arabnews.com - Usain Bolt on his track greatness: “I wanted to set high standards and I did“

Usain Bolt on his track greatness: “I wanted to set high standards and I did“

TOKYO: On the night track turned to Jamaica once again to find the World’s Fastest Man, the greatest Jamaican sprinter was in a sky box in the stadium — his presence literally hovering over a sport that hasn’t been the same since he left. Oblique Seville might be the new 100-meter world champion. Usain Bolt remains the only track star of this century whose fame cascades well beyond sports. Eight years since his retirement, nobody has come close to matching his times or his presence. In an interview before Sunday night’s races at the track worlds, he said he feels great about that, because “that’s what I worked for.” “When I was competing, I was working to break the benchmark,” he said.

No Pakistan handshake aligned with government, says India captain

DUBAI: India’s victorious captain Suryakumar Yadav defended his team’s decision not to shake hands with the defeated Pakistan players on Sunday, saying that it was taken in alignment with their government and cricket board. India thumped Pakistan by seven wickets in a Group A Asia Cup clash in Dubai which ended on a bitter note as Indian players headed into their dressing room without a customary handshake. Pakistan, in protest, refused to attend the post match ceremony as tensions flared in a match which was the first between the bitter rivals since May’s military action. The cross border clashes were sparked after an attack in Pahalgam in Indian Kashmir in April which killed 26 people, with India blaming Pakistan. New Delhi resisted the calls to boycott the match and cleared the team to play Pakistan only in multi-national events. “We are aligned with the government and Board of Control for Cricket in India,” said Suryakumar after scoring 47 not out as India chased down a modest Pakistan target of 128 in 15.5 overs. Left-armer Kuldeep Yadav led India’s spin rout with 3-18 as Pakistan were restricted to a below-par 127-9 in 20 overs. Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson termed said he was disappointed with the Indian players’ refusal to shake hands. “We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game,” said Hesson.

Scottie Scheffler captures 6th tour win this year, 19th for career, at Procore

Scottie Scheffler shot 5-under-par 67 and it was enough for a one-stroke victory in the Procore Championship on Sunday at Napa, California, proving to be a valuable tune-up for the Ryder Cup. Scheffler finished the tournament at 19-under 269, with second- and third- round leader Ben Griffin posting 70 in the final round and ending up at 18 under on Silverado Resort’s North Course. “I’m fortunate to be the winner this week,” Scheffler said. Griffin missed a birdie putt from about 6 feet away on the final hole that would have forced a playoff. “I gave myself a good chance,” Griffin said. “I was trying to make eagle, putt was just a little slower than I expected. I don’t know if I hit my line on the last, but I looked up and it looked like it was breaking pretty good to the left and I tried to play it straighter to right center.” Griffin and Scheffler, who was in the pairing in front of Griffin, were even at 18 under until Scheffler’s bogey on No. 11. Scheffler had birdies on Nos. 12 and 15, while Griffin’s string of nine consecutive pars was broken with a bogey on the par-4 No. 14 and a birdie on the next hole, a par-5. “I was chasing down some pretty talented guys on the leaderboard,” Scheffler said.

Haaland-inspired Man City inflict derby demolition on Man Utd

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Erling Haaland struck twice as Manchester City inflicted another damaging defeat on Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim with a comprehensive 3-0 win on Sunday. Phil Foden opened the scoring before Haaland took center stage with a second-half double, either side of an incredible miss from the Norwegian, as City bounced back from two consecutive Premier League defeats. United went into a derby ahead of City in the Premier League table for the first time in five years. But that owed more to City’s early season struggles than signs of progress for Amorim’s men, who have taken just four points from their opening four games and been dumped out of the League Cup by fourth-tier Grimsby. “In these kind of games we need to be perfect and in this game we were not perfect,” said Amorim. “The frustration is always the same because with the amount of chances (we create), we need to score goals.” To cap a fine City display, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma marked his debut with a stunning save from Bryan Mbeumo to deny United a foothold in the game at 2-0. City remain six points adrift of leaders Liverpool, but victory is a huge confidence boost for Pep Guardiola’s side ahead of facing Serie A champions Napoli and Premier League title rivals Arsenal next week. “We needed this,” said Haaland. “You always want to win the derby but you could feel it extra today. “I’m so relieved, so happy we managed to do it altogether.

Germany crowned EuroBasket champions after thrilling win over Turkiye

RIGA: Germany pulled off a stunning 88-83 victory over Turkiye on Sunday to win the EuroBasket title for the first time since 1993, with point guard Dennis Schroeder draining a late jump shot and then adding a pair of high-pressure free throws in a thrilling climax. The reigning World Cup champions put in a gritty defensive display, with Isaac Bonga coming up with key plays down the stretch before Schroeder put the team on his back and carried them over the line with a late-game point-guard masterclass. Both sides began with a barrage of three-point attempts, blocks and bruising challenges in a high-octane first half that saw Turkiye take a six-point lead into the break, but that lead was quickly erased at the start of the third period as the Germans roared back. Hampered after collecting three fouls over the first three periods, Turkiye’s Alperen Sengun came back into the game early in the fourth quarter and made a tough hook shot before taking a charge on the defensive end to preserve a slender three-point lead. Cedi Osman went back up the floor and hit his sixth three of the night to double their lead as the momentum swung, but they could not shake the Germans off and when Sengun picked up his fourth foul with just under four minutes remaining, Bonga gave Germany a one-point lead on the next play. With the game reaching boiling point, Schroeder scored with a driving layup before Bonga grabbed an offensive rebound and Schroeder made the most of it, hitting a pull-up jumper with 19 seconds left to give the Germans a three-point lead. Sengun tried to level, heaving a three-pointer with Daniel Theis’s hand in his face, but the shot kissed the front of the rim, and Osman fouled Schroeder after the rebound, with the

Spinners power India to win over Pakistan in Asia Cup

DUBAI: Spinners led by Kuldeep Yadav helped India thrash Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup on Sunday as the neighbors met on the cricket pitch for the first time since a military conflict between them in May. Kuldeep returned figures of 3-18 and along with fellow spinner Axar Patel kept Pakistan down to 127-9 in a key Group A T20 clash in Dubai. India lost two wickets after a fiery 31 off 13 balls from opener Abhishek Sharma, but skipper Suryakumar Yadav hit an unbeaten 47 to achieve the target with 25 balls to spare. Suryakumar put on 56 runs with left-hander Tilak Varma, who hit 31 before being bowled by Saim Ayub. The captain stood firm and hit the winning six as Indian fans celebrated at a stadium, which had alot of empty seats, and the players from both teams went off without handshakes. Abhishek came out roaring as he hit Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi for a four and a six and, despite the fall of Shubman Gill in the next over, kept up the charge. Swashbuckling Abhishek cracked four boundaries and two sixes before he mistimed another attempt for a maximum to be caught at long-off off spinner Ayub. India’s bowlers set up the dominant win as Axar, who took 2-18, and Kuldeep combined to rattle the opposition batting, which suffered from a lack of partnerships. Hardik Pandya struck in the first over to dismiss opener Ayub for a golden duck and fellow quick Jasprit Bumrah sent back wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Haris for three. Sahibzada Farhan, who top-scored with 40, attempted to rebuild the innings along with Fakhar Zaman, who made 17, in a partnership of 39. Axar broke the stand with his left-arm spin as he got Zaman caught out and in his next over had skipper Salman Agha out for three. Left-ar

Former world boxing champion Hatton dies aged 46

LONDON: British boxing great Ricky Hatton, a former two-division world champion, has died at the age of 46, the World Boxing Association said on Sunday. Nicknamed ‘the Hitman’, Hatton won the WBA, IBO and IBF light-welterweight titles and the WBA welterweight world championship during his 15-year professional career before retiring in 2012. He had been due to make a comeback for an event in Dubai this year. “A true champion, an indomitable spirit and a legend of the sport. Your legacy will live on in every fight and in the hearts of boxing fans around the world,” the WBA posted on Instagram. Greater Manchester Police said that a body had been found on Sunday morning at an address in Hyde in the northern English city. “The death is not being treated as suspicious,” a police spokesperson said. Hatton had 45 wins in 48 bouts over his career but in the years after he retired he said he had tried to kill himself several times and had been open about his struggle with depression, drink and drugs. “I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs.

Last-gasp Salah penalty earns Liverpool victory at Burnley

BURNLEY, England: Mohamed Salah’s stoppage-time penalty ensured Liverpool maintained their winning start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory at promoted side Burnley on Sunday. With British record signing Alexander Isak forced to wait for his Liverpool debut having been left out the squad for the trip to Lancashire, the champions struggled to break down a dogged home side in the first half. After a regroup at the break, the visitors upped the ante in the second half, with Dominik Szoboszlai finally forcing a fine save from Martin Dubravka in the Burnley goal. Burnley were holding on for a well-earned point with ease, before the ball agonizingly struck substitute Hannibal Mejbri’s arm in the penalty area and Salah slotted the spot kick into the net in the 95th minute to break home hearts. Liverpool are still to really get going this season, requiring a winner in the last 10 minutes of all four of their league victories so far.

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Arabnews.com Sport News

Usain Bolt on his track greatness: “I wanted to set high standards and I did“

No Pakistan handshake aligned with government, says India captain

Scottie Scheffler captures 6th tour win this year, 19th for career, at Procore

Haaland-inspired Man City inflict derby demolition on Man Utd

Germany crowned EuroBasket champions after thrilling win over Turkiye

Spinners power India to win over Pakistan in Asia Cup

Former world boxing champion Hatton dies aged 46

Last-gasp Salah penalty earns Liverpool victory at Burnley