Sports

The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) is set to transform the karting track into a battleground for the region’s most promising racing talent, as the prestigious facility hosts the MENA Karting Cup for the second consecutive year. Following the tremendous success of its inaugural edition in 2023, the 2024 championship promises to deliver even more thrilling karting action. The championship will showcase the remarkable skills of more than 150 drivers representing 16 nations across the Mena region, including Qatar, Morocco, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Turkiye, Mauritania, Syria, and United Arab Emirates. Racers will compete across six dynamic age-based categories: Micro Max (ages eight-11), Mini Max (ages 10-13), Junior Max (ages 12-15), Senior Max (ages 14+), DD2 (ages 15+), and DD2 Masters (ages 31+). The competition will also feature two additional racing categories – R390 Sprint and R390 Endurance – open to drivers aged 15 and above. Racing enthusiasts are invited to experience the high-octane action firsthand from December 19-21, with complimentary admission. Limited trackside seating will be available for spectators to catch every thrilling moment of the competition, secure your spot now by registering yourself here. (https://events.lcsc.qa/preregistration). To ensure seamless access to the venue, visitors arriving in personal vehicles can utilise the designated General Admission Parking area and take advantage of the complimentary shuttle service to the karting track. A dedicated drop-off/pick-up point is also available for taxi services. Schedule December 19 10.00am - 11.35am: Practice session - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 11.40am - 1.15pm: Practice session - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 1.55pm - 2.35pm: Practice session - R390 Elite 2.45pm - 4.20pm: Practice session - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) December 20 10.30am - 11.25am: Qualifying sessions - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 12.35pm - 1.55pm: Heat One - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 2.45pm - 4.05pm: Heat Two - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 4.15pm - 4.35pm: R390 Elite Endurance Practice 4.45pm - 6.05pm: Heat Three - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 6.15pm - 8.15pm: RACE - R390 ELITE ENDURANCE December 21 9.20am - 10.05am: Warm-up sessions - Five minutes per category (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 10.20am - 10.50am: Pre-Qualifying 1 and 2 - R390 Sprint 11.00am - 12.35pm: Pre-finals - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 12.45pm - 2.00pm: Race 1 and Race 2 - R390 Sprint Group 1 and R390 Sprint Group 2 2.15pm - 4.35pm: Finals - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters) 4.45pm - 5.05pm: Final - R390 Sprint 5:30pm - 6:00pm: Championship Awards & MENA Nations Cup Presentation. Shuttle Service: 19 December: 9:30am - 5:00pm 20 December: 10am - 6:30pm 21 December: 9am - 6:30pm For those unable to attend in person, all racing action will be broadcast live via QMMF’s official YouTube channel. Beyond the track, visitors can immerse themselves in an entertainment zone featuring cutting-edge racing experiences, including a spacious 10mx10m radio-controlled car racing circuit, PlayStation 5 gaming stations, professional-grade racing simulators, and a 360-degree photo booth to capture the excitement.

India’s bowlers were left frustrated and wicketless as rain wiped out most of the opening day’s play in the third Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.Australia were 28 for no loss when play was abandoned, with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 19 and Nathan McSweeney four not out after facing only 13.2 overs at a rain-sodden Gabba.India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field first but his hope of early wickets proved forlorn, rain halting play in the sixth over for about 30 minutes and dashing his pace bowlers’ hopes of finding their rhythm.The rain returned to bring an early lunch and persisted until play was abandoned late in the afternoon, short-changing a crowd of 30,145. The Gabba pitch had a green tinge on what had been a steamy, overcast morning, promising a stiff examination for Australia’s top order, but the ball ultimately did little off the spongy pitch.Barring a probing, opening burst by Bumrah, who repeatedly beat Khawaja’s bat, the Indian pacers were culpable of bowling too short. Khawaja capitalised, smashing Mohammed Siraj to the fence with a couple of sweetly struck pull shots but the weather denied a healthy crowd more action.With the five-test series poised at 1-1, India made two changes to the side that lost by 10 wickets in the day-night test in Adelaide – Ravindra Jadeja replacing spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Akash Deep coming in for struggling paceman Harshit Rana.Australia made only one change, with quick Josh Hazlewood replacing Scott Boland after recovering from a side injury.Rohit, whose poor form with the bat has heaped pressure on his captaincy, will continue to bat at number six, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal retained as the opening combination.“There’s a lot of grass and it looks a little soft as well so we want to try and make the best use of the conditions and try and see what we can do with the ball up front,” Rohit had said after winning the toss, adding that the mood in the Indian dressing room was “absolutely buzzing”.“The guys are looking forward to the test match. It’s been always nice to come here and play some really good cricket and yeah, when you talk about how everyone’s feeling, they want to come out here and showcase themselves.”As it was, India will have to wait until day two to show their skills and may need early wickets to force a third consecutive result in the series.

The third T20I between South Africa and Pakistan in Johannesburg was washed out by persistent rain without a toss. The game was initially delayed by lightning strikes in the area, before a steady drizzle set in. The drainage at the Wanderers is exemplary, and the groundstaff remained poised. When the rain briefly relented, an official inspection was announced and the groundstaff sprung into action. But before it could happen, the rain returned once more. It means South Africa sealed the three-match T20I series 2-0, having triumphed in the first game by 11 runs, and the second by seven wickets. It’s South Africa’s first bilateral series victory since August 2022. The teams begin a three-match one-day international series on Tuesday in Paarl, followed by two Tests in Centurion and Cape Town.

New Zealand failed to capitalise on a rock-steady start to reach 315-9 on day one of the third and final Test against England in Hamilton on Saturday.Led by seamers Matthew Potts and Gus Atkinson, the tourists fought back with the ball after openers Tom Latham (63) and Will Young (42) put on 105 for the opening stand.However, the hard early work was undone by a flurry of loose shots in the afternoon as six wickets fell for 89 runs at Seddon Park.Late hitting from Mitchell Santner handed the momentum back to the home side, including a straight six off the day’s final ball to raise a half-century.Santner will resume on 50 not out, alongside the scoreless Will O’Rourke. England’s goal of completing a 3-0 series clean sweep was kept alive by some disciplined seam bowling after putting the Black Caps in to bat.Potts (3-75) impressed by removing top-scorer Latham and danger man Kane Williamson (44) to celebrate his recall at the expense of Chris Woakes. The 26-year-old said England had “wrestled” their way back into the game after going wicket-less in the first session. “In this group the character’s real strong,” Potts said.“I think if you notice, there’s periods where we do go through a phase of not taking any wickets and we know that if we do stick to our guns and we are meticulous with it, that it will come our way eventually.”Atkinson (3-55) took his career tally to 51 wickets, second only to Australian seamer Terry Alderman’s 54 wickets in 1981 for the most Test scalps in a debut year. Atkinson was among those to benefit from New Zealand’s reckless middle-order batting.Rachin Ravindra (18), Daryl Mitchell (14), Tom Blundell (21) and Glenn Phillips (5) were all caught by fielders on the off-side when failing to keep the ball down.It reflected a do-or-die approach, with 228 runs – or 72 percent of their total – coming through boundaries.Latham and Young belatedly unearthed the kind of batting resolve largely missing in big losses in Christchurch and Wellington that had put the hosts down 2-0 in the series. Young fell for his lunch score, caught smartly at second slip by Harry Brook off Atkinson, before Latham edged down the leg side off Potts soon afterwards.It ended the best opening stand of the seam-dominated series from either team, surpassing the previous best of 18.The key wicket of Williamson fell soon after tea, playing on in agonising fashion when he failed to kick the ball clear as it ballooned onto his stumps – prompting a feeling of “pure elation” for Potts.Veteran bowler Tim Southee, playing his 107th and final Test, delighted supporters at his home ground with a whirlwind 23 off 10 balls. The 36-year-old bowler struck three sixes to take his career tally to 98 and closer to becoming the fourth player to clear the ropes 100 times in Tests.Santner said he and Southee deliberately adopted a free-wheeling approach, believing it best suited a pitch offering variable bounce.“I think Tom and Will did an outstanding job before lunch and I think credit to England, they actually stuck in it for a long time and bowled good areas,” said Santner, whose spin could prove important later in the Test. “There’s still enough in the wicket, and a little bit of probably uneven bounce.”BRIEF SCORES: DAY 1New Zealand 315 for 9 (Latham 63, Santner 50*, Atkinson 3-55, Potts 3-75) vs England.

The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) is set to transform the karting track into a battleground for the region's most promising racing talent, as the prestigious facility hosts the MENA Karting Cup for the second consecutive year. Following the tremendous success of its inaugural edition in 2023, the 2024 championship promises to deliver even more thrilling karting action.The championship will showcase the remarkable skills of more than 150 drivers representing 16 nations across the MENA region, including Qatar, Morocco, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Turkey, Mauritania, Syria, and United Arab Emirates. Racers will compete across six dynamic age-based categories: Micro Max (ages eight-11), Mini Max (ages 10-13), Junior Max (ages 12-15), Senior Max (ages 14+), DD2 (ages 15+), and DD2 Masters (ages 31+). The competition will also feature two additional racing categories - R390 Sprint and R390 Endurance - open to drivers aged 15 and above.Racing enthusiasts are invited to experience the high-octane action firsthand from December 19-21, with complimentary admission. Limited trackside seating will be available for spectators to catch every thrilling moment of the competition, secure your spot now by registering yourself here. (https://events.lcsc.qa/preregistration) To ensure seamless access to the venue, visitors arriving in personal vehicles can utilize the designated General Admission Parking area and take advantage of the complimentary shuttle service to the karting track. A dedicated drop-off/pick-up point is also available for taxi services.Shuttle Service Schedule:19 December: 9:30am - 5:00pm20 December: 10am - 6:30pm21 December: 9am - 6:30pmFor those unable to attend in person, all racing action will be broadcast live via QMMF's official YouTube channel.Beyond the track, visitors can immerse themselves in an entertainment zone featuring cutting-edge racing experiences, including a spacious 10m x 10m radio-controlled car racing circuit, PlayStation 5 gaming stations, professional-grade racing simulators, and a 360-degree photo booth to capture the excitement.MENA Karting Cup 2024 Schedule:Thursday 19 December10.00am - 11.35am: Practice session - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)11.40am - 1.15pm: Practice session - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)1.55pm - 2.35pm: Practice session - R390 Elite2.45pm - 4.20pm: Practice session - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)Friday 20 December10.30am - 11.25am: Qualifying sessions - all categories (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)12.35pm - 1.55pm: Heat One - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)2.45pm - 4.05pm: Heat Two - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)4.15pm - 4.35pm: R390 Elite Endurance Practice4.45pm - 6.05pm: Heat Three - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)6.15pm - 8.15pm: RACE - R390 ELITE ENDURANCESaturday 21 December9.20am - 10.05am: Warm-up sessions - Five minutes per category(Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)10.20am - 10.50am: Pre-Qualifying 1 and 2 - R390 Sprint11.00am - 12.35pm: Pre-finals - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)12.45pm - 2.00pm: Race 1 and Race 2 - R390 Sprint Group 1 and R390 Sprint Group 22.15pm - 4.35pm: Finals - (Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters)4.45pm - 5.05pm: Final - R390 Sprint5:30pm - 6:00pm: Championship Awards & MENA Nations Cup Presentation

A tantalising prospect lies in store as CONCACAF winners Pachuca lock horns with Egyptian champions and reigning CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly at the Stadium 974 today in the FIFA Challenger Cup. The victors will face European champions Real Madrid in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final at Lusail Stadium on Wednesday, December 18.The Mexicans will head into the game buoyant after their comprehensive 3-0 victory over Botafogo in the FIFA Derby of the Americas on Wednesday. They can expect to face stern examination against a high-quality Al Ahly team, who qualified for the Challenger Cup with a 3-0 success against UAE side Al Ain in October.Pachuca could be without defender Sergio Barreto, who was forced off injured during their win over Botafogo.Gustavo Cabral could replace the 25-year-old in the starting XI. Al Ahly will be unable to call upon goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir, defender Mohamed Hany and winger Karim Fouad. The injured trio have not been named in their Intercontinental Cup squad.Ahly coach Marcel Koller said he will not settle for anything less than leading his side to the final against Real Madrid. While some coaches might shy away from placing that kind of burden on their players’ shoulders, Koller knows his squad have the muscle to handle it.“I think it’s going to be a fantastic time to be here, to play in this tournament and play against the best teams in the world,” said Koller. “We are happy and we hope we can win the next game and go to the final. We went to see [Pachuca’s] game against Botafogo,” added Koller. “They played excellently tactically. That’s how we’re preparing now too. We want to get the best possible result. We naturally want to get to the final against Real Madrid. That’s why it’s important that the players are focused in this all-or-nothing game. The losers go home and we want to stay here a bit longer. Regardless of whether there is extra time or a penalty shoot-out. The goal has to be to reach the final.”The prospect of playing at the Lusail Stadium, venue of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final is the icing on the cake for the Swiss coach.“It’s fantastic to be able to play in these stadiums here in Qatar,” said Koller. “It wasn’t that long ago that the World Cup was held here. We also have fantastic training grounds, which is not something we have everywhere in Africa. That makes it enjoyable for the players and for me as a coach. As a result, the level is high and it’s important to feel that on the pitch in the game in order to advance.”Ahly are no strangers to success in international competition. They clinched their 12th CAF Champions League title this year and four times reached the podium at a FIFA Club World Cup across ten appearances. This resounding triumph has boosted the confidence of Guillermo Almada’s Pachuca. Having eliminated the Copa Libertadores champion, they now believe they have a real chance of advancing to the final and competing for the title against Real Madrid.The Tuzos showcased their excellent form in the opening match. However, they cannot afford to underestimate the Egyptian side. “Our ambition is to compete in every match. We showed (against Botafogo) that we have character and quality in our team. We came here with dreams, just like everyone else,” stated Oussama Idrissi, a former player for Sevilla and Cadiz, among other clubs.

The second edition of the Al Shaqab League kicked off to a thrilling start at the renowned Longines Indoor Arena in Al Shaqab on Friday, showcasing exciting equestrian competition. Following the success of its inaugural edition, the League continues to nurture young talent and promote excellence in horsemanship, offering aspiring riders under 25 a dynamic and competitive platform to display their skills.In the feature class – Youth Champions 125cm – Qatari rider Faris Saad al-Qahtani riding his trusted horse Hidiene, took the top spot as the pair combined to clock impressive times of 30.71 and 31.10 seconds.Saudi’s Khaled al-Hady followed closely, riding Doremi Du Flot Z to times of 32.80 and 33.74 seconds, earning him a well-deserved second place. Qatar’s Ibrahim Yousef al-Mahmoud astride Hero claimed third place after registering times of 32.71 and 34.89 seconds.In the Future Champions 105cm class, Mohammed Faisal al-Marri claimed first place with his mare Dusty in 25.08 seconds. Abdullah bin Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani starred by securing both second and third places with two different horses. He came second with Cassandra 352 in 27.37 second and in third place with Goteborg Handyman in 27.46 seconds.In the Introductory Class – Optimum Time – 80cm, Abdulla Ahmad al-Musafri triumphed with his gelding Ready To Rock And Roll, completing the course in 52.55 seconds. Abdulrahman Khalid al-Thani, riding Evidence Du, finished second in 52.87 seconds, followed by Rashid Abdulaziz al-Torki, who placed third with Faradiba in 51.11 seconds.Khalid Sanad al-Nuaimi, Director of the Al Shaqab League, praised the strong start to the second edition of the Championship. He said: “We witnessed remarkable performances in the opening round of this season, building on the great success of the inaugural edition. Last year’s championship introduced a unique concept, and this season, we have focused on early preparations and incorporating innovative ideas, including team competitions that attracted significant interest and elevated the level of competition.”Al-Nuaimi added: “We also organised summer and international training camps in Europe to enhance the riders’ skills, which positively impacted the championship’s strong start. Increasing the number of rounds this season will further contribute to developing riders’ abilities, which is our main objective. Many surprises are in store for the riders throughout the season.”Al-Nuaimi also highlighted Al Shaqab’s significant role in advancing equestrianism in Qatar, stating: “At Al Shaqab, we aim to elevate the level of riders. The growing emphasis on equestrian sports in recent years has led to the discovery of many talents. We continuously collaborate with the Equestrian Federation and other international organisations to support riders and help them reach the highest standards in the sport.”Today, four more exciting competitions will take place. The day will kick off with Introductory Class 2 – Optimum Time 60cm at 1:00pm, followed by the Amateur Class – Optimum Time 90cm at 3:05pm. The Junior Champions 115cm class will start at 5:05pm, and the day will conclude with the Al Shaqab Champions 130cm at 6:30pm. This final competition of the day will offer a total prize pool of QR70,000.For the 2024-2025 season, the league has introduced a Team Competition, featuring a unique Team Competition Draw. Each team will be named after legendary Al Shaqab Champion Horses, including iconic stallions such as Marwan, Al Adeed, Gazal, Wadi, Farhoud, Kahil, Hariry, Afreen, Siwar and Shahalel. This exciting addition honours Al Shaqab’s rich legacy while fostering unity and pride among competitors.In addition to the competitions, the Al Shaqab League is also hosting the Hayakum Festival, offering a wide range of fun activities for children and families, along with an assortment of food and beverage options from local cafes and restaurants.

Qatar’s 29-member preliminary squad began training at the Aspire Zone for the Arabian Gulf Cup, which will be held in Kuwait from December 21-January 3. Qatar’s new coach Luis Garcia, who replaced Marquez Lopez last week, kept a close eye on the training. Garcia is a former assistant of Lopez. Qatar, champions in 1992, 2004, and 2014, will begin their campaign for a fourth title with a match against the UAE on December 21, followed by games against Oman on December 24 and Kuwait on December 27.

Al Arabi beat Umm Salal 2-1 in the semi-final on Friday to set up QSL Cup final with Al Duhail, who earlier had beaten Al Wakrah 3-1.At the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium, Abdulla al-Marafi (3rd minute) and Alaaaldin Hassan (29th minute) were on target for Al Arabi as they prevailed over the defending champions Umm Salal, for whom Victor Lekhal scored their only goal in the 79th minute. Arabi were up and running from the word go and in the very third minute of play al-Marafi, after being provided with a fine assist by Rodri, volleyed-in the ball on the bounce beating the goalkeeper to his left. The Dream Team doubled its lead just before the half-an-hour mark with Rodri putting a through ball from near the centre for Isaac Lihadji to set it up for Hassan to score.Left with an uphill task, Umm Salal looked at climbing back and in the 43rd minute came close as their tall captain Victor Lekhal’s header hit the top of the crossbar and went out even as Al Arabi goalkeeper Mohamed Saeed Ibrahim tried to reach it with his fingertips.The battle continued in the second session and in the 69th minute Al Arabi broke through and Hassan went on to put the ball into the net but the flag went up. A VAR check by the referee confirmed the off-side.Ten minutes later, Umm Salal eventually succeeded in scoring their first goal as Kenji Gorre provided a superb cross for Lekhal to strike. The move was initiated with a fine swept ball past Al Arabi players from near the centre.Rejuvenated Umm Salal now upped their efforts hoping to fetch an equaliser but failed to find a good finish. In the 88th minute, Gorre sent across a cross to substitute Khaled Waleed but the latter stumbled over in a rush to strike in front of the goal.Rodri looked to score another for Al Arabi in opening minute of stoppage time but his kick was cut off by Umm Salal goalkeeper Louay Ashour.Earlier, Al Duhail overcame Al Wakrah in extra time at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium. The match went into extra time after Benjamin Bourigeaud had scored for Al Duhail in the 49th minute, while Ricardo Gomes equalised in the 58th minute for Al Wakrah from the spot, before Bourigeaud and substitute Ismail Ali scored the winning goals in the 108th and 111th minute respectively.Farid Boulaya almost gave Al Wakrah the lead in the 34th minute, but his powerful strike from inside the box was saved by Al Duhail goalkeeper Bautista Burke.A minute later, Michael Olunga seemed to have broken the deadlock for the Red Knights when he found the back of the net, but his effort was overturned for an offside ruling. Another goal by Al Duhail, this time by Luis Alberto, in the 38th minute was also cancelled after a VAR check adjudged an offside in the build-up to the goal.Al Duhail eventually broke the deadlock through Bourigeaud, who tapped home from an Olunga assist. The Blue Wave got a chance at redemption in the 58th minute from the spot, and Gomes did not hesitate to get things done for his side as he netted home a low but powerful, driven right-footed shot that located the bottom corner of Al Duhail’s net.Abdelaziz Mitwali’s foul on a goalbound Olunga reduced Al Wakrah to 10 men in three minutes of added time. Despite all efforts from both sides, the match ended 1-1 in regulation time, paving the way for the extra time.A defensive blunder on the part of Al Wakrah gave Bourigeaud the opportunity to fire home in the 108th minute as Al Duhail took the lead from a sublime assist by Olunga. Substitute Ali Heider extended the lead, following a pass by Alberto, in the 111th minute to further compound Al Wakrah’s woes as Al Duhail reached the final.

The NBA champion Boston Celtics shrugged off the absence of All-Star Jayson Tatum, raining 20 three-pointers in a lopsided 123-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.With Tatum sidelined by a sore right knee, reserve Payton Pritchard stepped up to lead the Celtics scoring with 27 points and 10 assists as they notched a 12th straight victory over the Pistons.Pritchard drilled seven three-pointers and reached 500 for his career - the 10th Celtic to reach that mark.“Payton’s been awesome,” NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Jaylen Brown said of Pritchard’s contribution off the bench all season, which has him in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year.“We’ve all seen it coming,” Brown said. “We’ve got a lot of talent on this team and he’s capable of doing that each and every night.”Derrick White also made seven from beyond the arc on the way to 23 points. Kristaps Porzingis scored 19 and Brown chipped in 14 as six Celtics players scored in double figures.Reserve Luke Kornet was a perfect five-for-five from the field on the way to 12 points to help the Celtics bounce back from a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.The Celtics improved to 20-5, one game behind the 21-4 Cleveland Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference.The Pistons, coming off a victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday, also got a strong contribution off the bench as Ronald Holland led Detroit’s scoring with 26 points.Cade Cunningham, who had his fifth triple-double of the season on Saturday, scored 18 points with eight rebounds and eight assists, but the Pistons connected on just seven of their 37 three-point attempts and never led after the first quarter.In Miami, Tyler Herro scored 23 points and Bam Adebayo added 21 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Heat to a 114-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors.Miami pushed their winning streak to four games, rallying from a 16-point deficit early in the second quarter to lead 58-51 at halftime after which they never trailed. RJ Barrett posted a triple-double of 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for Toronto and Gradey Dick scored 22 points.Miami’s Jimmy Butler, the focus of trade speculation in the media this week, scored 11 points with five rebounds and four assists. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game that the trade talk swirling around Butler wouldn’t be a distraction to the player or the team.“This is this profession,” Spoelstra said. “You can’t get sick at sea over some narratives that are going on out there.”The Sacramento Kings, fuelled by Domantas Sabonis’ 32 points and 21 rebounds, held off the Pelicans 111-109 in New Orleans.DeMar DeRozan added 29 points for Sacramento, who led by 14 midway through the fourth quarter only for New Orleans to slice the deficit to two on CJ McCollum’s three-point play with 1:24 remaining. The Pelicans, led by 36 points from McCollum, came up short on two ensuing possessions as the Kings held on.

Russia named a sports minister sanctioned by the West as its new Olympics chief yesterday, as Moscow faces isolation from international sport over its Ukraine offensive.Mikhail Degtyaryov, a member of the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, was elected head of the Russian Olympic Committee unopposed after previous president Stanislav Pozdnyakov unexpectedly resigned in October, the committee said.Russian sport has faced a myriad of crises in recent years, with a state-sponsored doping scandal seeing the country stripped of dozens of Olympic medals and its athletes banned from taking part in the Paris Games this summer over the Ukraine conflict.Moscow intensified its rhetoric against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of the Games, accusing the sporting body of “neo-Nazism” and vowing to hold its own “Friendship Games” to rival those held in the French capital.Those plans were postponed several times until Russian President Vladimir Putin announced earlier this month they would be shelved indefinitely.Just 15 Russian athletes were permitted to attend the Paris Olympics this summer, competing as neutrals.“Today, Russian sport is facing unprecedented external pressure. Thousands of our athletes are being discriminated against,” Degtyaryov was quoted by the committee as saying in a speech ahead of his election.“It is time for us to stop the aggressive rhetoric against our international colleagues.“Many of them, including members of the IOC, have realised that global sport without Russia does not work.During numerous unofficial contacts, they explicitly say that they want Russia to return to the international Olympic movement.”Described as a favourite of Putin by the team of late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Degtyaryov has been a vehement supporter of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.The 43-year-old was appointed sports minister by Putin in May 2024, despite not being a member of the ruling United Russia party.In 2014, he was sanctioned by the European Union over his support for separatist rebels in east Ukraine, and in 2023 was blacklisted by the United States for helping conscript Russian citizens to fight Kyiv.From 2020 until this year Degtyaryov served as governor of the Far Eastern Khabarovsk region, where he was tapped by Putin to replace popular governor Sergei Furgal after his controversial removal.In 2022, he said he would gladly volunteer to fight in Ukraine but was unable to because he was a serving governor.Residents of the region responded by creating a petition proposing to remove him from the post, clocking up tens of thousands of signatures.Degtyaryov served as a lawmaker in the State Duma from 2011-2020, floating a number of outlandish proposals including changing the colours of the Russian flag to the former imperial black, yellow and white.

England were placed in a group with Serbia as the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Europe took place on Friday. As they prepare to begin life under new coach Thomas Tuchel, England were also drawn alongside Albania, Latvia and Andorra in the five-team Group K. England, who have qualified for every World Cup since missing the 1994 tournament in the United States, played Serbia in their opening game at Euro 2024, winning 1-0 thanks to a Jude Bellingham goal.Matches will take place between March and November next year, with the group winners qualifying directly for the World Cup in North America. The runners-up in each of the 12 qualifying groups will get a second chance via a series of play-offs, with Europe now contributing a total of 16 nations to the expanded 48-team competition.The exact make-up of the groups is not yet completely clear as it depends on the outcome of the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals next March. Those ties will see reigning European champions Spain face the Netherlands, while Germany play Italy, Portugal take on Denmark and France meet Croatia.The groups in which these teams end up depend on whether they win and progress to the Nations League semi-finals next June, or are eliminated. France, who have been to the last two World Cup finals, will be in a group with Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan should they reach the Nations League final four.However, should they go out of the Nations League to Croatia in the last eight, they will go into World Cup qualifying Group L with the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands and Gibraltar. Reigning European champions Spain, who also won the last edition of the Nations League, will be in a group with Turkiye, Georgia and Bulgaria should they defeat the Netherlands in their quarter-final.The loser of Spain’s tie against the Dutch will be placed in Group G with Poland, Finland, Lithuania and Malta. There are six groups of five teams who will begin qualifying in March, while the six groups of four teams will only start next September.Scotland, who are bidding to qualify for a first World Cup since 1998, were drawn in Group C in which they will play Greece, Belarus and the loser of the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark.Greece and Scotland are also due to play each other in a play-off next March to decide who is in the top tier of the next edition of the Nations League. Wales were drawn in the same group as Belgium, as was already the case in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, when both teams made it to the finals in Qatar. Those sides will also come up against North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and minnows Liechtenstein in Group J.

Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult carded a 68 in his second round to open up a three-shot lead at the halfway point of the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship played at a sweltering Leopard Creek Country Club on Friday.Kinhult, 28, sunk seven birdies but also carded three bogeys as he moved to 11 under-par for the tournament, opening up some daylight between himself and a trio of players on 8 under-par - South African Dean Burmester (67), Dale Whitnell (67) from England and Italian Andrea Pavan (69).Kinhult is hunting a second win on the European circuit, his first coming at the British Masters in 2019.“It was hot,” Kinhult said. “It was actually OK this morning, but after five or six holes I got the umbrella up and tried to hide under that for most of the day.“It was a good score today and I’m looking forward to two more rounds,” he added. “Hopefully we can keep improving and we’ll see where that takes us.”Overnight leader Andy Sullivan carded a superb blemish-free 64 on Thursday but could only manage a 73 in his second round and is four shots back.

Newly crowned world chess king Gukesh Dommaraju said becoming a champion was a dream that was more than a decade in the making, as he underlined his ambition to strive for “greatness”.Gukesh was just seven when he watched compatriot Viswanathan Anand lose the world chess title in November 2013 to challenger Magnus Carlsen of Norway - a match that fired up his dream to bring the crown back to India.Eleven years later in Singapore on Thursday, the 18-year-old beat China’s Ding Liren after a gruelling tournament of 14 match days to become the youngest undisputed world chess champion.Speaking to reporters after the match, Gukesh cited the 2013 game as a defining episode for his success.“I was in the stands and I was looking inside the glass box (where the players were) and I thought it will be so cool to be inside one day,” he said of the tournament in his hometown of Chennai.“When Magnus won, I thought I really want to be the one to bring back the title to India. And this dream that I had more than 10 years ago has been the most important thing in my life so far,” he added.“I’ve been dreaming about...living this moment for like more than 10 years.”And this is just the beginning, Gukesh said, underlining his plan to be more than a one-hit wonder.He wants to stay at the top “for the longest time possible”, to ultimately attain Carlsen’s eminence as the highest rated chess player in history.‘Mental toughness’The teenager said he felt the jitters in the opening game in Singapore on November 25 which his more experienced opponent won.But as the tournament wore on, he gained more confidence, winning a total three matches, including the dramatic final game, and settling for a draw in nine.Thursday’s final match was already heading for a draw and most pundits and spectators at Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa were resigned to the tournament extending to rapid-fire tiebreaker games on Friday, which would have favoured Ding.The Chinese grandmaster became world champion last year in similar fashion by beating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi in Kazakhstan in the quick-fire playoffs - akin to a penalty shootout in football.But the teenager tenaciously pressed on, forcing a blunder by Ding. Gukesh admitted that it was “humiliating” losing the first game.“No matter how you prepare for it, you come here as an 18-year-old and you lose the first game like the way I did... It was quite tough to handle that,” he said. But he chanced upon his idol Anand in the lift who told him he had 13 more games to go.“It was a nice reminder... I needed some mental toughness at that point,” he said.‘Level of greatness’Former five-time world chess champion Anand was among the first to congratulate the young champion, along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also praised the 18-year-old.“It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India...and for me, a very personal moment of pride,” Anand said in a post he tweeted on X.Modi described Gukesh’s feat as a “remarkable accomplishment” which he said was “the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination”.Ding resigned after making an endgame blunder, and took home $1.15mn while Gukesh got $1.35mn of the $2.5mn prize fund.But the teenager underlined that the world title crown was just part of a bigger dream.“Becoming world champion does not mean I’m the best player in the world,” said Gukesh.“Obviously there’s Magnus,” the Indian teen added.“So it’s also a motivating factor that...there is someone at a very, very high level and someone that will keep me doing the right things, working hard and trying to reach the level of greatness that Magnus has achieved.”

Opener Reeza Hendricks smashed 117 runs from 63 balls to guide South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second Twenty20 International at Centurion Park on Friday as they claimed the three-match series 2-0 with a game to spare.Pakistan elected to bat first and, boosted by an unbeaten 98 from 57 balls by opener Saim Ayub, posted 206 for five in their 20 overs.But on a good batting wicket, South Africa overcame a sluggish start to reach their target with three balls to spare as the brilliant Hendricks scored a maiden T20 International century that included 10 sixes.He put on 157 in a partnership with Rassie van der Dussen, who was unbeaten on 66 from 38 balls as the latter guided the hosts over the line.It is a record for the third wicket for South Africa, while Hendricks reached 50 for the 18th time in T20 Internationals, the most for South Africa and one more than Quinton de Kock.Hendricks, the Player of the Match, said on Friday: “Quite pleased to get three figures. It’s been a while since I reached that milestone, nice to contribute. It’s been a while since we won a series so that’s obviously a very special night.”He added: “First over, five dots and got away, and so the moment I got that away, things started to click. I’m happy that I found the middle and things worked out in the end. One of those nights, the shots I played came off, obviously it was a tactic to target the short boundary (on the leg side).”When asked about partnership with Rassie van der Dussen, he said: “... playing with Rassie back at the Lions, so we kind of know each other, team needed a massive partnership at that time, and it’s always nice to bat with Rassie; he played an unbelievable knock himself.”The third and final match of the series will be staged in Johannesburg today, before the teams play three One-Day Internationals and two Tests in an all-format tour.

Russian GM Andrey Esipenko on Thursday managed a draw against top seed Arjun Erigaisi of India to win the Qatar Masters title for the first time. The 22-year-old finished with 7.5 points after the ninth and final round of the FIDE tournament in which Erigaisi managed a tally of 7 points. This was the fourth edition of the tournament.Hosted by Qatar Chess Association (QCA), the Qatar Masters attracted more than 300 players from around the world including 110 from India. The 10-day tournament was staged at Aspire Zone Hall.Esipenko got richer by $25,000 for his efforts that included six wins and three draws. Erigaisi, 21, picked up $15,000 as runners-up. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have won here in Qatar,” a delighted Esipenko said. “I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received and I’ll strive to maintain this high level of play in the coming tournaments that I take part in,” he added.Erigaisi expressed his disappointment at falling short of the title. “I was hoping to win, especially as the top seed,” Erigaisi said on Thursday. “I tried to break the tie in the crucial fifth move, but it wasn’t meant to be,” he added.Erigaisi’s second-place finish meant Fabiano Caruana still leads the FIDE Circuit going into the World Rapid & Blitz in New York at the end of the year.If Erigaisi had won in Qatar (without a tie) then he would have surpassed Caruana on the FIDE circuit, with the leader becoming the first player to qualify for the next Candidates that will take place in 2026. Erigaisi, who recently joined the exclusive 2800+ Elo rating club, praised the tournament’s organisation. “The tournament was exceptionally well-organised,” he said, thanking QCA ‘for their efforts’.Also on Thursday, Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan beat Indian GM Leon Luke Mendonca to end tournament with 7 points. Mendonca wrapped up the tournament with 6 points after the 9th round on Thursday. Armenian GM Shant Sargsyan, Indian GM Murali Karthikeyan and UAE’s GM Saleh Salem all finished with 6.5 points each.Karthikeyan beat Shamsiddin Vokhidov of Uzbekistan in Thursday’s final round.President of QCA Mohamed al-Mudahka thanked Abdulghani Nasser al-Abdulghani, CEO of Abdulghani Motors, and Sabah Rabia al-Kuwari, Director of Public Relations, Social Responsibility and Sponsorships at Ooredoo, ‘for their great efforts in supporting the event’ as the official sponsor of the tournament.“During 10 days, the games that took place were not without excitement and many of the top ranked players were eliminated from the race for the title in the penultimate round. I believe the tournament fulfilled its top billing,” al-Mudahka said.After the prize distribution ceremony, al-Mudahka congratulated Episenko for his Qatar Masters title victory. The QCA president also applauded the performances of Erigaisi and Abdusattorov, saying they entertained chess lovers in Qatar.Esipenko’s path to gloryYash Bharadia - won - 1 pointAdham Fawzy - won - 1Surya Shekhar Ganguly - won - 1Arkadij Naiditsch - draw - 1/2Bardiya Daneshvar - draw - 1/2Rithvik Raja - won - 1A. R. Saleh Salem - won - 1Shant Sargsyan - won - 1Arjun Erigaisi - draw - 1/2

Indian teen prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest undisputed world chess champion on Thursday after beating China’s Ding Liren in the final match of their series in Singapore.The 18-year-old Gukesh burst into tears, burying his face in both hands, after Ding resigned in a thrilling endgame that had been expected to end in a draw. Gukesh later stood up and raised both hands triumphantly, smiling wide. “My whole strategy for this match was to push as much as possible in every single game,” Gukesh told reporters afterwards. “It just takes one game for the strategy to pay off.”Cheers from jubilant fans, many of them Indians who had flown in to watch the match and Singaporeans of Indian descent, had erupted at the viewing rooms near the playing arena. Fans were also chanting Gukesh’s name as he walked in for the after-match press conference.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the young champion on his “remarkable accomplishment” which he said was “the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination”. “His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence,” Modi said in a post on X.Under a distribution formula of the $2.5mn prize money drawn up by the International Chess Federation, each player will receive $200,000 for every game they won, with the remainder divided equally between them. That means Gukesh will receive $1.35mn in total, and Ding will take home $1.15mn.The game had been going for a draw but with a one-pawn advantage – supported by a rook and a bishop – a tenacious Gukesh pressed on and was richly rewarded for it. The dethroned Chinese champion Ding, 32, slumped on the table after he realised he had made an endgame blunder that gave his opponent an opportunity to pounce. In between heavy sighs, a dejected Ding later told reporters: “I was totally in shock when I realised I made a blunder.”Gukesh’s victory in game 14 gave him a score of 7.5 against Ding’s 6.5, cementing his remarkable rise to stardom after becoming the youngest challenger for the world championship. At his age, Gukesh surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at age 22. He also became the second Indian after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand to hold the title.Magnanimous in victory, Gukesh praised Ding, saying he “fought like a true champion” despite being “obviously not at his best physically”. Ding had said before the tournament started last month that he was “having mental problems mainly during the period last year” and had to take a break from chess on his doctor’s advice and travel around China to relax.Gukesh had won in the Candidates Tournament held in Toronto, Canada, in April this year, earning him the right to challenge Ding. The Singapore match kicked off on November 25 at the Resorts World Sentosa, stretching on as the two players had nine draws in 14 games. The Chinese grandmaster won the opening game, but Gukesh levelled the score with a victory in game three.Seven consecutive draws followed, broken only when Gukesh beat his opponent in game 11. But Ding emphatically won an equaliser with white in game 12 and salvaged a draw with the black pieces in the 13th, bringing the game to the homestretch.Born to a doctor father and microbiologist mother, Gukesh started playing chess when he was seven, and became India’s youngest grandmaster aged 12 years, seven months and 17 days. Though he spends much of his time practising the game, Gukesh recently confessed to a love of the hit television sitcom Friends.When competing he usually wears a tilak – a smattering of white ash on his forehead in deference to his Hindu faith – to go with his suit. In 2022, Gukesh beat US number one Fabiano Caruana at the Chess Olympiad and later that year triumphed over Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world champion.After his win on Thursday, Gukesh said his career was just starting. “My goal with my career has always been to be at the very top for the longest time possible,” he said.

The Trophee des Champions match between Ligue 1 title winners Paris St Germain and French Cup holders AS Monaco will be held in Doha next month the French League said on Thursday.The January 5 game will be played at Stadium 974, one of the venues at the last World Cup, which is also hosting two matches of the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup this month.The Trophee des Champions is the traditional curtain raiser to the French season, although last year’s match also took place in January when PSG beat Toulouse in Paris.It will be the first time Qatar has hosted the event, which was first held outside of France in 2009 when the match took place in Canada and since then, Tunisia, Morocco, the United States, Gabon, China and Israel have all hosted the game.Organised with the support of the Qatar Local Organising Committee in charge of football-related events, Visit Qatar Trophee des Champions will take place at 7:30pm local time.

An investigation into alleged rape and sexual assault in Stockholm which Swedish media said targeted Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has been closed due to insufficient evidence, the Swedish prosecutor said on Thursday.Mbappe, the 25-year-old Frenchman who is one of the highest-profile players in world football, visited the Swedish capital October 9-11 with a group of people after he was left out of his country’s squad for a Nations League match. Sweden’s prosecution authority announced on October 15 that it was investigating an alleged incident that occurred at an upscale Stockholm hotel on October 10, without mentioning the suspect by name.Several Swedish media outlets identified Mbappe as the suspect. “My assessment is that the evidence is not sufficient to proceed and the investigation is therefore closed,” prosecutor Marina Chirakova said in a statement that also did not mention Mbappe by name.Chirakova said the person in question had not been interrogated and “not been notified of suspicion of a crime”. “I have concluded, based on what has emerged in the case, that new evidence, including interrogations of the person in question, would not change the evidence situation right now,” she said. She said her team had nonetheless “conducted a large number of interviews in the investigation”.Mbappe’s lawyer said in October that he was “shocked” to see his name linked to the investigation. Speaking for the first time about the case on Sunday, he told French television show Clique he was “not involved”. “I haven’t received anything, no summons... I’m not involved,” he said.According to reports, Mbappe and his entourage dined at a restaurant one evening before going on to a nightclub.The complaint was filed on October 12 after the alleged victim had sought medical attention, according to the newspaper.Expressen reported that police had seized some clothing as evidence, saying it consisted of women’s underwear, a pair of black trousers and a black top. Photographs showed police officers leaving the hotel with brown bags.Real confirm left thigh injury to MbappeMeanwhile, Mbappe suffered a thigh injury in this week’s Champions League match at Atalanta, the Spanish club confirmed without giving details on his absence. On Tuesday, Mbappe opened the scoring in the 10th minute in a 3-2 win in Bergamo to revive the holders’ flagging Champions League campaign.But the 25-year-old pulled up with a muscle pain after 36 minutes and was replaced by Rodrygo. Before pulling up Mbappe had one of his best outings in the Madrid jersey since joining last summer from Paris Saint-Germain with three clear scoring chances, including one in the second minute.

The Mansoor bin Ebrahim SI al-Mahmoud-owned Valiant Knight waited for the perfect moment to shine, breaking his maiden with a thrilling victory in the Uqda Two-Year-Old Cup on Thursday.Under a brilliant ride by Marco Casamento, the son of Ghaiyyath, prevailed in a thrilling finish where the Jassim Ghazali-trained winner held off the charge of his two rivals, Glitterati and Sapphire Valley, by a neck and a further neck respectively, giving his connections a second cup in less than 24 hours.The trio of owner, trainer and jockey won the Brooq Cup – 1900m contest for Thoroughbred Handicap (85-105), four-year-old + – with the four year-old gelding Dubawi Spectre, on Thursday at the Al Rayyan Racecourse. Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners.Earlier in the day, Umm Al Shukhut Farm’s Legend Of Xanadu won the Thoroughbred Handicap (75-95) 1400m contest for three-year-old+. Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki-trained four-year-old gelding, under the supervision of jockey Jefferson Smith, defeated Fatima Rashid A al-Naimi-owned Sherood by short head.RESULTS2nd Al Uqda Race Meeting - Al Uqda Two-Year-Old CupWINNERS: (Horse, Owner, Trainer, Jockey)Al Uqda Cup, Thoroughbred, 2YOs, 1300mValiant Knight, Mansoor bin Ebrahim al-Mahmoud, Jassim Ghazali, Marco CasamentoThoroughbred Handicap (75-95), 3YO+, 1400mLegend Of Xanadu, Umm Al Shukhut Farm, Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, Jefferson SmithPurebred Arabian Novice Plate, 3YOs, 1400m,Al Jori, Al Shaqab Racing, Jean de Mieulle, Faleh BughanaimThoroughbred Handicap (0-80), 3YOs, 2100mHighland Spring, Mohammed Shaheen AA al-Kuwari, Hamad al-Jehani, Lukas DelozierPurebred Arabian Handicap (60-80), 3YO+, 1400mTayyar Al Shahania, Hassan bin Ali Hassan al-Matwi, Mohammed Hassan al-Matwi, Fayos Martin BorjaPurebred Arabian Handicap (45-65), 3YO+, 1400mZidane, Injaaz Stud, Jihad El Ahmad, Alberto SannaPurebred Arabian Maiden Plate, 4YOs, 2100mJalaad Al Shahania, Al Shahania Stud, Rudy Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier