Kipyegon wins again, Tebogo and Crouser upset at Diamond League finals

Faith Kipyegon, of Kenya, celebrates with her national flag after winning the women's 1500 meters during the Diamond League final 2024 athletics meet in Brussels Saturday. (AP)
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Updated 15 September 2024
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Kipyegon wins again, Tebogo and Crouser upset at Diamond League finals

  • Of the 16 finals on Saturday, the first 16 having been held on Friday, there was a strong showing from Kenyan athletes
  • Olympic champion Tebogo was outpaced in the 200m by American Kenny Bednarek, who won in 19.67sec

BRUSSELS: Kenya’s 1500m queen Faith Kipyegon sealed victory in the finals of the Diamond League in Brussels on Saturday, but Botswanan sprinter Letsile Tebogo and American shot putter Ryan Crouser both tasted rare defeats.

Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic and world champion, has had another sensational year over 1500m, even setting a new world record at the Paris leg of the elite track and field circuit.

And she made no mistake at the King Baudouin Stadium, sprinting away to win in a meet record of 3min 54.76sec.

“The world record was not on my mind today, my goal was to finish my Diamond League season in a good way and I did,” said Kipyegon.

“It was good race, but definitely not an easy one. It was a bit cold to run 61 seconds in the first lap and 62 seconds for the next lap.

“I tried to be myself and focus on the finish line.”

Of the 16 finals on Saturday, the first 16 having been held on Friday, there was a strong showing from Kenyan athletes.

Double Olympic 5,000/10,000m champion Beatrice Chebet also set a meet record of 14:09.82 to win the 5,000m in a powerful solo run.

Faith Cherotich outpaced Bahrain’s Olympic champion Winfred Yavi to win the 3000m steeplechase in 9:02.36 and Emmanuel Wanyonyi produced a devastating final flourish to win a high-quality men’s 800m in 1:42.70.

There was a surprise in the men’s shot put as Italy’s European champion Leonardo Fabbri claimed the win with a meet and national record of 22.98m, improving his own personal best by 3cm.

American Ryan Crouser, the three-time Olympic champion and twice world gold medallist, finished second with a best of 22.79m, but there were no sour grapes despite missing out on the $30,000 winner’s cheque.

“I threw pretty well. It was a very solid performance, five times over 22 meters,” Crouser said.

“I just had not that big throw in me like the one Leonardo Fabbri had. He threw a liftetime best so a big throw from him. The level in the shot put was never this high.”

And Olympic champion Tebogo was outpaced in the 200m by American Kenny Bednarek, who won in 19.67sec.

“I wanted to win the Diamond, but it has been a rollercoaster after the Olympics,” lamented Tebogo.

Fabbri’s shot put victory was one of three on the night for Team Italia, high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi (2.34m) and long jumper Larissa Iapichino (6.80m) also winning.

In field events, two other Olympic champions won their events, Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi taking the women’s javelin with a season’s best of 66.13m and Australia’s Nina Kennedy claiming the pole vault with 4.88m.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters edged India’s Neeraj Chopra by just 1cm for victory in the men’s javelin in 87.87m.

In the absence of Olympic gold and silver medallists Rai Benjamin and Karsten Warholm, it was the bronze medal winner from Paris, Alison Dos Santos, who claimed victory in the 400m hurdles.

The Brazilian clocked 47.93sec while Puerto Rico’s Jamine Camacho-Quinn confirmed her seasonal form to win the 100m hurdles in 12.38sec.

Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won her second invitational race in two days, clocking 22.40sec for victory in the 200m.

“Vacation and waffles!” the American, who won a 400m race on Friday, said after the race.

“It was great to race here, but to be honest I am just happy with my succesful season and with how everything turned out.

“I am happy that I can walk away healthy and look back on a great season.”

In the absence of McLaughlin-Levrone from the 400m hurdles because she was ineligible having not competed on the Diamond League circuit, it was left for Paris bronze medallist Femke Bol to take the victory in 52.45sec.

The 200m final proper saw American Brittany Brown top the podium in 22.20sec. Her teammate Sha’Carri Richardson was a no-show after her eighth-placed finish in Friday’s 100m.


Tuchel ‘in talks with FA’ over England manager’s job

Updated 1 min 11 sec ago
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Tuchel ‘in talks with FA’ over England manager’s job

It follows reports that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been asked about his interest in the role
Tuchel, 51, led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021 but was sacked the following year

LONDON: Thomas Tuchel is in talks with the Football Association about becoming England’s next manager, according to reports on Tuesday.
It follows reports that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been asked about his interest in the role.
Tuchel, 51, led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021 but was sacked the following year.
He has been among the bookmakers’ favorites for the England job since Gareth Southgate stood down after England lost to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.
Sky Sports said the German, who left Bayern Munich at the end of last season, was in “pole position” to become Southgate’s long-term replacement.
The Football Association declined to comment on the reports.
Lee Carsley was appointed as Southgate’s successor on a temporary basis in August, initially for the Nations League campaign over three international windows.
However, the 50-year-old, who stepped up from his role as under-21s manager, has since given mixed messages about whether he wants the job on a permanent basis.
Carsley, who has overseen three wins and a defeat, believes the job should go to the best candidate, regardless of nationality.
England have twice before been managed by foreign coaches, with Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello taking charge.
Carsley’s own chances of landing the job full time were severely dented by a 2-1 defeat at home to Greece last week after he named an experimental line-up.
“We’ve seen in the past that we’ve had different nationalities coach the team. The best candidate should get the job,” said the interim boss.
“I think we’d be putting ourselves in a corner if we didn’t, and we didn’t open our minds a bit.”

Crown Jewel and WWE Raw tickets on sale

Updated 15 October 2024
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Crown Jewel and WWE Raw tickets on sale

  • Crown Jewel takes place at Mohammed Abdo arena in Riyadh on Saturday, Nov. 2
  • WWE Raw to debut in Saudia Arabia for the first time on Sunday, Nov. 3

RIYADH: The General Entertainment Authority announced on Tuesday the release of tickets for Crown Jewel and WWE Raw to be held at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

History will be made at Crown Jewel as this year’s event starts an annual match pitting the WWE Champion against the World Champion for both the men and the women to determine the first-ever Crown Jewel Champion, a title made up of 50 carats of diamonds that will signify the best of the best.

Aiming to become Crown Jewel Champion on Saturday, Nov. 2 will be WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, plus WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax and Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan.

Fans will see their favorite WWE Superstars in action across the weekend, including Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, “Main Event” Jey Uso, Drew McIntyre, The New Day and many more.

The arrival of WWE Raw marks the first time that the show will be held Saudi Arabia. Taking place at the Mohammed Abdo Arena the night after Crown Jewel on Sunday, Nov. 3, the episode will broadcast internationally on Monday, Nov. 4.

Tickets for Crown Jewel and WWE Raw in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, can be purchased at https://webook.com.


Riyadh can become ‘fight capital of the world,’ says AJ McKee

Updated 15 October 2024
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Riyadh can become ‘fight capital of the world,’ says AJ McKee

  • McKee all set to take on Paul Hughes at PFL’s ‘Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact’ at The Mayadeen on Oct. 19

RIYADH: AJ McKee, set to take part in the Professional Fighters League’s “Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact” on Oct. 19, believes Riyadh can become the fight capital of the world if it continues to make such an incredible impact in combat sports.

The American steps into the cage at The Mayadeen in Riyadh next Saturday in a pivotal lightweight clash against Irishman Paul Hughes. The big fight night in the Saudi capital city also includes the matchups of Francis Ngannou locking horns with 6’8” phenomenon Renan “Problema” Ferreira and MMA legend Cris Cyborg versus hard-hitting Brazilian Larissa Pacheco.

McKee said: “I think if they continue doing what they’re doing, then in the near future they can definitely claim being the fight capital of the world. I wouldn’t quite yet say that Riyadh is the fight capital of the world, but following the track record of the fights that they’ve put on thus far, they’re very big cards. It’s all the top names and big fights that everyone wants to see.”

By the end of 2024, the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation will have hosted six PFL events, including three PPV extravaganzas. The Kingdom is now regularly hosting the best bouts on the planet, and the 29-year-old Californian says fighters just relish fighting in Riyadh.

“I would say what makes Riyadh such a great city for hosting world-class fights is just the environment,” said McKee. “The people there are super loving and welcoming. The environment is ideal; there’s no drinking, there’s no smoking, so being a professional athlete is just ideal. You know that there’s no really bad influences around. It’s a healthy lifestyle and they just want to see the best.”

Saudi Arabia has hosted more than 100 global sports events since 2018, with 2.5 million international fans in attendance. The number of sports federations has increased by 200 percent in the last nine years from 32 in 2015 to 97 in 2024. Sports participation among the population also rose from 13 percent in 2015 to 48 percent in 2023.

McKee added: “Speaking from a personal view, I would say that Saudi is giving me an opportunity as an athlete to showcase my skills and not only their country. They’ve kind of opened up doors for athletes to travel and get outside of where their home is. It allows fighters to get out of their comfort zone by traveling and seeing new places, seeing new cultures, seeing new lifestyles and being able to experience that. You know, a lot of people don’t get to do that, so I think that’s big.”


Time for Mancini and Saudi Arabia to deliver in must-win World Cup qualifier clash against Bahrain

Updated 15 October 2024
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Time for Mancini and Saudi Arabia to deliver in must-win World Cup qualifier clash against Bahrain

  • After last week’s 2-0 loss to Japan, the Green Falcons cannot afford another slip as they sit third in Group C of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup

LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s World Cup qualifier with Bahrain in Jeddah on Tuesday is just one out of 10 games for Roberto Mancini’s team in Group C but there is already a feeling that this is a must-win clash in more ways than one.

The first and biggest is that the Green Falcons need the points after a mixed start in the first three games of the third round of qualification. A 1-1 draw against Indonesia was followed by a 2-1 win over China in September.

And then, last week, Japan came to King Abdullah Sports City and went home with a 2-0 victory. As things stand, Saudi Arabia are third, level on four points with Australia in second, and Bahrain in fourth.

Only the top two qualify automatically for the World Cup while third and fourth advance to the next stage. Japan have nine and are surely heading for first place. Mancini admitted as such.

“We knew Japan were strong contenders to top the group, and now we will focus on competing with Australia for second place,” he said.

At this stage, the Italian will probably feel that his team are three points short. Mancini would have wanted and expected a win against Indonesia and a draw against Japan.

Had that been the case then they would have been three points clear of Australia. With the Socceroos playing in Japan on Tuesday and likely to lose, a win against Bahrain would have put Saudi Arabia six clear.

That would have been a fantastic position to be in but there is no point thinking too much about that now. The focus has to be on beating their neighbors and hoping they end Tuesday three points clear in second.

Mancini also needs a win and solid performance to lift the mood. Losing to Japan is no disgrace. The Samurai Blue are the best team in Asia by some distance, but their clear cohesion, identity and playing style was in contrast to that of Saudi Arabia’s.

Mancini, at just over a year in the job, has still to stamp his identity on the team and there are doubts as to whether he has the players really believing in his methods. Any sign of progress in this regard against Bahrain would be welcome.

Ever since the start of the year and the Asian Cup, there has not been much to shout about.

Before the tournament started Mancini dropped a bombshell. Veteran Salman Al-Faraj and Sultan Al-Ghannam were left out of the preliminary list, then goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi was excluded from the final squad.

The coach accused them of not wanting to play in friendly games. The Asian Cup ended at the last-16 stage with the boss leaving the pitch and heading down the tunnel before the penalty shootout against South Korea had ended.

It is fair to say that there has yet to be a really exciting, impressive or surprising performance under Mancini, the former English Premier League-, Serie A- and European Championship-winning coach.

His willingness to look outside the big clubs for talent and also trust in youth has been refreshing but he has complained on multiple occasions about the lack of playing time that several players are getting at their clubs.

“The only problem we have, three years ago all the Saudi players played every game,” he said. “Today, 50, 60 percent don’t play in the game and this is the only problem that we have.”

The coach has a point. There are players who have found themselves down the pecking order as their clubs have signed world-class foreign talent. This is especially evident at both ends of the pitch: goalkeepers and attackers.

Firas Al-Buraikan has been a regular for Al-Ahli and Abdullah Radif has played a reasonable amount for Al-Hilal, but Saleh Al-Shehri has had little time with Ittihad and Mohammed Maran has barely featured.

It is not ideal but it is what it is and Mancini’s job is to get the best out of what is available to him.

It has not happened yet. In three games, there have been three goals: one own goal and two set pieces. Against Japan, they played with an unfamiliar four-man defense, did not look like scoring and there were issues at the back but they were against a very good team.

Now this is Bahrain and fans will be less accepting of excuses.

Even so, Bahrain won in Australia in the opening game, sitting back to frustrate the Socceroos and then hitting on the counter, and that may well be their approach in Jeddah.

They later lost 5-0 at home to Japan and then needed a 99th-minute equalizer to draw 2-2 with Indonesia.

Compared to the passing and movement of the Samurai Blue, this is going to be a more physical test for Saudi Arabia and it should be one they are more suited to.

It has to be because one thing is for sure, this is a must-win game not just for the hopes of a top-two finish but for Mancini’s future in the job.

A scrappy 1-0 victory would be enough but a free-flowing performance and a convincing win would go down as well as the sun over the Red Sea.


Dubai Basketball back to winning ways with dominant display in Serbia

Updated 15 October 2024
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Dubai Basketball back to winning ways with dominant display in Serbia

  • Victory ensures a record of 3 wins and 1 loss after round 4 of the ABA League

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball got back on the winning trail again in Europe’s ABA League following a dominant 87-74 victory over Serbia’s Borac Mozzart on Sunday night.

The win was marked by a powerful defensive performance that restricted the home team’s captain, Marko Josilo, to only six points across 34 minutes of play.

Dubai Basketball went into the round-four game in Cacak looking to bounce back from last week’s last-gasp defeat against Mega MIS — and they responded with an impressive performance to take their record to 3-1.

Danilo Andusic set the pace all night long for Dubai, with 16 points, while Ahmet Duverioglu had a game-high seven rebounds.

With Borac Mozzart focusing heavily on Dubai’s captain, Klemen Prepelic, they had no answer for Isaiah Taylor, whose 13 points, three rebounds and six assists proved decisive in handing the Serbian team their first home loss of the season.

By the end of the first quarter, Dubai held a narrow lead of 24-23. The hosts levelled the scores early in the second, but head coach Jurica Golemac’s side took it up a gear with captain Prepelic dropping a three-pointer when his team needed him most.

Nate Mason, who missed the last game due to an injury, added another two, but some strong play saw Borac Mozzart take a 33-29 lead.

Dubai’s Awudu Abass and Andusic then stepped up with crucial points including a three-pointer to turn the momentum and give their team a healthy 47-36 advantage at halftime.

By the end of the third quarter, Dubai had stretched their lead to 71-63, and in the last 10 minutes they held off Borac Mozzart to close out for a key win on the road.

The home fans gave the game a special atmosphere with their boisterous support of their team at the Cacak Sports Hall.

Dubai’s Jacorey Williams commented post-game: “It was loud, the fans here are great and they’re passionate; they let us know all night that there would be no easy points.

“It was great to leave with a big team win, but shout-out to the fans, Cacak Sports Hall is one of the toughest places to play.”

Dubai Basketball’s next game will be on Sunday, Oct. 20 when they take on Spartak Subotica at Coca-Cola Arena.