Ones to watch at Baku 2015 on June 18
1. Taekwondokas Cook up a storm
Taekwondo, from 09:00
Former British Taekwondo star Aaron Cook enters the men's -80kg as
top seed, representing his newly adopted country of Moldova. He
could meet his former teammate and London 2012 Olympic Games bronze
medallist Lutalo Muhammad in the semi-final in the late afternoon
at Crystal Hall. If it comes to pass, expect a spicy showdown.
2. Grappling giant
Wrestling, from 10:00
Thursday will be the final day of the Baku 2015 Wrestling
competition, and it brings with it a legend of the sport. The 2004
Olympic champion, Russia's Khadzhimurat Gatcalov, who is also a
six-time world champion and three-time European champion, competes
in the men’s freestyle 125kg category.
3. "Never say never"
Women's Table Tennis, from 11:00
At 51 years old, Ni Xia Lian of Luxembourg still plays with the
spirit of a newcomer, and is enjoying the spotlight ahead of her
next match on Thursday, against Ukraine's Margaryta Pesotska, in
the women's singles third round. "I always say 'never say never'. I
never imagined to be playing at this age. The federation (in
Luxembourg) has been so good for me. They love me so much," said
Ni. The women's third round starts at 11:00, in Baku Sports Hall.
The men's singles third round is at 13:00, with the men's and
women's singles quarter-finals scheduled for the evening session,
from 17:00 to 21:00.
4. Stars to have a blast
Shooting, from 11:00
Thursday is another big day at the Baku Shooting Centre, with a
star-studded field contesting the first-ever mixed team trap event.
Olympic champion Jessica Rossi teams up with Olympic silver
medallist Massimo Fabbrizi to form the Italian team, while Spain's
Alberto Fernandez joins the new European Games women's trap
champion, Fatima Galvez. World champion Katrin Quoos of Germany
will be eager to find form after failing to qualify for the women's
trap final, and Alessandra Perilli, who finished in fourth place at
the London 2012 Olympic Games, teams up with Sammarinese compatriot
Manuel Mancini, as they aim to repeat the success of her sister,
Arianna, who won silver on Tuesday in the women's trap.
The men's 50m rifle prone looks equally promising, with all the London 2012 medallists competing: champion Sergei Martynov of Belarus, silver medallist Lionel Cox from Belgium, and Slovakia's eight-time Olympian and London bronze medal winner Rajmond Debevec, who also won gold in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions at the Sydney 2000 Games.
5. Going for gold (again)
Gymnastics, 17:30
Top qualifier Aliya Mustafina of Russia tumbles towards another
gold in the women’s Artistic Gymnastics individual all-around final
at National Gymnastics Arena. Mustafina already has one gold medal
in the bag, which she won in the team competition.
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