Ri Suk takes eight world records in five lifts

DOHA - Twenty-year-old lifter from North Korea, Ri Suk took a senior world record from one of the best weightlifters of the 21st century in a stunning performance at the IWF Grand Prix in Doha on Saturday. Ri broke seven junior world records in five good lifts in the 64kg category.  When she made 146kg on her final attempt she also bettered the senior clean and jerk world record set four years ago by Deng Wei, the Chinese star who won Olympic gold and five world titles before retiring in 2020.  To complete a golden day for PRK, Ri Chong Song won the men’s 81kg to give his team its seventh victory in Doha and an unassailable lead at the top of the Grand Prix medals table.  Rahmat Erwin from Indonesia failed with a clean and jerk world record attempt and finished second.  

Ahman & Hellvig, George & Andre push through to Doha semifinals

Doha: Sweden’s David Ahman & Jonatan Hellvig and Brazil’s Andre Stein & George Wanderley booked the two remaining vacancies in the men’s semifinals at the 2023 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Finals in Doha and will challenge pool winners Cherif Younousse & Ahmed Tijan of Qatar and Anders Mol & Christian Sorum of Norway, respectively, in the battles for the spots in the gold medal match on Saturday. On Friday, the Swedish jump-setters completed their Pool B campaign with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) shutout of George & Andre, as Hellvig raised six kill blocks towards a match-high 22 points. Thus, the Swedes finished runners-up to Mol & Sorum in the pool on a 3-1 win-loss record, while George & Andre advanced to the playoffs as the third-placed team on 2-2. In Pool A, Italy’s Paolo Nicolai & Samuele Cottafava mastered a 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) sweep of their last game against USA’s Miles Partain & Andrew Benesh, while Czechia’s Ondrej Perusic & David Schweiner emerged victorious over Poland’s Bartosz Losiak & Michal Bryl. The reigning world champions won the first set and then, at 5-2 in the second, the Poles withdrew on a medical forfeit. In the final pool standings, three teams finished on 2-2 each, and based on point ratios, the Italians claimed the runners-up spot below undefeated Cherif & Ahmed, the Czechs progressed as the third-placed team, while fourth-placed Losiak & Bryl did not qualify for the playoffs. Perusic & Schweiner themselves forfeited their quarterfinal against Ahman & Helllvig and the Swedes advanced to Saturday’s semifinal against home favourites Cherif & Ahmed, starting at 15:00 local time (12:00 UTC). In the other quarterfinal, George & Andre produced a 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) shutout of Cottafava & Nicolai. Both sets were well contested. In the second the South Americans even recovered from a five-point deficit to claim the semifinal spot against Mol & Sorum in the second semifinal at 16:00 (13:00) on Saturday. Andre led the winning team in the quarterfinal with 20 points, including six kill blocks and two aces. Meanwhile, the women’s quarterfinals also took place on Friday evening. In both, the third-placed teams from the pools defeated the second-placed teams from the other pools. First, Germany’s Cinja Tillmann & Svenja Muller came back from a set down against Brazil’s Taina Bigi & Victoria Lopes to claim a 2-1 (18-21, 21-14, 15-9) win. Muller impressed with as many as six aces and three kill blocks towards the match high of 24 points. Tillmann contributed another 22 to the victory.  The Germans will have the opportunity to get back at Brazil’s Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda) & Ana Patricia Ramos, who shut them out in a Pool A match on Wednesday as the two teams meet in the first women’s semifinal on Saturday at 13:00 (10:00). Then USA’s Taryn Kloth & Kristen Nuss cruised to a 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) sweep of their quarterfinal match against Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes & Brandie Wilkerson, with Kloth leading the way with 18 points, including six blocks and an ace. The Americans will also get a shot at taking revenge from Australia’s Taliqua Clancy & Mariafe Artacho Del Solar, who beat them in a Pool B game on Thursday. The two teams will lock horns in the second semifinal, starting at 14:00 (11:00).  

Luo claims victory for China

Doha: In a gripping battle that unfolded over an intense seven-hour spectacle spanning three sessions, Luo Shifang clinched the gold for China in the women's 59kg category at the Qatar Cup IWF Grand Prix II. Luo’s remarkable performance also made her the second Chinese woman to overturn the tables on a DPR Korea athlete who had previously triumphed at the Asian Games. The showdown echoed the rivalry that began in Hangzhou in October when Kim Il Gyong of DPR Korea set a snatch world record en route to victory. However, at Aspire Zone in Doha, a stunning turn of events was unfolded as Luo made a final attempt at 139kg, securing a triumphant total of 108-139-247. This remarkable feat not only equalled the world record total set by Kuo Hsing-Chun from Chinese Taipei (who did not participate in this competition) but also marked a substantial 4kg improvement, elevating Luo to the pinnacle of the rankings. Despite her formidable performance, Kim Il Gyong, aged 20, settled for the second position with a total of 107-136-243. Meanwhile, Canada’s Olympic champion Maude Charron showcased her prowess with a score of 104-129-233, securing the third spot. The competition also featured the presence of European champion Kamila Konotop from Ukraine, who claimed the fourth position with a total of 103-127-230 in a fiercely contested event. The Qatar Cup IWF Grand Prix II is a crucial platform for athletes looking to book their spots in the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, DPRK athletes, despite their remarkable performances throughout the Doha event, are ineligible to qualify for the upcoming Paris Games.  

Qatar's Younousse and Tijan top group, qualify to semifinals

Doha: Home favourites Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan yesterday staged two magnificent fight backs to top their pool and advance directly to the semi-finals of the 2023 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Finals – Doha. At Aspire Zone last evening, the Olympic bronze winners Younousse and Tijan defeated the reigning world champions Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner of Czechia 2:1 (11-21, 21-19, 15-11), before beating United States’ Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh 2:1 (16-21, 21-17, 20-18) in their last Pool A match.  

QOC to organize its annual fitness & health program on Saturday

DOHA – The  Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) will be organising  the 21st  edition of its annual  fitness and health program  at the Bidda Park from  (Expo Park Cultural Zone)  from 4  to 6 pm on Saturday. This fitness and health programme is  for all age groups and will include physiotherapy ,  health tests , physical and physiological measurements to inform the participants of their fitness , which  are key indicators of health fitness and motivation to exercise sport regularly and moderately. These body measurements  shall include height, weight, and the relationship between them using BMI to determine body fat ratios.  While physical measurements are the strength of the grip, a pointer to the general strength of the body, the flexibility to measure the motor range of a group of joints, and aerobic fitness. In addition to physiological measurements, which include blood pressure, heart rate, and diabetes. The programme aims to promote  awareness on the  importance of physical fitness and exercise as well as the promotion of sports and health values among the community. The programme is part of the community programmes through which  the QOC aims to make sports an integral  part of life which contribute to the development of health as well as deepen its relations with the local community.  

Won Ju Ri and Suharevs clinch gold

Doha: North Korea’s Won Ju Ri won the gold in the men’s 67kg while Latvia’s Ritvars Suharevs settled the issue in the 73kg class on day four of the Qatar Cup IWF Grand Prix II. Won Ju Ri seemed in little bother as he won with an overall lift of 317kg (139kg snatch and 178kg clean & jerk) to walk away with the top position. The 21-year-old North Korean finished ahead of Bulgaria’s Ivan Dimov (300kg, 140kg snatch, 160 clean & jerk) and Turkmenistan’s Bunyad Rashidov (298kg, 141kg, 157kg clean & jerk). In the men’s 73kg competition, Suharevs emerged the winner with a hard-fought battle with just 1 kilo separating the scales between the top two lifters at Aspire Zone. Suharevs, 24, lifted 341kg (156kg snatch, 185kg clean & jerk) for the gold. Veteran Chinese lifter Zhiyong Shi, 30, finished second best with an overall tally of 340kg (160kg snatch, 180kg clean & jerk). Thailand’s Weeraphon Wichuma, just 19, secured the bronze with a lift of 334kg (145kg snatch, 189kg clean & jerk) The local organising committee of the championship and the Qatar Weightlifting Federation yesterday urged fans to witness the exciting competition at the Aspire Zone Foundation’s Women’s Gym. The tournament will be held in two sessions: morning and evening, offering an opportunity to witness the power and grace of top athletes as they vie for the title. “Come and cheer on our very own Olympic champion, Fares Ibrahim, as he prepares to compete in the 120kg weight class on December 12th! Your presence and support will be a major boost for him and all the participating athletes,” an LOC official said.