Ali fails to impress in cycling's sprint event

Doha: Barring the karate ring, it was a not-too-encouraging story for the UAE contingent in the other disciplines at the Asian Games yesterday.

In cycling, Badr Ali Shambih finished a dismal 11th in the sprint (three laps) held at the track of the Aspire Hall.

Salim Al Shehi, the UAE team manager, said that Games have underlined the difference in standard vis-a-vis the other Asian countries.

"Our standard is less than mediocre compared to the top Asian countries," said Al Shehi, who had approached the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare (GAYSW) to build a cycling track - work on which was suddenly stopped.

New track

"I hope the new track in Sharjah will be finished as soon as possible to organise tournaments on it for our clubs and train our cyclists. We also have to introduce semi-professionalism for our national cyclists and give them more support.

"Then only, it will not be difficult for our cyclists to win medals in major events as this," the cycling team manager said. In wrestling, UAE's Saeed Al Qubaisi lost to Sayed Murad Mohammedi Pahnehkalaei of Iran in the freestyle 60kg preliminary at the Aspire Hall 4 yesterday.

The Iranian won the match 3-0 (with 13 technical points and three classification points), while Al Qubaisi didn't win any point. In athletics, the 4x400m relay team comprising of Jasim Saeed, Ali Al Buloushi, Abdullah Rashid and Khamis Al Budwawi were disqualified in the finals held at Khalifa Stadium late on Tuesday.

Incidentally, the Qatari team were also disqualified.