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(FILE PICTURE) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum holds a FIFA Wold Cup 2026 official ball during a FIFA World Cup 2026 organization plan presentation in Mexico City,…
Aaneef Zakhir returned to winning form with an impressive victory in the Dibal Cup, taking out the 1900m Local Purebred Arabian Handicap as racing resumed at Al Rayyan Racecourse on Monday night following a brief interruption. The six-year-old bay, owned and trained by Osama Omer Al-Dafea, was expertly ridden by Arnaud de Lepine, who secured his third win of the season. Aaneef Zakhir was settled near the rear early on as Khaled Al Shahania set the pace, dictating proceedings through the opening and middle stages. Bakir and Burkan Zakhir tracked the leader closely, forming the main chasing group down the back straight.Approaching the final bend, Aaneef Zakhir began to make steady headway. Turning into the straight, he gathered momentum to move into third behind Bakir and Khaled Al Shahania, while Amersun also produced a strong late run to join the leading contenders.Inside the final 200m, Aaneef Zakhir showed determination to surge into the lead and open up a narrow advantage. Bakir continued to challenge, but the eventual winner responded gamely under pressure to hold on at the line. Bakir, representing Mubarak Ali al-Nuaimi and trained by Hamad al-Jehani, finished second under Alberto Sanna, a length and three-quarters clear of Amersun. The latter stayed on well for Wathnan Racing, trainer Alban de Mieulle and jockey Youssef Lachhab to complete the podium.The meeting featured a total of eight races and marked the 58th Al Rayyan Race Meeting organised by the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club.Among the other winners on the night, Jungle Monarch powered clear to secure a second consecutive victory, while Afor Alghania burst away from the field to break his maiden in decisive fashion.Lucia Molly finally got off the mark at the tenth attempt with a strong finish, as Awaayid swept clear to register back-to-back wins. King Albahar returned to winning ways in dominant style, El Ghazi bounced back with a determined success, and Mared Al Jasra made every yard count to land an open race.RESULTS58th Al Rayyan Race Meeting – Dibal CupWINNERS: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)1 – Dibal Cup, Local Purebred Arabian Handicap (70-90), Aaneef Zakhir, Eng. Osama Omer al-Dafea, Arnaud de Lepine2 – Thoroughbred Handicap (45-65)Jungle Monarch, Jassim al-Ghazali, Marco Casamento3 – Local Purebred Arabian Maiden PlateAfor Alghania, Maayouf bin Hashim al-Shamari, Salman Fahad al-Hajri4 – Thoroughbred Maiden PlateLucia Molly, Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, Saleh Salem al-Marri5 – Local Thoroughbred Handicap (0-55)Awaayid, Zuhair Mohsen, Faleh Bughenaim6 – Purebred Arabian Handicap (55-75)King Albahar, Dr. Fahad Salman al-Hajri, Szczepan Mazur7 – Purebred Arabian Handicap (65-85)El Ghazi, Jassim al-Ghazali, Faleh Bughenaim8 – Purebred Arabian Open RaceMared Al Jasra, Jassim al-Ghazali, Faleh Bughenaim Related Story Source link
New Zealand’s Devon Conway bats during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and South Africa played at Seddon Park in Hamilton on March…
Bryson DeChambeau team captain attends the press conference ahead of the LIV golf tournament at Sentosa Golf course in Singapore Tuesday. (AFP) Bryson DeChambeau said he feels his game is rounding into form at a crucial time – that is, right before the Masters.Fresh off a T3 finish in Adelaide and a playoff win in Singapore, DeChambeau will look to continue his strong play when he competes in LIV Golf South Africa in Midrand, near the city of Johannesburg. This marks LIV Golf’s fifth of 14 events this season.”I feel like I’m progressing well and comfortable with my game, hitting it a lot better than I have in years past leading into major season, early in the season for LIV Golf,” DeChambeau said on Tuesday at The Club at Steyn City. “I practiced a little earlier this year, and it’s starting to pay off.”DeChambeau forced a playoff against Richard T. Lee on Sunday with a birdie on No. 18, then saved par on the first playoff hole to win LIV Golf Singapore on Sunday.Lee, a LIV wild card who qualified for the league by winning LIV Golf Promotions in January, missed a 2-foot putt for par as the duo played the 18th hole again, giving DeChambeau the win.DeChambeau climbed eight spots to No. 33 in the Official World Golf Ranking with his victory in Singapore. He hasn’t had much time to savor his fourth LIV Golf League victory, however.He ventured from Singapore to South Africa, marking the first time LIV Golf will hold a competition on the continent. It marks an opportunity for DeChambeau — and others – to give kids from a different part of the world a chance to see golf played up close.”Yeah, I think that’s a part of our mission, becoming more global and influencing and giving people an opportunity to see what golf can do for communities and for people around the world,” he said Tuesday.”It’s been done quite well in the States so far and now we’re doing it internationally. It only improves, I would say, facilities and communities everywhere across the globe. I think that’s a part of our mission statement, that it’s important to us. It’s part of our identity now. Being here in South Africa, it’s only — there’s only one place we haven’t gone yet, which is South America, and that would be another cool place to go.”But being here in South Africa, I’ve always wanted to come here. Talking to Gary Player quite a bit and Ernie (Els) and Louis (Oosthuizen) and the whole Southern Guards team, obviously, they just rave how great it is obviously, and coming here and seeing how special the hospitality is, the people, the culture and the way that everybody conducts themselves, it’s quite amazing.”DeChambeau, 32, joined LIV Golf in 2022 after recording nine wins on the PGA Tour, including the U.S. Open in 2020 and 2024. Related Story Source…
India’s One-Day International captain Shubman Gill said winning next year’s World Cup is the ultimate goal for his team, especially after they fell at the final hurdle in the 2023 edition on home soil.India’s unbeaten campaign in that home World Cup ended in defeat by Australia in the final in Ahmedabad.India have since won back-to-back T20 World Cups but Gill has set his sights on 50-overs cricket’s biggest prize when the tournament takes place in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October-November next year.“We felt like we were so close last time,” Gill said yesterday.“To be able to get another crack at it in South Africa, it’s going to be a great opportunity for us. Winning a World Cup in any format for the country is the ultimate goal. So obviously, that is something that sometimes runs in my mind.”India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav said their 20-overs World Cup triumph in 2024 had sparked a run of success for the country’s cricketers, with the men winning the Champions Trophy and the women lifting a first ODI World Cup title last year.“That one step was important, that taste was important for everyone to understand what it takes to win an ICC trophy,” Suryakumar said. “Now, there is no looking back. If this wonderful thing has started, let’s try and collect as many (trophies) as possible.” Source link
Leaders Al Sadd face a challenging test against Al Arabi in the Qatar Stars League at Khalifa International Stadium today as the title race enters a crucial phase.Defending champions Al Sadd saw their impressive 10-match winning streak come to an abrupt halt in the previous round after suffering a shock 2-5 defeat to Umm Salal. Despite the setback, the Wolves remain firmly at the top of the standings with a four-point lead.Sadd currently lead the table ahead of second-placed Al Shamal, who have 34 points from 17 matches, while Al Gharafa SC are third with the same number of points from 18 games.However, with only four matches remaining for the defending champions before the league concludes, any further slip-up could complicate their title ambitions. The race for the championship remains tight, with several teams still capable of applying pressure at the top of the standings.Al Arabi, currently sixth in the table with 25 points, will be eager to claim a strong result as they aim to climb higher in the standings. The Dream Team played out a 1-1 draw against Al Ahli in their previous match, but they will take confidence from the reverse fixture earlier this season when they defeated Al Sadd 3-1.Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, Al Arabi’s Romanian coach Cosmin Contra stressed the need for focus and discipline against the league leaders. “Derby matches are always unpredictable, requiring special mental preparation. We respect Al Sadd as a great team and they are the league leaders, but our goal is to return to winning ways and make up for our recent results,” he said.”Al Sadd’s recent loss doesn’t mean they have declined; on the contrary, it will motivate them to come into the match with a strong desire to make amends. This necessitates extreme caution and high defensive discipline from us. During training, we’ve worked on addressing our attacking weaknesses to ensure we capitalize on even half-chances in front of the opponent’s goal,” Cosmin elaborated.”The players understand the importance of this match, and we will enter the game with only one goal in mind: victory. The three points at this stage represent a tremendous morale and technical boost to strengthen our position in the standings,” he added.Al Arabi defender Alexis Pérez also highlighted the importance of teamwork and tactical discipline in order to overcome the defending champions. “We have worked with the coach to analyse our opponent’s strengths, and we know that Al Sadd will be looking to redeem themselves after their recent loss, which makes the match even more challenging. The key to victory for us is complete tactical discipline and playing as a cohesive unit from the first minute until the final whistle.”Al Sadd coach Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, expects a strong response from his side following the heavy defeat in the previous round. “The match will be very difficult and intense, and we must be fully prepared. We are not happy with the result of our last match, but this feeling must be reversed and we must give our best to secure the three points,” he said.Al Sadd striker Rafa Mujica echoed his coach’s sentiments and said the team is determined to return to winning ways. “It is a special match, we know how difficult it will be, but we will give 100 per cent of our effort. We know our mission is to win and that is what we want to achieve.”Shamal seek win against DuhailIn another key fixture today, Al Shamal SC will look to continue their impressive campaign when they face Al Duhail at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Al Shamal have been one of the surprise packages of the season and currently sit second in the table. Coach David Prats expects a tough contest but remains confident about his team’s chances.“We are expecting a tough match against a strong team with top-level players and tremendous potential, led by competent coaching staff. They are also coming off a resounding 4-0 victory against Al Sailiya in the last round. We are aware of Al Duhail’s strength, the experience of their players and their capabilities, but we are ready for the match. Our goal is to win and secure the three points to continue our impressive run this season and maintain our position at the top of league table,” said Prats.Al Shamal midfielder Pau Prim, who scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Al Wakrah in the previous round, said the team is determined to maintain their momentum. “We will look to continue our winning streak, maintain our position in the standings and continue the team’s outstanding run this season,” he said.Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi also acknowledged the challenge posed by Al Shamal. “Al Shamal have been performing exceptionally well this season, currently sitting in second place with only a few matches remaining. The match will be tough. We will strive to win and secure the three points to continue our climb up the league table,” he said.Rayyan meet WakrahElsewhere, Al Rayyan SC will host Al Wakrah SC at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in another important encounter. Both sides will be eager to bounce back after defeats in their previous matches. Al Wakrah suffered a narrow 0-1 loss to Al Shamal, while Al Rayyan were edged 1-2 by Al Shahania.The Lions currently occupy fourth place in the standings with 28 points and will be keen to consolidate their position amid growing pressure from Qatar SC and Al Arabi, who are also pushing to move up the table. Al Wakrah, known as the Blue Wave, sit eighth with 23 points and will be aiming to return to winning ways as the season approaches its decisive stages.Fixtures (All games 9.30pm kick-offs)Tuesday: Al Arabi vs Al Sadd at Khalifa International Stadium; Al Shamal vs Al Duhail at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium; Al Rayyan vs Al Wakrah at Ahmad Bin Ali StadiumWednesday: Al Gharafa vs Al Ahli at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium; Umm Salal vs Qatar SC at Khalifa International Stadium; Al Sailiya vs Al Shahania at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium Related Story Source link
Winner Mercedes’ Italian driver Kimi Antonelli celebrates on the podium after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March…
Formula One champions McLaren hope to turn past pain into future gain following the double blow of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failing to start Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix.Sunday was the first no-start of reigning champion Norris’s F1 career while Australian teammate Piastri has yet to complete a lap in two races this season after crashing out on his way to the grid at the opening round in Australia.Piastri had qualified fifth and Norris sixth but both suffered problems with the electrical side of the Mercedes power unit that could not be fixed in the limited time available.The last time McLaren had failed to start a race with either car was the infamous 2005 U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis that featured only six drivers due to Michelin tyre concerns. DIFFICULT FOR PIASTRI TO PROCESS”If we consider that Oscar has not been able to start a race in the start of the 2026 campaign, that’s pretty difficult for Oscar to process,” team principal Andrea Stella told reporters. “But at the same time… both remain quite positive.”I think what we have gone through at McLaren in terms of the journey from 2023 has been such a good journey of developing a culture, a mindset, what we call internally a winner’s mindset.”Last year, where we won the double championship… we said internally that the victory was not in Abu Dhabi, the victory was in Qatar and in Vegas for the way we withstood the difficulties. That’s where you really become a champion.”In Qatar last November Piastri was denied a win by a strategy blunder while in Las Vegas both McLarens were disqualified for a skid plank breach after finishing second and fourth.”You have to withstand the difficulty, you have to process it, and you have to use it to become even more of a worthwhile champion in the future and gain the qualities to be a champion,” said Stella.”That’s our mindset, and I’ve seen it completely at play today with Oscar, with Lando and with the team.”Stella said the problems in China were of a different nature on the two cars, apparently coincidental albeit involving the same component, and it was a ‘tough moment’ to lose out on potential points so early in the championship for something out of the team’s control.”It’s quite exceptional and uncharacteristic that you have two terminal problems pretty much at the same time on the same component,” said the Italian. “We will review together with HPP (Mercedes High Performance Powertrains) the reason for these faults.”Once we go a little bit deeper we will be able to have a more comprehensive assessment and see if there’s anything that was actually on the McLaren side.” (Reporting by Alan Baldwin Editing by Christian Radnedge) Related Story Source link
Troubled Tottenham rescued a 1-1 draw at Liverpool thanks to Richarlison's late leveller, while Manchester United bolstered their bid to qualify for the Champions League with a 3-1 win against Aston Villa Sunday.Igor Tudor's relegation-haunted side trailed to Dominic Szoboszlai's first-half free-kick at Anfield.But Brazil striker Richarlison netted in the 90th minute to spare Tottenham from a sixth successive Premier League defeat.In grave danger of playing into the second tier for the first time since 1977-78, Tottenham are without a victory in their last 12 league matches — their worst winless run for 91 years.However, their first point under interim boss Tudor, who had lost his four previous matches in all competitions since replacing the sacked Thomas Frank, offered a glimmer of hope in their desperate fight for survival.Tottenham arrived on Merseyside in crisis after suffering an embarrassing 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last-16 first leg in midweek.Tudor had substituted goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after just 17 minutes after he made a pair of costly mistakes.He opted against doing the same to Guglielmo Vicario after his weak attempted save allowed Szoboszlai's free-kick to elude him in the 18th minute.Tottenham could have crumbled after that, but to their credit they hit back in a spirited second half.Richarlison ensured they didn't finish empty-handed when he steered a close-range finish past Alisson Becker after Andrew Robertson and Virgil van Dijk made a hash of dealing with Randal Kolo Muani's flick from Vicario's long punt.With eight games left to save themselves, Tottenham remain in 16th place, one point above both fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest and third-bottom West Ham.They face a crucial clash with Forest in north London in a week's time.Lacklustre Liverpool were booed off at the final whistle after a result that left them in fifth place, likely to be the final Champions League slot, two points behind fourth-placed Villa.'A good feeling'At Old Trafford, United took the lead through Casemiro's 53rd-minute header before Ross Barkley hauled Villa level in the 64th minute.Michael Carrick's side finished strongly, with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko scoring in the closing stages to seal Carrick's seventh win in nine games since taking over as interim boss.Sitting third in the Premier League, United are three points clear of top-four rivals Villa.United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe this week praised Carrick's ‘excellent’ work, but stopped short of committing to the former Old Trafford star on a long-term basis.But Carrick is making a strong case to earn the job on a permanent basis after stabilising United, who lost at Newcastle last week, following Ruben Amorim's sacking.’We looked a good team. It was a big game coming off the defeat. The boys reacted incredibly well,’ Carrick said.’It's a good feeling and something we want to keep getting used to. We are in a good position at the moment.’Bruno Fernandes now has 16 Premier League assists this term, moving the United captain past David Beckham's previous club record of 15 in 1999-2000.He has 100 assists for United in all competitions since signing from Sporting Lisbon in 2020.’He's proven over a period of time how impactful he is in the big moments. He's there all the time, he puts himself forward in training and games,’ Carrick said.Spluttering Villa have lost their last three league games and have just one win in seven top-flight matches, leaving them three points above sixth-placed Chelsea with eight games left in the battle for European places.Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone after a 0-0 draw against Fulham at the City Ground.Still waiting for their first win under Vitor Pereira, fourth-from-bottom Forest, who have had four managers this term, are above third-from-bottom West Ham on goal difference.Ten-man Leeds held on for a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace despite Dominic Calvert-Lewin's missed penalty and a red card for Gabriel Gudmundsson. Source link
The Doha Equestrian Tour wrapped up its three-day local show jumping competitions at the Longines Arena in Al Shaqab on Saturday night, showcasing top-level performances from more than 120 riders and 240 horses. Total prize money for the tour exceeded QR490,000. The tour opened with the Small Tour at a height of 110 cm, where Saudi Arabia’s Khalid al-Hadi claimed first place on Carlton in 22.74 seconds. Qatar’s Hadi Mansour al-Shahwani finished second on Monopoly in 23.99 seconds, while American Christine Vanderveen took third on Carniol in 24.22 seconds. Winners were presented their awards by Abdullah al-Qashouti, Marketing and Communications Manager for the tournament. In the Silver Round at 130 cm, Kuwait’s Anaz al-Anaz topped the leaderboard with a time of 52.05 seconds on De Leones. Vanderveen placed second on Ranz Marie (53.51 seconds) and Saudi rider Abdullah al-Sharbatly finished third on Dantorido (53.98 seconds). Awards were presented by Salmeen al-Suwaidi, tournament sports director.Day two began with the Bronze Round at 120 cm, where al-Hadi again finished first on Carlton (23.14 seconds), Vanderveen was second on Liones (24.03 seconds), and al-Shahwani third on Monopoly (24.27 seconds). Mohammed al-Suwaidi, stables manager for the championship, crowned the winners.The Gold Round at 140 cm saw Saudi rider Abdullah al-Sharbatly win on Fiumicino in 30.84 seconds. Syrian rider Mohammed Mughith came second on Jaguar (31.08 seconds) and Kuwaiti Anaz al-Anaz was third on De Lions (31.55 seconds). Winners were presented by Abdulrahman al-Khayarin, deputy facilities manager.The final Diamond League competition 150 cm with a jump-off, was won by Austrian Geoffrey Backe on Equitron in 30.54 seconds. Al-Sharbatly took second on Valentino (31.2 seconds), and Vanderveen finished third on Starbucks (31.68 seconds). All three completed the course without faults. Awards were presented by Sheikh Talal bin Khalid al-Thani, assistant tournament director.In a statement, Sheikh Talal said the local competitions are an integral part of the Doha Equestrian Tour, providing riders with opportunities to maintain competitive readiness and continue training in a professional environment ahead of international events. He emphasised that prize money is designed to motivate riders and support their development.“We are closely monitoring developments and maintaining continuous communication with our partners and relevant authorities, including the International Equestrian Federation, to obtain the necessary official approvals to resume international tours as soon as possible,” Sheikh Talal said.The three-day event highlighted the continuity and resilience of equestrian sport in Doha, drawing top riders from the region and abroad and underlining the city’s commitment to providing a safe and competitive environment for athletes and horses alike. Source link