E-paper Pkistantoday 11th August, 2012

Page 17

Layout 22 pages LHR_Layout 1 8/11/2012 5:15 AM Page 17

Sports 17 Bolt, Rudisha: two legends in London watch it Live

PTV SPORTS

LONDON OLYMPIC 08:00AM

coe says no drugs concerns over Bolt and Jamaicans

LONDON

T

Gianni merlO

He London Olympics will go down as the Games that created two legends. The first to claim legend status was the Masai warrior David Rudisha. elegant, regal, and kind, Rudisha ran the 800 meters, setting a world record of 1'40 "91 in front of Lord Coe, who is an expert in this specialty. The other is the sympathetic actor Usain Bolt who gave us a great show despite the fatigue. No one has ever hit the 100-200 double in two successive Olympic Games, not even Carl Lewis. In the curve "The Cannibal" was simply awesome, then his reserve tank of gasoline came into play giving him the extra boost to nail the race and give his friend, fellow athlete and countryman “The Big Cat” Yohan Blake a lesson. Nobody could expect that fellow Jamaican Warren Weir would complete the trifecta, an astonishing result as the three are all coached by the same man, Glen Mills. The United States was left behind in Jamaican dust, their faces turning white. Bolt led the race from the outset at world record pace, exactly as Rudisha was in the lead from the very first metre. These two great champions have much in common: Fairness – They are both very correct, polite and respectful of opponents and the public and have never displayed arrogance. Height – Both are taller than their opponents and have developed soft strides, beautiful to behold. 400m – Bolt and Rudisha ran the 400m when young although neither wants to revisit the distance. Bolt will not hear of going for the 400m and Rudisha doesn’t want to hear about is a serious contender for the 1500m. Leaders - They do not need special in-

ehsan joins PcB as director Security, Vigilance LAHORE Staff rePOrt

ehsan Sadiq, a PSP officer has joined PCB as Director Security and Vigilance. He has replaced Tariq Parvez who resigned from the post in May last. Before Joining PCB, ehsan Sadiq has worked as Director General National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and DG Security in Islamabad Police. He has also worked in various staff & command positions in different provinces. He has also served with the United Nations and Asian Development Bank.

india veteran laxman gets test lifeline NEW DELHI afP

Veteran Venkatsai Laxman was given a chance to extend his international career after being named Friday in India's squad for two home Tests against New Zealand. The stylish middle-order batsman, 37, had been under pressure to retain his place after a dismal performance in India's last Test series in Australia early this year. Laxman managed just 155 runs with one half-century in eight innings in the series, averaging 19.37 which was much below his overall average of 45.97 in 134 matches. He has so far scored 8,781 Test runs with 17 centuries. The national selectors opted for experience at the start of a new home season which will also feature four Tests each against england and Australia. The series against New Zealand will be India's first since the retirement of accomplished toporder batsman Rahul Dravid earlier this year.

LONDON afP

centives to express themselves on the track. They always do everything by themselves. Rudisha does not need pacemakers nor rabbit and this is a rarity today. Differences - Bolt is exuberant and loves to be among the people

whose attention and passion feed him to greatness. Rudisha is a Masai warrior and must maintain a level of dignity and formality that goes with his status. He expresses his joy with a gleam in his eyes.

Jamaica eye sprint dominance after Bolt heroics LONDON afP

Jamaica's sprint kings will enter the home stretch of their golden Olympic campaign on Friday after Usain Bolt's historic defence of his 100m and 200m crowns. A day after Bolt sprinted into the pantheon of Olympic legends by becoming the first man to win back-toback 100m and 200m titles at consecutive Games, Jamaica's men return to the track for the 4x100 relay. Bolt, who led a Jamaican 1-2-3 in Thursday's 200m final, may be rested for the opening round of the relay, although the Caribbean islanders should qualify for the final with ease given

their awesome strength in depth. Jamaica are bidding to retain the relay crown which they won in Beijing, and only a disaster is likely to deny Bolt the sixth gold medal of his career as the Olympics head into their final weekend. Jamaica's women's 4x100m relay squad meanwhile are also determined to atone for their disastrous performance in the 2008 final, where a bungled changeover almost certainly cost them a gold medal. The Jamaican quartet -anchored by 100m winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce -- qualified fourth fastest for the final, where they will battle powerful teams from the United States and Russia. In other athletics action on Friday,

the United States one-lap specialists will aim to extend their astounding record in the 4x400m relay, where they remain unbeaten on the track since 1984. Other medals to be decided in the Olympic Stadium on Friday include the women's 5,000m final, where ethiopian distance legend Tirunesh Dibaba seeks to defend her crown, and the men's pole-vault, where reigning champion Steve Hooker of Australia is favourite. "It's going to be a cracking final," said Hooker. "everybody is in it to win it. There's still a bit to do, but I'm here to see what happens. My training has been good, my body feels fantastic."

London Olympics chief organiser Sebastian Coe said Friday he was satisfied that double sprint champion Usain Bolt and his Jamaican team-mates were being properly drug-tested outside of races. Coe was dragged into the row that erupted after Bolt said following his 200m victory on Thursday he had lost all respect for Carl Lewis because the US sprint legend has doubted the toughness of Jamaica's drugtesting procedures. "I haven't heard those remarks but my admiration for both Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt is undiminished," said Coe, who has admitted he wants to become president of the athletics world governing body IAAF in the next few years. Coe said he had "no reason to believe" that Jamaican athletes were not being tested out of competition -- the sort of tests that are considered essential in the fight to detect systematic doping. "I have no reason to believe that they are not testing out of competition. I think the IAAF... (in our) domestic and international testing arrangements have been very comfortable about how Jamaica and the Jamaican track and field federations are upholding those values and protocols," Coe said. In his post-race press conference after becoming the first athlete in history to retain both Olympic sprint titles, Bolt said he had "no respect" for Lewis, who won nine Olympic golds spanning four Games in his career. "The things he says about the track athletes is really downgrading for another athlete to be saying something like that about other athletes," the 25year-old Jamaican said. "I think he's just looking for attention really because nobody really talks about him," said Bolt. Lewis made his comments about Bolt after the Jamaican achieved the 100m-200m double at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "No one is accusing anyone," the American said. "I'm not saying they've done anything for certain... I don't know. But how dare anybody feel that there shouldn't be scrutiny, especially in our sport?" The American visited the London Games, but said he was more interested in watching minor sports such as BMX racing than the athletics.

india pick Yuvraj for World Twenty20 NEW DELHI afP

India on Friday selected Yuvraj Singh for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, four months after he was treated for a rare form of lung cancer. The 30-year-old left-hander, one of the most flamboyant batsmen in world cricket and man of the tournament in India's World Cup triumph last year, was named in a 15-man squad for the 12-nation tournament which begins next month. Yuvraj, who completed chemotherapy in the United States in April to treat a germ-cell tumour between his lungs, has not played competitive cricket since two home Tests against the West Indies last November. He only recently

began light training at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. "It is good to see Yuvraj back. He is fit and has fought his way back," chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth told reporters in Mumbai. "He has been one of the most important members of the Indian team. With this combination, we have a great chance to win the World Twenty20." A delighted Yuvraj tweeted that it seemed he was making his debut all over again. "Can't explain how I feel!" Yuvraj wrote. "Feels like I'm going to play for India for the first time. Its a special day for me. "When I was diagnosed with cancer I always thought in my heart that one day I will come back and play for India. So here I am ready to represent my country

once again."Its a huge honour. I can't wait to step on the field and wave the Indian flag!" Yuvraj was a key figure in India's 50-over World Cup triumph last year, scoring 362 runs and taking 15 wickets in nine matches to be named man of the tournament. He rose to fame when he smashed england's fast bowler Stuart Broad for six sixes in one over during the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007, which India went on to win. India failed to reach the semi-finals in the next two editions in 2009 in england and 2010 in the West Indies. The squad, announced in a media release by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, also includes seasoned off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji.

Saturday, 11 August, 2012


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.