main event. The talented middle dis-tance runner clocked 3:44.30 behind Ilyass El Quali (3:43.66) of Morocco.

In men’s 1500, Adam Ali Mousab (3:35.60) and Hamza Driouch (3:37.15) also posted impressive times, while clocked Jamal Hairane 1:47.88 in the men’s 800m race.

RESULTS: POLE VAULT MEN Armand Duplantis (SWE) 5.82Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.82Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) 5.82200M MENArthur Cisse (CIV) 20.23 Julian Forte (JAM) 20.39Christophe Lemaitre (FRA) 20.68400M MENKahmari Montgomery (USA) 45.55Yousef Karam (KUW) 45.72Mohamed Nasir Abbas (QAT) 45.96 WOMEN’S LONG JUMP Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (UKR) 6.91Ese Brume (NGR) 6.71

Khaddi Sagnia (SWE) 6.85100M HURDLES WOMEN Payton Chadwick (USA) 12.78Taliyah Brooks (USA) 12.86Cindy Ofili (GBR) 13.021500M MEN Stewart McSweyn (AUS) 3:30.51 (NR:SB)Selemon Barega (ETH) 3:32.97Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) 3:33.45110M HURDLES MEN Aaron Mallet (USA) 13.15Jason Joseph (SUI) 13.40David King (GBR) 13.54800M WOMENFaith Kipyegon (KEN) 1:57.68 (WL)Esther Guerrero (ESP) 1:59.22

Adelle Tracey (GBR) 1:59.87100M WOMEN Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM) 10.87Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CIV) 11.21Kayla White (USA) 11.25800M MEN Cheruiyot Rotich (KEN) 1:44.16 Elliot Giles (GBR) 1:44.56Wyclife Kinyamal (KEN) 1:45.683000M WOMEN Hellen Obiri (KEN) 8:22.54 (WL)Agnes Jebet Tirop (KEN) 8:22.92Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) 8:22.92

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RESULTS: POLE VAULT MENArmand Duplantis (SWE) 5.82Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.82Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) 5.82200M MENArthur Cisse (CIV) 20.23 Julian Forte (JAM) 20.39Christophe Lemaitre (FRA) 20.68400M MENKahmari Montgomery (USA) 45.55Yousef Karam (KUW) 45.72Mohamed Nasir Abbas (QAT) 45.96 WOMEN’S LONG JUMPMaryna Bekh-Romanchuk (UKR) 6.91Ese Brume (NGR) 6.71

Khaddi Sagnia (SWE) 6.85100M HURDLES WOMENPayton Chadwick (USA) 12.78Taliyah Brooks (USA) 12.86Cindy Ofili (GBR) 13.021500M MENStewart McSweyn (AUS) 3:30.51 (NR:SB)Selemon Barega (ETH) 3:32.97Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) 3:33.45110M HURDLES MENAaron Mallet (USA) 13.15Jason Joseph (SUI) 13.40David King (GBR) 13.54800M WOMENFaith Kipyegon (KEN) 1:57.68 (WL)Esther Guerrero (ESP) 1:59.22

Adelle Tracey (GBR) 1:59.87100M WOMEN Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM) 10.87Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CIV) 11.21Kayla White (USA) 11.25800M MENCheruiyot Rotich (KEN) 1:44.16Elliot Giles (GBR) 1:44.56Wyclife Kinyamal (KEN) 1:45.683000M WOMENHellen Obiri (KEN) 8:22.54(WL)Agnes JebetTirop (KEN) 8:22.92Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) 8:22.92

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah on her way to win the women’s 100

metres.

Sweden’s Armand

Duplantis in action

during the men’s pole

vault yesterday.

15SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2020 SPORT

An Al Duhail player preparing to shoot at the goal against Al Ahli during the first quarter-final of the Qatar Cup Handball Championship at the Al Duhail Indoor Arena yesterday. Al Duhail beat Al Ahli 32-31 to advance to the semi-finals. Later, at the same venue, A lSadd beat Al Rayyan 33-31 (shootout after scores levelled at 29). Today, Al Wakrah meet Qatar SC in the third quarter-final and Al Arabi meet Al Gharafa in search of a place in the semi-finals. RIGHT: Al Duhail players celebrating after winning the match.

Al Duhail beat Al Ahli to enter Qatar Cup semis

The situation we have right

now, we have just 13 players

available in the first team.

We need the academy, not

just for the training sessions.

They can be selected during

the games. With the

problems we have up front,

of course (17-year-old

striker) Liam (Delap) will stay

with us. We’ll see if we need

him or use him.

Manchester City managerPep Guardiola

Unlucky 13 for Guardiola as injuries mount for City

Dutch team have bright future: De BoerREUTERS – AMSTERDAM

Frank de Boer (pictured) says he is looking forward to working with an exciting generation of Dutch players and confident that the Netherlands are on the brink of a successful run in world football.

De Boer was appointed as Netherlands coach on Wednesday and presented to the media yesterday as the replacement

for Ronald Koeman, who has taken over at Barcelona.

“I’m here to win and to ensure we get results. We

have the quality players to do it. I was proud

as a player to put

on the national team shirt and it is a really special moment for me to be here as national coach,” said the 50-year-old, who won 112 caps as a player and was assistant coach when the Dutch reached the 2010 World Cup final.

The Netherlands missed out on the last World Cup in Russia and also the 2016 European Championship in France but qualified for Euro 2020, postponed to next year.

De Boer’s contract is through to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“I see a very productive period ahead of us and a chance to do something special. We need that after missing two big tournaments. There is so much young

talent knocking on the door now,” he added.

The Netherlands showed remarkable improvement under Koeman over the last two years, not only qualifying for Euro 2020 but also reaching the final of the inaugural Nations League last year.

“I’m not Koeman 2.0. I have my own approach and I’m not going to copy someone else but I’d like to stay on the same path as him. It’s on my to-do list to talk to him,” De Boer said.

De Boer starts with three matches next month - a friendly against Mexico in Amsterdam on Oct. 7 and then Nations League matches in Bosnia on Oct. 11 and Italy on Oct. 14.

Martinez header hands Bayern Super Cup winAP – BUDAPEST

Javi Martínez headed in the winning goal in extra time as Bayern Munich started the season with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup on Thursday in a stadium partially filled with fans.

Seven years after scoring another extra-time goal to help Bayern win its last Super Cup, Martínez rose above a crowd of players to head in the rebound when Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou parried David Alaba's speculative shot in the 104th minute.

It could be one of Mar-tínez's last games for Bayern after chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told German media last month that the versatile defensive player was seeking to leave. Europa League champion Sevilla took an early lead when David Alaba fouled Ivan Rakitic and Lucas Ocampos converted the 13th-minute penalty. Champions League winner Bayern leveled when Leon Goretzka ham-mered in a ball expertly cued up for him by Robert Lewandowski in the 34th.

Bayern was largely in control of the second half but saw two goals ruled out - one for offside, one for a shove by Lewandowski - and needed Neuer to save Youssef En-Nesyri's shot on the counterattack in the 87th minute.

The game was played with around 15,000 supporters in the Puskas Arena, around a quarter of capacity, as UEFA trialed a partial return of fans in time for the Champions League and Europa League group stages

Messi lashes out at Barca over Suarez departureREUTERS – BARCELONA

Lionel Messi has launched his latest attack on Barcelona’s hierarchy by criticising the way the club treated strike partner Luis Suarez, who left for La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid this week.

Captain Messi, who threatened to leave Barca last month and recently hit out at president Josep Maria Bar-tomeu’s leadership of the club, said the Uruguayan, the club’s third-highest scorer of all time, was harshly treated by Barca.

New coach Ronald Koeman called Suarez several days after getting the job to inform the striker, who had one year left on his contract, that he was no longer wanted.

Bartomeu had left Suarez off a list of players he con-sidered not for sale in the aftermath of the 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Cham-pions League in August.

“You deserved a farewell befitting who you are: one of the most important players in the history of the club, achieving great things for the team and on an individual level,” Messi wrote on his official Instagram account on Friday.

“You did not deserve for them to throw you out like they did. But the truth is that at this stage nothing surprises me anymore.”

Suarez had paid tribute to Messi in his farewell news con-ference on Thursday, recalling that everyone had told him the Argentinian was difficult to get on with, but declaring they had become best friends as well as prolific strike partners.

“It will be strange to see you in another shirt and even stranger to come up against you on the pitch,” Messi added.

Bayern Munich’s German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (centre) and his team-mates celebrate with the trophy after the UEFA Super Cup football match between FC Bayern Munich and Sevilla FC at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday.

Pep Guardiola

d,

A ra

e e

Coach Xavi proud of Al Sadd’s youngstersTHE PENINSULA/AFC – DOHA

Al Sadd SC secured a berth in the knockout round after finishing second in Group D following a defeat against Iran's Persepolis on Thursday, and coach Xavi was impressed with the performances of young-sters in his team.

The Barca great spoke of his pride at the per-formance of his youngsters despite his side’s 2-1 loss at the hands of the already eliminated Sepahan.

Goals from Reza Mirzaei and Sajjad Shah-bazzadeh either side of the half time break were enough to win the tie for the Islamic Republic of Iran side, while youngster Hashim Ali’s consolation came eight minutes from time.

“I am not happy because we lost but I am proud of my young players for their performances,” said Xavi who made 10

changes to his starting XI from the previous match.

“I am happy because we had possession of the ball, and we created chances, But committed two mistakes and as a result conceded two goals, this is the nature of playing in the AFC Champions League.”

“In the second half, we brought in some experi-enced players like Abdelkarim Hassan and Boualem Khoukhi and we showed character to score a goal and try to get back into the game.

“We can only go far in this competition if we are focused. You cannot win the AFC Champions League without being fully focused. The small details make all the difference in this com-petition and we cannot afford to make mistakes in the knockout stages”

His counterpart Mojtaba Toutouni was equally happy even as his Sepahan side

bowed out of the compe-tition albeit on a high.

“It was a tough match against a strong team like Al Sadd. Things were decided before the game in terms of the group standings and we did not have a chance of qualifi-cation,” said Toutouni.

“There are good lessons for the staff and the players to take from playing in the 2020 AFC Champions League. It will make us stronger in the future and more prepared for the new Iran Pro League season.

“The organisation was good, the only issue we faced was the short time between the matches, that is why we had to make a lot of changes.”

Al Sadd’s next match pits them against another Iranian opposition, with Group C winners Persepolis FC awaiting them in the Round of 16, in a repeat of the 2018 AFC Champions League semi-final.

Ooredoo Cup: Al Kharaitiyat beat Al Rayyan 4-1 in Round 1 THE PENINSULA – DOHA

Al Kharaitiyat defeated Al Rayyan 4-1 in Round 1 (Group B) of the 2020-21 season Ooredoo Cup at the Al Gharafa Stadium yesterday.

Mohammed Osman (20th minute), substitute

Abdulrahman Mohammed (74th minute) and Rashid Tiberkanine (86th and 90th minutes) scored for Al Kharaitiyat.

In other Group B matches yesterday, Al Gharafa defeated Umm Salal 2-0 at the same venue while Al Arabi trounced A lAhli 5-1.

Players vie for the ball during the Ooredoo Cup Group B Round 1 match between Al Kharaitiyat and Al Rayyan yesterday.

14SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2020SportNew Zealand board approves Pakistan, West Indies toursAFP - WELLINGTON

New Zealand’s government has approved quarantine arrange-ments that would allow the Pakistan and West Indies teams to tour in coming months, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said the tours would help the sport through the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a huge boost for us, it’s our financial lifeline,” he told reporters. “International cricket funds the whole game of cricket in New Zealand, so it’s very, very important for us.”

White said the teams would fly to Auckland then catch a charter to Christchurch, where they would stay in quarantine while training at NZC’s high-performance centre in Lincoln University.

White said all players would follow health and testing pro-tocols set down by the government.

“It’s not going to come cheap, we will be footing the bill but we are happy to do that and fully understand it’s a user pays model,” he said.

“We’ll be guided by the government, whatever they demand, we’ll follow.”

Sports Minister Grant Robertson said arranging quarantine bubbles for the touring teams had not been easy, but it was worth the effort to have international sport in New Zealand again.

“Like many New Zealanders I am looking forward to seeing international sport resuming,” he said in a statement. “It is a huge part of our culture and helps bring us together as a nation.”

Australia’s Afghanistan Test, one-day series vs New Zealand postponedREUTERS - MELBOURNE

Australia’s one-off Test against Afghanistan and one-day series against New Zealand have been postponed to the 2021-22 season due to scheduling “complexity” during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cricket Australia (CA) said yesterday.

Australia were to play their first home Test against Afghan-istan in Perth from November 21 and three one-day internationals against New Zealand over the home summer.

“The complexity of scheduling international matches during the global coronavirus pandemic has resulted in the three boards agreeing the need to postpone the matches,” CA said in a statement.

“Cricket Australia looks forward to working with our good friends at the Afghanistan Cricket Board and New Zealand Cricket to deliver the matches at a time when, hopefully, the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have eased,” CA Chief Executive Nick Hockley said.

Australia have committed to hosting India for four Tests, three ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals over the home summer, though the dates are yet to be confirmed.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has already forced the post-ponement of the Twenty20 World Cup, which was to have been held in Australia in October and November, along with Australia’s warmup T20 matches against West Indies.

Australia also postponed a proposed two-Test tour of Bang-ladesh in June, part of the ICC’s World Test Championship, due to the pandemic.

Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel celebrates a wicket during an IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings yesterday. PIC:@IPL

Players and fans mourn ‘original maverick’ Dean Jones

AFP - SYDNEY

Australian cricket was reeling yesterday at the shock death of batting great Dean Jones, with national coach Justin Langer leading tributes to a player he called “the stuff of legend”.

Langer revealed he was on the cusp of recruiting Jones into his coaching set-up for next year’s World Cup when the 59-year-old died of a heart attack in Mumbai, where he had been commentating on the Indian Premier League.

“I was talking about getting Deano in to help us with World Cup stuff as a mentor and coach, sadly that’s not going to happen,” Langer told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “(But) the legacy he leaves to Australian cricket and Australian cricketers won’t be lost on us.”

J o n e s ’ d a s h i n g strokeplay inspired gener-ations of batsmen, including current power-hitter Glenn Maxwell.

“Incredibly shocked by the news that Dean Jones has passed away. Had a poster of the great man in my room as a kid,” Maxwell tweeted.

Jones played 52 Tests from 1984-1992, amassing 3,631 runs at an average of 46.55, while his 164 one-day internationals yielded 6,068 runs and an average of 44.61.

Known universally as “Deano”, Jones was remembered as a fierce competitor whose knock-about demeanour con-cealed a keen cricketing mind bursting with inno-vative ideas.

“The cricket world is shattered today for it has lost one of its greatest char-acters, a totally original maverick talent whose con-tribution went far beyond mere statistics -- however excellent they were,” the Brisbane Courier-Mail’s Robert Craddock wrote.

The ABC’s Russell Jackson said Jones’ dare-devil batting revolutionised one-day cricket and helped Australia win the 1987 World Cup.

“Jones could be subtle and brutal in the space of a minute,” Jackson wrote. “He dictated terms, using the width of his crease and the full 360 degrees to set new standards.”

For all his exploits in the limited-overs game, it was Jones’ gutsy Test innings against India at Chennai in 1986 that remained etched in the minds of his admirers after 34 years.

Jones defied furnace-like conditions to score 210, vomiting and shaking at the crease to save Australia’s hopes in cricket’s second-ever tied Test, and was then taken to hospital for dehy-dration after losing eight kilos during the innings.

“It’s part of legend in Australian Test cricket, the brotherhood of the baggy green, his 200 in Madras and the way he batted with AB (Allan Border), yeah, stuff of legend,” said Langer. Jones’ dedication to the cause made him a fan favourite.

“Nobody batted like Deano. Nobody danced down the pitch to take the game on like Deano. Nobody provoked bowlers like Deano. Nobody could talk like Deano,” The Aus-tralian’s Peter Lalor wrote.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Andrew Wu said Jones was one of the few athletes that could make him set aside journalistic impartiality and embrace his inner fanboy. “Deano was the player you wanted to be,” he wrote.

Qatar Racing’s Kameko wins Gr2 Shadwell Joel StakesDOHA - THE PENINSULA

The Qatar Racing Limited-owned Kameko bounced back in the Shadwell Joel Stakes (Group 2), at Newmarket yesterday.

The three-year-old trained by Andrew Balding had not won since his success in the 1,000 Guineas (Group 1) in a record time at Newmarket in May.

Yesterday, Kameko chased the leaders in the Shadwell Joel Stakes and, despite looking a little lethargic in the first part of the race, he showed a good turn of foot in the last two furlongs to win by a half length in front of Regal Reality while Benbatl finished a further half length behind in third.

Kameko was one of the two 3-year-olds in

the race and, being a Group 1 winner, he had to give some weight to his elders.

Oisin Murphy, the winning jockey, said yes-terday: “There’s a lot of pressure on the fastest Guineas winner ever, but there were no options for him and I don’t think there have been many three-year-olds that could give weight to horses like Benbatl."

He added: "He’s definitely a miler and he might get an easy 10 (furlongs) on fast ground, but it would be nice to make him as good a race-horse as he can be. So much hard work has gone into him to keep him sound and organised. It’s a huge team effort."

Murphy added: "Sheikh Fahad buys plenty of horses and breeds as best he can to find champion horses and now he’s found two.”

Qatar Racing Limited-owned Kameko in action in the Shadwell Joel Stakes (Group 2), at Newmarket yesterday. Pic: Racing Post

Schumacher ‘would welcome’ Hamilton equalling 91-win record, says son

AFP - SOCHI

Michael Schumacher’s motor racing son Mick suggested yesterday that his father and family would welcome Lewis Hamilton’s success in equalling his record 91 Grand Prix wins if he succeeds in Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix.

The young German racer, who leads the Formula Two cham-pionship this year and is on the verge of moving up to Formula One next year, said his father had always told him “records are there to be broken”.

“Lewis has had a very, very good run, a very consecutive and positive run,” he said. “My dad always used to say ‘records are there to be broken’ - and I think it’s everybody’s aim in this sport.”

Hamilton is within one victory of the seven-time champion’s record after claiming 69 victories since he replaced Schumacher at Mercedes in 2013.

He won 21 races with McLaren.“Obviously, it’s very good for the sport,” added Mick Schu-

macher. “And he’s been very influential in this sport, too. After that, the next goal would be for me, I guess, if I do make the step up, to try and break that!”

Schumacher senior retired from F1 after a three-year stint with Mercedes from 2010-2012, having previously retired in 2006 after a hugely successful spell, winning five world titles, with Ferrari. He won two with Benetton.

In December, 2013, he suffered a severe brain injury in a skiing accident, while with Mick in the French Alps, after which he remained in a medically induced coma, in Grenoble, until June 2014. Since then, he has been remained under private treatment at his home in Switzerland.

Mick Schumacher added that he had met Hamilton several times. Hamilton’s long-term title rival four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari said he had “mixed feelings” about the prospect of seeing him equal and break Schumacher’s records.

Vettel said he grew up idolising his fellow-German, adding that Hamilton deserved all his success. Vettel is third on the list of all-time race winners with 53.

He said Schumacher’s achievements had always appeared to be untouchable until now.

“It’s always been a number that has appeared impossible to reach,” said Vettel, who is in his last year with Ferrari. “On one hand, I will for sure be sad, because Michael is still my hero.

“But on the other hand, I will be very happy for Lewis. He deserves all the success that he has had in the last years and he is going to have in this year.

“I don’t know if he remains, but I guess so and the next years. So, for me, a bit half and half -- mixed emotions. For myself, I don’t know. Obviously, I’m far away.

“It was always one of these numbers that seemed impossible, up to the point where somebody gets there and gets close and breaks it.”

Michael Schumacher broke the previous record held by Alain Prost, on 51 wins, at the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix, the circuit where he made his F1 debut with Jordan in 1991.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during practice at the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia, yesterday.

F1: Bottas fastest in Russian Grand Prix practice

SOCHI - REUTERS

Valtteri Bottas set the practice pace yesterday for a Russian Grand Prix that could see Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton equal Michael Schu-macher’s all-time record of 91 Formula One wins.

Bottas was quickest in both sessions, with Hamilton ending the day second overall -- 0.267 slower -- after tyre problems in the morning left him 19th.

It was the sixth race weekend in a row that Bottas, who has so far won only the opening race in Austria in July, had topped the first session timesheets and Mercedes again looked the team to beat.

The Finn also led the way at the Tuscan Grand Prix in Italy two weeks ago, only for Hamilton to seize pole position and then take his sixth win in nine races this year and 90th of his career.

“There’s definitely more to come,” said Bottas, who took his first F1 win at the circuit in 2017. “I was doing some rally-style drifting at times, which probably isn’t the fastest way around, so there’s still a lot of time to find.

“But we’re in good shape and I’m sure we can make improvements ahead of tomorrow.”

Morbidelli leads

after windblown

Catalan practice

AFP - BARCELONA

Franco Morbidelli and Johann Zarco left it late yesterday to record the two fastest times of the first day of practice for the Catalan MotoGP.

Both were among the riders who crashed on a wind-buffeted afternoon, but on their final laps became the only two riders to dip under 1min 40sec all day.

Morbidelli, an Italian who rides for Yamaha-SRT, was fastest with Zarco of Ducati satellite Avintia just over one tenth of a second back.

Frenchman Fabio Quar-tararo had set the best time in the morning but that was sur-passed by five riders in the afternoon.

Shaw's 64 helps DC to 44-run win over CSKIANS - DUBAI

Prithvi Shaw's 64 and a clinical bowling performance led by South African duo Kagiso Rabada (3/26) and Anrich Nortje (2/21) helped Delhi Capitals (DC) beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 44 runs in their IPL encounter yesterday.

Chasing a target of 176, CSK hardly ever looked capable of reaching the score and were restricted to 131/7 at the end of 20 overs. This is the three-time champions' second consecutive defeat this season. This is the first time since 2010 that DC have started an IPL season with two consecutive victories. They are on top of the table now with four points.

DC's Axar Patel continued his successful run against Shane Watson, dismissing the veteran Australian in the fifth over while he was on 14 off 16 balls. Murali Vijay (10) also struggled to get runs on board and succumbed to Nortje in the next over.

CSK captain MS Dhoni again decided to stay in the lower middle order and it was 23-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad who came in at no. 4. Gaikwad's innings was short-lived as he was run out for 5.

Faf du Plessis and Kedar Jadhav managed to temporarily stem the flow of wickets and put up 54 runs for the fourth wicket. But the run rate was never what it needed to be and by the time Jadhav fell, CSK were 98/4 in the 16th over. Du Plessis, Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran's efforts in the end proved too little too late.

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 175/3 off 20 overs (Prithvi Shaw 64, Rishabh Pant 37 not out; Piyush Chawla 2/33) vs Chennai Super Kings 131/7 off 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 43, Kedar Jadhav 26; Kagiso Rabada 3/26), DC win by 44 runs.