History in Paris as Alfred storms to 100m crown, Biles bags Olympic triple

Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia in action during the Women's 100 meters finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on August 03, 2024. (REUTERS)
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Updated 04 August 2024
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History in Paris as Alfred storms to 100m crown, Biles bags Olympic triple

  • Alfred conjured up a superb race in the Parisian rain to shock favorite Sha’Carri Richardson into silver with a time of 10.72sec in front of a raucous crowd at the Stade de France
  • China leads Olympic medals tally at the close of Day 8 of the Games

PARIS: Julien Alfred from St. Lucia powered to a historic 100m Olympic gold Saturday, the first Games medal ever won by the Caribbean island, just hours after US gymnastics legend Simone Biles had also vaulted into the history books.
With firsts being made all over Paris on an action-packed day, a row over gender eligibility in boxing rumbled on as the Algerian in the spotlight boxed her way to a guaranteed medal.
Alfred conjured up a superb race in the Parisian rain to shock favorite Sha’Carri Richardson into silver with a time of 10.72sec in front of a raucous crowd at the Stade de France.

The 23-year-old was in tears of celebration after sealing a sensational win — she had never finished on the podium at a major outdoor championships prior to Saturday’s final.
“It feels amazing... it still hasn’t sunk in,” Alfred said.
There was also heartbreak for two-time 100m gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from Jamaica, who pulled out just before the semifinal, apparently injured.
The flamboyant Richardson was bidding for redemption three years since a positive marijuana test after her victory at the US trials wrecked her Olympic dreams in Tokyo.

From one redemption campaign to another
US gymnastics great Simone Biles clinched her third gold in Paris after famously imploding in Tokyo with the debilitating mental block known as the “twisties.”

Her demons well and truly conquered, the 27-year-old Biles landed a stunning vault so difficult no other woman even attempts it.
“I kind of nailed that one,” grinned Biles, who admitted she was tempted by her home Olympics in Los Angeles in four years but was not getting any younger.
More history was made at the gymnastics as Carlos Yulo from the Philippines snatched his country’s second-ever gold, triumphing in the men’s floor exercise.
Then Rhys McClenaghan captured Ireland’s first-ever Olympic gymnastics medal with gold on the pommel horse.

Ledecky twins 9th gold

More history was made in the pool on the penultimate night of swimming as US legend Katie Ledecky powered to a fourth straight 800m freestyle title.
Her ninth career Olympic gold at the age of 27 equalled former Soviet-era artistic gymnast Larisa Latynina as the most decorated woman Olympian in any sport.
The greatest distance swimmer the sport has seen, she had already won the 1500m and earned silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay and bronze in the 400m freestyle in Paris.
Meanwhile, teen sensation Summer McIntosh enhanced her status as one of the Paris rising stars, taking her third gold in the 200m individual medley with an astonishing late surge.
Then the United States notched the second world record of the Olympic swimming competition, blasting to gold in the 4x100m mixed medley relay.

Algeria's Imane Khelif gets a medal

Off the field of play, a simmering scrap over gender in boxing was back in the spotlight as Imane Khelif overcame Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori on points to ensure at least a bronze medal.
The Algerian broke down in tears after the bout, which also saw the two boxers share an embrace.
“It’s a battle, it’s for my dignity,” said Khelif, who brought “honor to Algeria, Algerian women and Algerian boxing,” according to the country’s president.
Khelif’s 46-second victory over Italy’s Angela Carini sparked a row that spilled beyond the ring, with politicians and celebrities weighing into the controversy.
The International Boxing Association disqualified Khelif at last year’s world championship, saying she had failed an unspecified gender eligibility test.
There is no suggestion Khelif identifies as anything other than a woman and IOC President Thomas Bach called for an end to the scrap, that has also impacted Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting.

Earlier on the track, US sprint king Noah Lyles launched his campaign for men’s 100m glory, recovering from a slow start to come through his heat.
The 27-year-old was one of the last out of the blocks in his heat but powered through the field, finishing second to Britain’s Louie Hinchliffe in a time of 10.04sec.
Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson looked in ominous form, running 10 flat but easing down significantly in the final stages.
Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, who won a surprise gold in Tokyo, also labored through his heat and just scraped through in a time of 10.05 sec.
The second full day of athletics in Paris also saw Ryan Crouser from the United States win a third consecutive men’s Olympic shot put gold.
And on the clay courts of Roland Garros, Zheng Qinwen became the first Chinese player to win Olympic tennis singles gold as she defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the final.
A total of 29 golds were up for grabs on Saturday, with France, Australia, Britain and the United States chasing current medal table leader China.
 


Man City’s Rodri says top soccer players close to going on strike because there are too many games

Updated 8 sec ago
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Man City’s Rodri says top soccer players close to going on strike because there are too many games

Rodri was asked on Tuesday if players might start refusing to play because of the calendar
“I think we are close to that,” he said in a news conference ahead of City’s Champions League opener against Inter Milan on Wednesday

MANCHESTER: Manchester City midfielder Rodri says top soccer players are close to going on strike because of the number of games they are having to play.
The Spain international said players are concerned about the way the game is headed as more games are added to the calendar in competitions like the Champions League, which starts on Tuesday.
Rodri was asked on Tuesday if players might start refusing to play because of the calendar.
“I think we are close to that,” he said in a news conference ahead of City’s Champions League opener against Inter Milan on Wednesday. “It’s easy to understand. You ask any player he will say the same — it’s not the opinion of (just) Rodri or whoever. I think it’s a general opinion of the players.
“If it keeps this way, it will be a moment when we have no other option, I really think. It’s something that worries us because we are the guys who suffer.”
Rodri is expected to start his first game for City this season when Inter visit Etihad Stadium, having been given an extended break by the club after winning the European Championship with Spain in July.

PSG starts Champions League without a galactico but seemingly better equipped to succeed

Updated 17 September 2024
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PSG starts Champions League without a galactico but seemingly better equipped to succeed

  • Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari owners have spent lavishly to attract big stars and win the Champions League for more than a decade

PARIS: For more than a decade, Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari owners have spent lavishly to attract big stars.
Their goal was to make the club profitable, to erase the amateurish image of a side often associated with hooligans, and to build a competitive team capable of winning the Champions League.
With unprecedented revenues surpassing 800 million euros ($890 million) for the first time last year, they have managed to build solid growth.
They also succeeded in ridding their stadium of the violence that often made the atmosphere at the Parc des Princes so tense and hostile.
And they also managed to bring the biggest names in the game to Paris. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé at times offered a glimpse of the possibility of winning Europe’s biggest tournament.
But the Champions League crown remained a distant dream.
The superstars have all now left the Parc des Princes, and it might sound paradoxical, but the club may be better equipped in its quest for continental glory.
Following the exits of Messi to Inter Miami and Neymar to Saudi Arabia team Al-Hilal in previous years, the departure of Mbappé to Real Madrid this summer marked the end of an era at PSG, where relying on the individual skills of star players and splashing money have been the norm since the 2011 Qatari takeover.
The big hole left by Mbappé was not filled by yet another superstar.
Instead, coach Luis Enrique insisted on molding what he had. Enrique’s project makes sense: Mbappé can’t be duplicated but he could be replaced by a handful of attacking players capable of scoring as much, or more, than the France captain did.
“To me, this is the continuation of last season,” said Enrique, who has used 21 players in four French league games so far. “We are a young team, that is true. But we are full of desire and hunger, which is a wonderful thing. I’m so lucky to have this sort of squad.”
Enrique asked for the recruitment of less known but excellent players in every sector to create competition and have second options at every position. It could be even more crucial this season as the Champions League’s new format will see more teams playing more games. PSG starts on Wednesday against Spanish side Girona.
PSG signed goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, highly rated defender Willian Pacho and promising midfielder João Neves, as well as winger Désiré Doué. Pacho was impressive at Eintracht Frankfurt while the versatile Neves has already earned 11 caps with Portugal at the age of 19.
Pacho and Neves have quickly gelled with the team and the new-look PSG has delivered immediately. They have won their first four matches to top the Ligue 1 standings.
“PSG is way stronger collectively than last year, everybody runs and defends,” Brest coach Eric Roy said after his side lost to the French titleholder 3-1 over the weekend. “Especially when they lose the ball, they put a lot of pressure.”
The biggest question mark going into the season was PSG’s ability to maintain a potent attack without its best player. With two quick and powerful players on the wings — Ousmane Dembélé and Badley Barcola — partnering Marco Asensio in a false No. 9 role, PSG seems to have found the right answer.
The team has scored 16 goals, conceding just three, and boasts the best goal difference after four Ligue matches since Reims in 1952. Only Marseille forward Mason Greenwood has more goals than Barcola and Dembélé, while João Neves leads the league with three assists.
But for all of PSG’s dominance of the French league — winning it in 10 of the last 12 seasons — it has reached just one Champions League final since being bought by Qatar Sports Investments. No surprise Enrique does not want to get carried away.
Asked about the perceived improvement, he said, “We will see at the end of the season what the team has achieved.”


Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens loses in first round in South Korea

Updated 17 September 2024
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Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens loses in first round in South Korea

  • One of the suspended matches included top-seeded Dayana Yastremska’s first-round match against Mai Hontama

SEOUL: Hailey Baptiste defeated fellow American and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the first round of the WTA’s Korean Open on Tuesday.
In other matches in Seoul, Amanda Anisimova had an upset 6-3, 7-6 (5) win over sixth-seeded Yulia Putintseva, Polina Kudermetova beat Priscilla Hon 7-5, 6-4 and Viktoriya Tomova beat Tatjana Maria 6-2, 1-6, 6-0.
Weather stops play in Thailand
Play at the WTA’s Thailand Open was suspended due to rain and storms. One of the suspended matches included top-seeded Dayana Yastremska’s first-round match against Mai Hontama, who led 4-3 in the first set when play was stopped.


After Pakistan win, buoyant Bangladesh seek more history in India Test series

Updated 17 September 2024
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After Pakistan win, buoyant Bangladesh seek more history in India Test series

  • 2-0 sweep in Pakistan sparked celebrations at home a month after political turmoil and deadly protests ousted PM Hasina
  • Series in India is daunting prospect as Bangladesh have never won any of their 13 previous matches, losing 11 and drawing two

CHENNAI, India: Fresh from their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan, Bangladesh will chase more cricket history when they face India in Chennai from Thursday.
The 2-0 sweep in Pakistan sparked celebrations at home a month after political turmoil and deadly protests in Bangladesh ousted the autocratic former premier.
But a two-Test series in India is a far more daunting prospect — Bangladesh have never won any of their 13 previous matches, losing 11 and drawing two.
Both draws came at home, at Chittagong in 2007 and Fatullah in 2015.
“This will be a challenging series for us,” visiting skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said ahead of the first Test.
“But after having a good series against Pakistan, there is an extra confidence in our team, as well as among all the people of the country.”
India will be strong favorites to sweep the series but Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz all head to Chennai in good form.
Mushfiqur amassed 216 in the Pakistan series while off-spinner Mehidy was the leading bowler with 10 wickets in the two matches.
The shadow of political troubles looms over the matches in Chennai and Kanpur.
Star player Shakib, 37, is a former lawmaker from the ousted ruling party of ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
She fled a student-led revolution, escaping to India by helicopter as protesters marched on her palace, ending 15 years of iron-fisted rule.
Shakib faces a case of alleged murder, accused of culpability in the police killing of protesters.
The left-hander, who bats in the middle-order and bowls spin, went back to England to play county cricket for Surrey after having a key role in Bangladesh’s success in Pakistan.
His national teammates have rallied around him.
“As for Shakib, I am hopeful that he will do well,” Najmul said.
“He has been in good form with the ball.”
Bangladesh unveiled a new pace sensation in Nahid Rana in Pakistan, where the right-arm bowler clocked speeds of more than 146 kph (90 mph).
Uncapped wicketkeeper Jaker Ali comes into the squad in place of fast bowler Shoriful Islam, who pulled out with a groin injury.
Rohit Sharma will look to India’s experienced slow bowling trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel to test Bangladesh’s batting on pitches that are expected to favor the spinners.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack while Mohammed Shami recovers from ankle surgery.
India welcome back wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to the Test squad for the first time since he nearly lost his life in a car crash in December 2022.
Pant, an attacking left-handed batsman, is expected to replace Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps.
Virat Kohli is also back for his first Test since facing South Africa at Cape Town in January, having missed India’s 4-1 home series win against England for the birth of his second child.
New head coach Gautam Gambhir takes charge of India in a Test for the first time.
After Chennai, the second Test begins in Kanpur on September 27 with both part of the World Test Championship. India lead the current standings ahead of Australia.
The Tests are followed by a three-match Twenty20 series starting in Gwalior on October 6, moving to New Delhi three days later and finishing in Hyderabad on October 12.


Boxing stars Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off at Tower Bridge in London

Updated 17 September 2024
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Boxing stars Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off at Tower Bridge in London

  • Dubois currently holds the IBF belt, but Joshua will be looking to become a three-time world champion in the division

LONDON: Fans got their first glimpse of two of the biggest names in boxing four days ahead of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Card Wembley Edition fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois on Monday.

Joshua and Dubois faced off for the first time at a media event held near the iconic London landmark of Tower Bridge.

(AN Photo/Hasenin Fadhel)

It was the first event in a week of build-up for a night of boxing at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, where the two British boxers will fight it out for the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title.

Dubois currently holds the belt, but Joshua will be looking to become a three-time world champion in the division.

(AN Photo/Hasenin Fadhel)

Dubois told Arab News that he was "hungry" for the fight and that he would look to beat Joshua "by any means necessary." He joked he may have to deploy a headbutt to ensure he keeps his title.

The boxer, whose nickname is "Dynamite," praised the impact of Riyadh Season and Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority on the sport of boxing.

"(It's) a better show, more cameras, it's great. It's perfect, just what the sport needs," he said.

The event will be the first Riyadh Season boxing event to be held in the UK and the second time outside Saudi Arabia following the success of the first event in Los Angeles in August.

(Supplied/GEA/Riyadh Season)

Also on Monday, Anthony Cacace and Josh Warrington faced off, who are set to fight for the IBF super featherweight title.

Fans also got to see Joshua Buatsi and Willie Hutchinson, who will compete for the World Boxing Organization interim light heavyweight title, face off.

They also saw Tyler Denny who fights Hamzah Sheeraz, Mark Chamberlain who takes on Josh Padley, and a face-off between Josh Kelly and Ismael Davis, who stepped in to replace Liam Smith after Smith sustained an injury.