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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSday, august 27, 2015
Sport
Agent defends Gatlin over drug cheat
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merican sprinter Justin Gatlin is unfairly carrying the burden of all drugs cheats, according to his agent. The 33-year-old, who has twice been banned for doping offences, finished behind Usain Bolt in the 100m at the World Championships in Beijing, China. He was one of four men in the 100m final to have tested positive for banned substances during their careers. The race between Bolt and
Gatlin on Sunday had been billed as a battle for the soul of athletics in some quarters, particularly by those critical of allowing Gatlin to compete. Gatlin has said he will not speak to British media outlets because of what he perceives as biased coverage towards him. His first drugs ban in 2001 was reduced from two years to one after he proved the amphetamines he was taking were for an attention deficit disorder.
Farah through to 5,000m final at World Championships
Mo Farah
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o Farah was almost pushed over on the final bend of his 5,000m heat but qualified for Saturday’s World Championships final in Beijing. Farah, who claimed his sixth successive global title when he won 10,000m gold at the
Justin Gatlin
Bedene shocks Simon at Winston -Salem Open
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ritish number two Aljaz Bedene caused an upset by beating world number 11 Gilles Simon to reach the last 16 of the Winston-Salem Open. Bedene, 26, survived two match points to overcome the top seed 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6). He will face Simon’s fellow Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the third round of the North Carolina tournament,
weekend, recovered to finish second in 13 minutes 19.44 seconds. The defending champion, 32, was touched on the back by Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed but just managed to stay on his feet. Fellow Briton Tom Farrell came fourth in his heat to reach
the final. Ahmed finished third but was initially disqualified by officials, only to be reinstated after a protest. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who has the world leading time this year, finished ahead of Farah in 13:19.38.
Murray seeded third behind Djokovic, Federer for US Open
which ends on Saturday. It was a third victory over a top-20 ranked opponent in 2015 for Slovenia-born world number 58 Bedene, who was granted British citizenship in March. South African number two seed Kevin Anderson beat Mikhail Kukushkin 4-6 6-2 6-3 to progress, while France’s JoWilfried Tsonga went through 5-7 6-4 6-1 against Denis Istomin.
Andy Murray
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ndy Murray has been seeded third at next week’s US Open as he bids to regain the title he won
Aljaz Bedene
in 2012. World number one Novak Djokovic tops the men’s seeds, ahead of five-time winner Roger Federer. Marin Cilic, the 2014 winner, is seeded ninth for the tournament at Flushing Meadows, which starts on 31 August. Defending champion Serena
Williams heads the women’s entry, with Romania’s Simona Halep seeded second, and 2006 winner Maria Sharapova third. Britain’s Brydan Klein, 25, is two wins from a place in the main draw after a 4-6 6-1 6-2 victory over Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic in the first round of qualifying. However, there was disappointment for Liam Broady as he was beaten 4-6 6-4 7-5 by Spaniard Inigo Cervantes. British number one Murray, 28,
beat Djokovic for the first time since the 2013 Wimbledon final to win the Montreal Masters this month and rise to number two in the world - before he was overtaken again by 34-year-old Federer when the Swiss won the Cincinnati Masters. Victory for Williams, 33, who has won the title for the past three years, will complete the first calendar-year grand slam in 27 years following success at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.