Latest news with #victories
Arab News
7 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Saudi cueists shine at World Pool Championship
JEDDAH: Saudi cueists put on a strong display on the second day of the World Pool Championship in Jeddah, with top national players securing victories in their respective matches. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The talented Saudi cueist Mohammed Baabad began his first day with an impressive performance and was able to defeat one of the most dangerous players in the world Albanian Kledio Kaci. Speaking after the match, Baabad expressed his joy and happiness to win against one of the best players in the world, he said: 'I feel so happy and I am over the moon. I always dreamed of being on this stage to compete with the top players. In this match, I believed in myself and knew I had the capabilities to defeat Kaci.' He pointed out that Saudi players have the skill and talents but they need the opportunity to compete with the best in the world, 'With such competitions held here in Saudi Arabia, we really can learn from those champions,' he said. Despite losing his first match in the opening day against the number five in the world, Filipino Johann Chua 9-0, Saudi new rising star Mohammed Al-Balkhi was able to come back in his second match and claim a strong victory against Felix Vogel from Germany 9-7. Al-Balkhi explained after his big win: 'My first match against Johann Chua was my first international match in my career and I was really nervous especially because it was on the main table and in front of one of the best in the world. In my second match I was able to control myself and focus on my game which resulted in an impressive win for me against Felix Vogel.' On the other side of the arena, Saudi champion Khalid Al-Ghamdi also registered a victory against Canadian John Morra 9-3. Expressing his happiness, Al-Ghamdi said: 'First of all, I am very proud to represent my country in this international event, it is really a great feeling. I am so glad to win my first match during the second day despite the pressure I felt before the match. Anyhow, glad to win and hope to continue winning in the next rounds.' Earlier, Nayef Aljawini, President of the Saudi Billiard and Snooker Federation, emphasized how the event inspires young Saudis and elevates local players internationally. Saudi Arabia Billiards and Snooker Federation Players taking part in this year's World Pool Championship are: Mohammed Baabad, Muhannad Al-Ghumaiz, Abdullah Al-Shammari, Khaled Al-Ghamdi, Fahad Al-Dhayan, Meshary Al-Hazzah, Abdulaziz Al-Amoudi, Sulaiman Al-Juleidan, Al Waleed Al-Mudayan, Khaled Al-Otaibi, and Mohamed Al-Balkhi.
ABC News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Kotoni Staggs praises Reece Walsh's aggressive mentality despite fiery clash as Broncos ride hot streak
Brisbane will go in search of six victories in a row with centre Kotoni Staggs relishing his red-hot and volatile rapport with fullback Reece Walsh. The duo have been two of the Broncos best for the past month, despite having a heated exchange during the 26-14 win over Gold Coast before the bye. Staggs dropped a Walsh pass in the first half and copped a spray, before returning serve. After the break, Walsh threw a lovely pass, Staggs burst away and Walsh backed up to score. It was classic backline play and what the pair will want to replicate against Parramatta at Lang Park on Friday night. Staggs brushed aside his words with Walsh and said the No.1 had the right mentality. "Walshy is someone I love playing with. He is a competitor and he doesn't like losing," Staggs grinned. "So, when things don't go his way he does blow up a bit. We've just got to calm him down at times." The passion with which the pair play is highly regarded by teammates, with the long-range try they scored against the Titans summing up their quest for excellence and maturity after the verbal exchange. "You've got to be in the right position at the right time, which I was. I put a bit of footwork on and he was pushing up through the middle as a good fullback does and got the try for us," Staggs said. The Broncos have climbed to fifth position after they had slipped to 11th with five losses on the trot. Staggs said the negative outside noise was not a reflection of the inner sanctum. "I just think we have gotten closer," Staggs said. "We are all buying into what is going on at training and we have shifted some things around as well. "We do have the team to win the premiership. We just have to believe in one another and keep turning up for one another. "We have strike players on the field and we have just got to get the ball in their hands." Staggs, who has re-signed until the end of 2028, is in career-best form. "I am a leader at this club and want to put my best foot forward every game. If I am doing my role and playing my best footy the boys jump on the back of me," he said. AAP
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hunter Bell, Dobson and Lake claim wins in London
Georgia Hunter Bell, Charlie Dobson and Morgan Lake claimed victories in front of a sell-out home crowd of 60,000 at the London Diamond League. Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Hunter Bell stormed clear on the home straight to take victory in the women's 800m in a season's best one minute 56.74 seconds. Dobson could barely believe his victory in the men's 400m as he burst past the leaders in the closing stages, including compatriot Matthew Hudson-Smith, to clock a personal best 44.14 seconds. Lake won the women's high jump as the only athlete to clear 1.96m in a field that included world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Olympic medallist Eleanor Patterson. But world 1500m champion Josh Kerr, who had targeted his own British record, was made to settle for second as he was upstaged by Kenyan 19-year-old Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech. Koech passed Kerr on the inside with 200m to go and held on for victory in three minutes 28.82 seconds, as Kerr clocked his best time of the season with 3:29.37. Behind, Elliot Giles was sixth in 3:32.51 and Neil Gourley placed 10th (3:33.69), but George Mills fell after being tripped on the final lap. More to follow
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Hunter Bell, Dobson and Lake claim wins in London
Georgia Hunter Bell, Charlie Dobson and Morgan Lake claimed victories in front of a sell-out home crowd of 60,000 at the London Diamond 1500m bronze medallist Hunter Bell stormed clear on the home straight to take victory in the women's 800m in a season's best one minute 56.74 could barely believe his victory in the men's 400m as he burst past the leaders in the closing stages, including compatriot Matthew Hudson-Smith, to clock a personal best 44.14 won the women's high jump as the only athlete to clear 1.96m in a field that included world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Olympic medallist Eleanor world 1500m champion Josh Kerr, who had targeted his own British record, was made to settle for second as he was upstaged by Kenyan 19-year-old Phanuel Kipkosgei passed Kerr on the inside with 200m to go and held on for victory in three minutes 28.82 seconds, as Kerr clocked his best time of the season with 3: Elliot Giles was sixth in 3:32.51 and Neil Gourley placed 10th (3:33.69), but George Mills fell after being tripped on the final to follow
Irish Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Kerry and Donegal show underdogs that only the ruthless survive
Underdogs have to take all of their chances, whether it's shots at the posts, half-chances at goal or minding possession in tight areas. Neither Meath nor Tyrone were able to do these things and thus Donegal and Kerry were treated to armchair semi-final victories. On Sunday, Meath started the game with two-pointers in the opening 12 minutes from Eoghan Frayne and Ruairi Kinsella, but that was as good as it got for the Royals, as their preferred shooting method subsequently malfunctioned. After a great turnover inside their own 45, Jordan Morris carried the ball from deep, a momentary reprieve from his marker, Brendan McCole. The Meath forward tried to play a defence splitting pass into Matthew Costello, but his tormentor Brendan McCole intercepted the ball just ahead of the onrushing Matthew Costello. Robbie Brennan spoke after the Galway win about Jordan Morris and his creativity, saying that he doesn't want to restrict players who have a little bit of magic. Brennan has given them the freedom to concede what he terms 'creative turnovers'. This was one of them and it was acceptable at that stage of the game with just six minutes on the clock. READ MORE Robbie Brennan has encouraged Meath to play freely, and here Morris gambles to try and create a goal chance, leading to a "creative turnover" In the next phase, Donegal continued to attack as they usually do, but were turned over as they approached the Meath arc. Meath attacked with pace, but the two-point effort from Conor Duke went wide, under severe pressure from Oisín Gallen, who had worked hard to get back to cover. An underdog needs to take those chances. The game would have been very different at this point if the scoreboard read 1-5 to 0-2 in favour of the Royals, rather than just the one-point advantage. As a cagey opening quarter played out, Donegal were only up 0-6 to 0-5, with Meath scoring 2/4 of their two-point efforts. However, for the remainder of the half, they missed four two-point efforts to go into half time with a conversion rate of 2/8 (25%) on two-point shots and 4/8 (50%) inside the arc. Meath two-point attempts (1-4): Meath's conversion rate in the first half for two-pointer was 25 per cent, as they often took the wrong option. In the 18th minute, Jordan Morris had yet to register a score and, under pressure from McCole again, he dropped a two-point attempt tamely wide. As the television cameras panned to Robbie Brennan and Shane Supple on the sideline, there was frustration evident in their body language, their willingness to embrace 'creative turnovers' maybe not as high at this moment. They would not have been happy, as Meath were very much in the game, with success on the Donegal kickout, some great defensive turnovers from Sean Rafferty and strong ball carrying from Ciaran Caulfield, but they needed to convert their chances. Donegal definitely afforded them chances. Meath two-point attempts (5-8): Meath's four consecutive two-point misses badly hurt their chances of staying in the game. Jordan Morris finally got his sole contribution to the scoreboard in the 32nd minute as his delightful dummy onto his left gave him momentary breathing space to bring the Meath tally to 0-8. However, Donegal finished the half off with two points as they continually put Billy Hogan's kickout under pressure. Ruairi Kinsella missed a rushed two-point effort as the buzzer sounded, when calm was needed to work the right shot. At half-time Donegal led 0-13 to 0-8 and the game was close to over. The removal of Michael Murphy in the 44th minute signified that Donegal has started preparation for their final joust with Kerry. A day earlier in Croke Park, the underdog struggled again but in a different way. Tyrone dominated the Kerry kickout in the first half as they won seven out of 10 of Shane Ryan's restarts, giving them a huge platform. However they were not able to punish accordingly, as Kerry came with a teak tough defensive structure and a real edge, where they had no interest in conceding soft frees or affording goal chances. Battle lines were firmly drawn as within 30 seconds Kerry executed the perfect choke tackle on Darragh Canavan and turned over Tyrone. Kerry controlled the tempo of the game in the next phase, before David Clifford won a free in front of the posts which Sean O'Shea converted. Kerry executed a perfect choke tackle on Darragh Canavan inside a minute, setting the tone The one scoreable free that Tyrone conceded in the first half was a foul with a purpose, as Joe O'Connor's quickly snuffed out a rare Tyrone jaunt toward Shane Ryan's goal. Joe O'Connor made the smart choice to give Tyrone a handy free, rather than a rare chance at goal O'Connor was involved again in the 9th minute as Kerry forced a turnover after a long spell of controlled Tyrone possession. O'Connor showed his confrontational side by winning a turnover under the Hogan stand as he hassled Brian Kennedy vigorously. O'Connor once again forcing a turnover, this time popping the ball out of Brian Kennedy In the 24th minute, Tyrone won a miscued Shane Ryan kickout but weren't able to punish with Eoin McElholm's attempt tailing wide as Kerry scrambled back. The defining turnover of the half came in the 28th minute as Mattie Donnelly wound up to shoot at the posts, but a diving block from two Kerry defenders sent the Kingdom on the attack for David Clifford's goal at the far end of the field. This block on Mattie Donnelly was rewarded, as Kerry scored their goal from it at the opposite end Clifford demonstrated the perfect back door cut, followed by a dummy bounce to beat Niall Morgan and stick it in the net. David Clifford's genius on and off the ball on show, executing the backdoor cut, rounding Niall Morgan and finishing Tyrone led after the first quarter by 0-6 to 0-4, but by half-time the scoreline was 1-9 to 0-9. Tyrone lacked some of the edge you'd associate with their tempestuous clashes with Kerry over the last 20 years, where they dictated terms. After dominating possession for much of the half, the score at the break left the Ulster underdogs with too much to do. While the scoreline on Saturday wasn't quite the massacre that Donegal delivered on Sunday, this game was just as comfortable for Kerry. After their initial second half scoring burst, Tyrone were dictated to by the Kingdom, setting up an All-Ireland final full of intrigue.
