Issuu

SPORTS SECTION E

JUSTIN ROBERTS

ROBERTS PULLS OFF UPSET OVER NO.6 SEED IN FINLAND

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net JUSTIN ROBERTS’ success is continuing on the International Tennis Federation’s Futures circuit. Roberts pulled off a three set upset over the No.6 seeded Louis Chaix France, 4-6, 6-4, 2-6, yesterday at the Finland F1 Futures-Admares Open in Kaarina, Finland. With an ITF rank of 929, Chaix was the highest ranked player Roberts has defeated thus far on tour. In the doubles draw, Roberts paired with Tom Fawcett but lost in the round of 16 to Linus Frost and Jonathan Mridha of Sweden, 6-3, 6-4. The former teammates will now compete against each other today in the second round of the single’s draw when Roberts and Fawcett face off to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. The appearance in Finland is Roberts’ third Futures event over the past month. He reached the doubles quarterfinal at last week’s Belgium Futures, and reached the main singles draw of the Portugal F10 Futures. Originally, the ITF Men’s Circuit consisted of satellite tournaments, however, in the late 1990s, the ITF introduced Futures tournaments, allowing for greater flexibility in the organisation of the tournaments for national associations, and participation in tournaments for players. Over time, the ratio of Futures tournaments to satellites increased until 2007, when satellites were eliminated entirely. Futures tournaments allow for players to win career titles and improve their rankings. Futures are held in both singles and doubles and last one week. As of 2017, the prize fund for each tournament is either US$15,000 or US$25,000. Futures usually have sizable qualifying draws, which allow unranked players to enter tournaments and earn ATP ranking points. 20-year-old Roberts is currently ranked at 1,378 in singles, a little higher than the 1,202 he was pegged at in 2016. He reached a career high ranking of 1184 in December 2016. After completing a successful year at the University of South Florida as a member of their Bulls men’s tennis team, Justin Roberts has transitioned to the pro circuit. “My collegiate season was very good. “It has given me a lot of confidence,” he told the Tribune. Roberts, coached by Ashley Fisher at USF, helped the Bulls to their fourth straight conference title with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Danny Kerznerman of UCF. He also helped the Bulls to an upset over No.16 Mississippi State with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win at No.2 earning him the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2017

LOOKING AHEAD TO NFL AFC EAST

SEE PAGE E3

Richard Gibson leads Team Bahamas at CAGC By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TEAM BAHAMAS teed off yesterday in the 2017 Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships hosted at The Links Casa de Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic. The CAGC is the region’s premier event, played both as an individual stroke play event and as a country team competition with the Hoerman Cup for the men, the George Teale Trophy for the ladies and also The Arthur Ziadie Trophy (men and ladies combined team scores). Richard Gibson, Devaughn Robinson, Oren Butler, Steven Kemp, Paul Tsavoussis and Lynford Miller comprise the men’s team while the ladies’ team is Taneka Sandiford and Ignacia Rolle.

Region’s top golf event gets underway

Sandiford is currently tied for sixth place after she shot an opening day 80 (+9) while Rolle is tied at No.11 with her round of 84 (+13). Valeria Pacheco of Puerto Rico and Yae Eun Kim of the Dominican Republic top the leaderboard at 75 (+4). Gibson was the top performer for the Bahamas among the men, with an opening round 73 (+2). Butler and Robinson were both two strokes behind at 75 (+4) and tied for 14th while Kemp shot 79 (+8) to tie for 27th, Tsavoussis was tied for 31st at 80 (+9) and Miller shot 84 (+13) for 42nd place. Tsavoussis will be the first of

the group to tee off this morning alongside Justin Hastings of the Cayman Islands (CAY) and Sachin Kumar of Trinidad and Tobago (TT). Kemp follows with Liam Bryden (TT) and Lucas Hernandez of the Dominican Republic (DR) at 7:50 am. Gibson follows at 8:10 am grouped with Sam Avey (TT) and Dawn Bispham of Barbados (BAR). Miller also tees off at 8:10 am with Jonathan Millen (TT) and Simon Proverbs (BAR). Butler tees off at 8:40am with Clint Alfred (TT) and Xzavier Wiggins (BAR) while Rolle will is grouped with James Johnson (BAR) and Jona-

than Newnham of Jamaica. Sandiford will begin round two at 9:00am, grouped with Ysabelle Lawrence (TT) and Alyssa Inniss-Gittens (BAR) while Rolle, also with a 9:00 am start, is grouped with Karina Sanchez (DR) and Yeji Lee (TT). The Bahamas hosted the 2016 event at the Ocean Club resort, Paradise Island. Out of a field of eight teams in the men’s division, the Bahamas’ Hoerman Cup team finished seventh with a total of 1,222. Seven teams participated in the ladies’ division with the Bahamas finishing sixth with 655. The Dominican Republic rallied on the final day to surge ahead of Puerto Rico for the Hoerman Cup. Puerto Rico, however, held onto the Teale Cup and emerged as the winner of the Arthur Ziadie Trophy.

USAIN BOLT CONFIDENT AHEAD OF WORLDS, LOOKS TO THE FUTURE SUPERSTAR sprinter Usain Bolt entertained the media in London yesterday ahead of the IAAF World Championships which begin this week. The Jamaican sporting legend is set to retire after the event and said he’s looking forward to a life of motivational speaking, soccer and, perhaps, action movies. (AP) • SEE PAGE E5 FOR THE FULL STORY

TUREANO OPPONENT’S CAMP CONFIDENT AHEAD OF BOUT

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net FIGHT night is just over three weeks away and Ukranian middleweight Sergiy Derevianchenko’s camp have expressed confidence in their game plan for the impending matchup with Bahamian pro Tureano Johnson. Johnson and Derevianchenko will square off on August 25 for the right to be the No.1 contender in the IBF middleweight division and bid to challenge for the title. Derevianchenko’s trainers, Andre Rozier and Gary Stark Jr., recently discussed their expectations of the bout and their preparation thus far. “We’ve faced Tureano in the past and we know exactly what he brings to the table. What we are doing right now is fine-tuning the elements that will make Sergiy more effective in this bout. We know he [Tureano] is tough, we know he comes to fight, we know he is going to bring everything he can bring and I respect

“We’ve faced Tureano in the past and we know exactly what he brings to the table. What we are doing right now is fine-tuning the elements that will make Sergiy more effective in this bout.” Andre Rozier him for that and I actually admire him for that, but, once again he’s fighting us and we have to be prepared for anything Tureano Johnson might bring to the table,” Rozier said to Tha Boxing Voice. “Sergiy will be utilising his technical capabilities and he will be a finely tuned piece of machinery in that bout and he will be victorious. I’m expecting him to be the best technician he could be and that means we will be looking for a stoppage. It’s just the actual victory we are concentrating on, it’s the win, no matter how it comes.” Rozier and Stark were the trainers for Curtis Stevens, the only fighter to defeat Johnson as a professional. “We know he’s tough, we know he’s going to come.

Tureano is more of a busy fighter, I’m looking at Sergiy to be real dominant in this fight, to be smarter than Tureano is in this fight, it’s a good fight for us,” Stark said, “He’s going to throw his body at you and come forward all the time, Sergiy is a very smart fighter, he can use his angles too, he can punch inside too, and he’s well rounded. This is a perfect fight. The thing is Tureano is not a big puncher so it’s good, he’s a busy fighter so this is perfect for us.” The 12-round bout will take place at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma. No television deal has been announced as yet. DiBella Entertainment, the co-promoter of DereviSEE PAGE TWO

BAHAMIAN pro Tureano Johnson (pictured) will take on Ukranian middleweight Sergiy Derevianchenko.

PAGE 2, Wednesday, August 2, 2017

MAVERICKS SIGN MWC PLAYER OF YEAR CLAVELL FROM PUERTO RICO DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent guard Gian Clavell, an undrafted rookie who has played for Puerto Rico’s national team. Clavell was the Mountain West Conference player of the year at Colorado State last season. He averaged a leaguehigh 20.4 points with 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 27 games for the Rams. The 6-foot-4 Clavell is the second Puerto Rican native with the Mavs, joining guard J.J. Barea. His signing Tuesday came three weeks after Dallas signed 6-11 forward Maxi Kleber, who is from Dirk Nowitzki’s hometown in Wurzburg, Germany. In five games with the Miami Heat’s summer league team in Las Vegas, Clavell averaged 12.4 points and 1.4 assists. He shot 41 percent from 3-point range and made 11 of 12 free throws.

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‘SUMMER OF THUNDER’ SET TO SHAKE THE KENDAL ISAACS GYM THIS WEEK By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Basketball Federation’s “Summer of Thunder” is set to begin this week and will once again highlight a busy summer for local basketball at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The series of exhibitions between local teams and visiting NCAA programmes begins August 4 and continues through August 21. Visiting programmes this summer will include the Nicholls State Colonels, Penn State Nittany Lions, Southern University Jaguars, Colorado State Rams, Rhode Island College Anchormen, Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, Chicago State Cougars and Boston College Eagles. The showcase is designed to expose local talent to an international style of basketball, as well as give those players an opportunity to compete against some of the top collegiate basketball players the NCAA has to offer.

ACTION from the ‘Summer of Thunder’ in 2015. The event also allows young Bahamian athletes to familiarise themselves with potential tertiary level institutions which they could possibly attend. Local teams include the Bahamas All-Stars, New Providence Basketball Association All-Stars, IBA Elite, CTG Knights and the Providence Storm. The Bahamas All-Stars and will play Nicholls State in the first game of the se-

ries August 4 at 7pm. August 6 will include a trio of games on the schedule with the NPBA All-Stars against Penn State at 2pm, IBA Elite against Nicholls State at 4pm and CTG Knights against Southern at 6pm. The list of participating schools last summer included the Buffalo Bulls, Eastern Michigan Eagles, Missouri State Bears, Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, Wyoming Cowboys, Cen-

tral Michigan Chippewas, Akron Zips, Toronto Varsity Blues, Florida Atlantic Owls, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, UNLV Running Rebels and the Tarleton State Riders. In 2015 there were 14 Division I programmes that participated in the event including: The North Florida, Ball State, Eastern Illinois, Georgia Tech, Saint Louis, Southern Utah, Youngstown State, Central Flori-

da, North Dakota, Middle Tennessee St, North Carolina-Wilmington, BethuneCookman, West Virginia and the Texas-Arlington. Prior to that event, BBF first vice president and event organiser Mario Bowleg said that the event is growing in recognition and is making a name for itself on the international scene. “The tournament is only getting bigger and expanding and even though we always have a good number of teams here, there are always more that wanted to participate,” he said. Local teams notched four wins against visiting teams in the last series and another six games were decided by a single possession, three points or less. “Bahamian teams have been able to hold their own. Many of the final scores have been close,” Bowleg said. “We feel as though the competition is stiff, the foreign teams and the coaches have been pleased that they have been able to face this competition as they prepare for their seasons.”

TUREANO OPPONENT’S CAMP CONFIDENT AHEAD OF BOUT

FROM PAGE 1E anchenko, won the mandatory purse bid set down by the IBF for the bout. DiBella claimed the right of principal promoters with their winning bid of $121,000 and outdid the bid set forth by Johnson’s Golden Boy Promotions, who offered $62,000. There will be a 5050 purse split between the fighters following the bout, meaning each fighter will walk away with just over $60,000. The IBF mandated that Johnson must square off with Derevianchenko of Ukraine to deter-

mine the challenger for Gennady Golovkin’s middleweight title. Derevianchenko, 31, ranked 2nd on the IBF challenger list, is undefeated in his young professional career thus far at 10-0, with 8 KOs. His last fight was a fifth round stoppage of Kemahl Russell in March. Johnson, 33, returned to the ring in May after being sidelined for nearly a year-and-a-half with a second round knockout over Fabiano Pena. He improved to 20-1, 14 of which were knockouts. Both fighters represented their respective countries at the 2008

Beijing Olympics. The winner will then attempt to outbox the dominant Golovkin and blemish his spotless 37-0, 33KOs record. Johnson was originally intended to face Golovkin last April. However, the fight never took place. The Pena fight was Johnson’s first fight under Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions stable since making the switch in September 2015, a move that was expected to send him on the fast track to an eventual title shot and prominence in the division.

He injured his shoulder in a unanimous decision win over Irishman Eamonn O’Kane on October 17, 2015. With the win, he became the mandatory No.1 contender. He further damaged the rotator cuff just ahead of his scheduled fight with Golovkin. Johnson was granted a medical extension by the IBF but exceeded the permitted time for a mandatory challenger to remain inactive. Golovkin is set to defend his world titles against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 16th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

TUREANO Johnson

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Wednesday, August 2, 2017, PAGE 3

PERFECT PATRIOTS AND DOLPHINS IN THE PLAYOFFS?

PRESEASON BREAKDOWN OF AFC EAST THE Hall of Fame game takes place on Thursday night between my Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals. Mind you neither squad will look remotely close to what their true identities will be on opening day. Thursday’s game and the weekend’s festivities are just a part of the NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement of the class of 2017 – headed by the greatest owner in sports, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and former TCU and San Diego Chargers great LaDanian Tomlinson, along with five other NFL greats, Morten Andersen, Terrell Davis, Kenny Easley, Jason Taylor and Kurt Warner. So as Thursday’s kickoff draws near, let’s continue our preseason breakdown, division by division. This week the AFC EAST:

• BUFFALO BILLS

TRAINING CAMP REPORT DATES: rookies and veterans (July 26). Location: St. John Fisher College, Rochester, New York. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP: Linebacker: If I were a Bills fan attending camp, I wouldn’t take my eyes off the linebacking corps. This position will be fascinating for several reasons. New Head Coach Sean McDermott, will bring his 4-3 from Carolina). Therefore the competition will be bustling for a smaller number of spots. Reggie Ragland, a 2016 second-round pick, returns after tearing his ACL in camp last year. The Bills also drafted two linebackers/potential hybrid players in Matt Milano and Tanner Vallejo. BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITION: CB Tre’Daveious White. The team’s 2017 first-round pick represents McDermott’s first shot at developing a shutdown corner from scratch in Buffalo. White is worth watching because if he’s able to play at an intermediate level,

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this defence won’t be as hohum as projected. After losing Stephon Gilmore to the rival Patriots via free agency, the Bills’ secondary needs someone with White’s thumper instincts to come in and energise the unit. BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK: Which Sammy Watkins are the Bills getting? Watkins made plays, that led some to believe he was going to quickly validate the hefty price the Bills paid to draft him. Injuries and unhappiness with the way his role developed have dampened those expectations, with Buffalo declining to pick up his fifth-year option. The potential is there for an monster comeback season, as Watkins is still the best option at WR for the Bills.

• MIAMI DOLPHINS

TRAINING CAMP REPORT DATES: rookies (July 20) and veterans (July 26). Location: Baptist Health Training Facility, Davie, Florida. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP: Linebacker. The Dolphins seem oddly settled for this time of year, despite a complete makeover of the linebacking corps. The addition of FA LB Lawrence Timmons and the selection of Raekwon McMillan in the Draft could point to a tactical change as well. BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITION: DE Charles Harris. The first-round pick has Dolphins fans dreaming of an outright swarm on defence. Harris will have a lot of

protection across the line and could see more than his fair share of one-onone matchups. Given the attention paid to Ndamukong Suh, Harris could be an early favourite to win the rookie sack race. BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK: Does QB Ryan Tannehill hit the ground running? This is a playoff team. (I can’t believe I just typed that). Tannehill grew under first-year head coach Adam Gase last season, momentarily fending off questions about his ability to become a franchise quarterback. However, this year – Tannehill’s sixth in the NFL – needs to see him break away from his modest reputation and take a crack at the Playoffs and Pro Bowl.

•N EW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

TRAINING CAMP REPORT DATES: rookies (July 24) and veterans (July 26). Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP: WR Just consider the race for Tom Brady’s affection. With Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell all making a play for snaps, the early weeks of camp could bear out what type of personnel New England typically rolls with in its most frequently used sets. BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITION: Where do we start? WR Brandin Cooks. Newly acquired from the Saints, Cooks is quite possibly the most dynamic receiver Brady has worked

MIAMI Dolphins head coach Adam Gase, right, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) watch as quarterback Brandon Doughty (6) runs through drills during an NFL football training camp last week at the Dolphins training facility in Davie, Florida. (AP) with since Randy Moss. Assuming he stays healthy, because injuries always seem to catch up to him, the Patriots might come out of camp with more hype surrounding this offence than they went in with. BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK: Is this the year? This Patriots team can win the Super Bowl. However after stockpiling this offseason, they are drawing comparisons to the 2007 team that finished 18-1 after choking in the Super Bowl, one win away from a perfect season. The lethal combination of best coach, GM and quarterback in NFL history might be able to get them there again, with a different result.

• NEW YORK JETS

TRAINING CAMP REPORT DATES: rookies and veterans (July 28). Location: Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, Florham Park, New Jersey. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP: Quarterback. If the Jets start veteran Josh McCown, he gives you the best chance to win games this year. Or start youngster Christian Hackenberg. Head Coach Todd Bowles said ahead of camp that there is no current favourite among his potential starters. However, the safe money would be on McCown, I don’t think the Jets like not hurling Hackenberg back into the fray, as he wasn’t ready to take the field with far better players around him a year ago.

NEW England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks steps on the field to train. (AP) BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITIONS: A pair of safeties, S Jamal Adams and S Marcus Maye. Jets fans are looking to rebuild for tomorrow and Adams might have been the best player in the draft – falling into their lap at #6 in the Draft. The Jets are looking for talent wherever they can get it, and if they emerge from 2017 with a pair of playmaking safeties, they will have something to smile about.

BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK: How will Head Coach Todd Bowles motivate the team? The team clearly has an eye on the future, but he must keep an eye on the present. There will be 53 players, some on expiring contracts, some just starting their careers, Bowles must prevent a mutiny, and keep the team focused and energised, to have any chance of a future in NY.

JARAUN BURROWS EXTENDS STAY WITH PROVENCE BASKET By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AFTER being on the move for the past few off seasons, Jaraun “Kino” Burrows has extended his stay with his newest franchise on the latest stop of his career. Following a late season stint and playoff run with FOS Provence Basket in French Basketball’s Pro B Division, Burrows agreed to a contract extension to return to the club next season. In 12 games last season, Burrows averaged 10.7 points, four rebounds and three assists in just over 25 minutes per game. He helped the club to the league’s semifinals. The 31-year-old veteran joined Provence Basket in mid-April and made an instant impact when he finished with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists in his debut. He followed with his best game of his tenure with the club thus far when he posted 16 points and eight rebounds. Provence finished the regular season ranked No.2 in the league with a record of 22-12 and will face No.6 Nantes in the semi-finals. The top two placed teams from each season’s Pro B are promoted to the toptier level, LNB Pro A.

‘Kino’ agrees contract extension after playoff run

Prior to his French debut, he spent the bulk of the 2016-17 season, for Hapoel Haifa in Israel’s Liga Leumit – the second tier level league in the country. He appeared in a total of 26 games for them and averaged 21.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Burrows saw his stock rise after a dominant season last year with LF Basket in the Swedish Pro League. The 6’8”, 220-pound forward had the second-best scoring average in the league at 20.1 points per game and also averaged 9.2 rebounds per game. His pro career has also included stops in Finland, Eastern Europe and South America. Burrows recently completed play with the national team that finished 7th at this summer’s FIBA Centrobasket tournament in Panama. They earned qualification for 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, August 2, 2017

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BOLT SAYS NO CHANCE OF LOSS OR COMEBACK IN FAREWELL WORLDS

TRACK’S FASTEST MAN ON FORM AHEAD OF IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

By EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer LONDON (AP) — An encore for Usain Bolt? Unthinkable. A loss in his going-away party? Impossible. Track's fastest man and greatest entertainer made both those points clear Tuesday leading to his final world championships this week. It was an engaging hour filled with reminisces, chats about his plans and thoughts about where his troubled and soon-to-be-starless sport might be headed.

Smiling Sporting the goatee he wears during world championships, but not the Olympics, the superstar who went 9 for 9 at the Summer Games, shattering records while dancing and smiling his way through the journey, dispensed any notion he might come back: "For me, the next championships should be fun because now it's time to watch and see who can hold their nerves," said the 11-time world champion, who turns 31 on Aug. 21. As for the possibility he'd change his mind should he lose in Saturday night's 100-metre final: "It's not going to happen, so we won't have that problem. Don't worry," he said. He said he's looking forward to a life of motivational speaking, occasional soccer games with friends and maybe dipping his toe into action movies to keep the adrenaline flowing. As for the past, one of Bolt's most interesting revelations was that his now-famous "To the World" pose, which he debuted after winning his

“The only place track and field has to go is up. Hopefully we’re going to get it going in the right direction and continue going in the right direction.” Usain Bolt first Olympic gold medal in Beijing, was completely unplanned. "It's just something that happened," Bolt said. "I guess it was by the grace of God. It became big. For me, it worked." Almost every celebration since — the moderator said Bolt has taken 147 victory laps over his career — has been pre-planned, drenched in Jamaican flags and reggae music and every bit worth the wait. Among the few impromptu moments came at the last world championships, two years ago in Beijing, when a photographer riding a Segway accidentally upended him during his victory lap. That man made a videotaped appearance at the news conference and told Bolt: "You inspired me to become more focused in my work." "It was shocking," said Bolt, who popped right back up after the spill. "I didn't get hurt, so it was funny." On a more serious note, he was asked how he has prepared for each season as his career has progressed. Like flipping through the calendar, Bolt ticked off his goals and motivations for each year since he burst onto the

USAIN BOLT says he’s looking forward to a life of motivational speaking, soccer and perhaps movies after he retires from track. (AP)

scene in 2008, a relative unknown whose only goal was to become an Olympic champion in his main race, the 200 metres.

Records Early on, he took umbrage to the slights: for instance, that despite setting four world records, his success in 2008 came because his main challenger, Tyson Gay, was hurt. Or how in 2012, many were favouring teammate Yohan Blake at the Olympics after Bolt lost to him twice earlier in the summer in Jamaica. As the calendar kept turning and Bolt kept proving himself, his mission became more about trying to secure his place in history. When he swept gold for

the third straight Olympics last year in Rio de Janeiro, he reached the legendary status he sought. "Now that I got to my goal, I'm good with it," he said. "I've proven myself." He fielded the obligatory questions about doping. Bolt has never been caught. Many in his country, and in the sprint game he dominates, have. The last two years have been filled with sordid stories of doping corruption in Russia that brought track and field to a new low. "The only place track and field has to go is up," Bolt said. "Hopefully we're going to get it going in the right direction and continue going in the right direction." His most telling comments — or non-comments — came when he

was asked who might fill his shoes after he leaves. "I'm not going down that road," Bolt said. "The last guy I said was going to be great disrespected me." It was almost certainly a reference to Andre De Grasse, the Canadian upand-comer who brazenly pushed Bolt last year in the Olympic 200 metre semifinals. If there's going to be drama in Saturday's 100 final, De Grasse is the best bet to provide it. But Bolt doesn't see that as a problem. "You guys know if I show up at a championship, you know I'm fully confident and ready to go," he said.

He unveiled the goldand-purple shoes he'll wear for his final championships. The purple is for his school colours back home at William Knibb Memorial High School. The gold is self-explanatory. His sponsor, Puma, has been promoting the phrase "Fastest Forever," in the lead-up to the worlds, which will take place in the same London stadium where Bolt won Olympic medals 4, 5 and 6. But Bolt has a different idea. "Unbeatable," he said. "For me, that would be the biggest headline. Unbeatable. Unstoppable. Hear that guys? Jot it down."

RUDISHA WITHDRAWS FROM WORLDS WITH THIGH INJURY

KENYA’s David Lekuta Rudisha celebrates winning the men’s 800-metre final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

By MUTWIRI MUTUOTA, Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Olympic 800-metre champion and world-record holder David Rudisha withdrew from the world championships on Monday after straining a thigh muscle in a training session in Kenya. The double world and Olympic champion said an MRI scan on the right-leg injury showed it would not heal in time for the championships, which open at London’s 2012 Olympic Stadium on Friday. The 800 heats are on Saturday. The injury happened last week, but Kenyan team officials gave Rudisha as long as possible to see if there was any chance of him recovering in time to defend

his world title. The team leaves for London on Tuesday. “The injury occurred in the last 200 meters of my last training session,” Rudisha said. “I’m disappointed for not defending my title and running for my country but I have to focus on recovery to prolong my career.” Rudisha announced his withdrawal on Twitter , saying it was “sad and disappointing.” Rudisha’s tweet was accompanied by a photo of his injured leg with strapping on it. The 28-year-old Kenyan was set to return to the scene of his greatest triumph, when he won Olympic gold and broke his own world record in a breathtaking, wire-to-wire victory at the 2012 London Games.

Rudisha’s time of 1 minute, 40.91 seconds was the first time anyone had gone under 1:41 in the 800. Rudisha retained his Olympic title at the Rio de Janeiro Games last year and also claimed world championships gold in 2011 and 2015. This will be the second worlds he has missed because of injury after having to skip the 2013 edition in Moscow with a knee problem. Rudisha is arguably the sport’s greatest 800-metre runner, running the three fastest times over two laps and six of the eight fastest times. He is the second defending champion from Kenya to miss the worlds in London after 400-metre hurdles title holder Nicholas Bett withdrew because of injury last week.

IAAF NOT READY TO LIFT RUSSIA’S SUSPENSION FROM TRACK

By ROB HARRIS, AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — The IAAF is not ready to lift Russia’s suspension from track and field competitions as the country fails to fully accept the findings of an investigation into its state-sponsored doping scheme. A meeting of the international track and field federation’s member associations in London on Thursday will be asked to maintain the ban

on Russia that was imposed in 2015 after World AntiDoping Agency investigator Richard McLaren exposed how failed drug tests were covered up. Rune Andersen, the IAAF’s Russia taskforce chairman, wants assurances that the McLaren report’s findings “have been properly acknowledged and addressed, and there will be no repetition.” The Russian athletics federation “has not yet demon-

strated to the satisfaction of the taskforce that it has established a strong anti-doping culture within its sport, or that it has created an open environment that encourages whistleblowing,” Andersen said in his latest report to the IAAF Council on Monday. Andersen acknowledged in the document that Russia is making progress in cleaning up its doping culture, including “satisfactory cooperation” with French criminal authorities in an

investigation, but says action is still required in key areas. A “small number” of athletics disciplinary cases that were ongoing in 2015 remain unresolved, a “few” athletes flagged in WADA’s doping investigation are yet to be interviewed, and Anderson is concerned that banned coaches ar still working in the sport. “There is a long way to go until they can conduct the testing which we consider to be meaningful,” Anders-

en told reporters. “We are working with the Russians on the changing culture. There are some good movements now started from the athletes themselves wanting to change, but they haven’t shown and demonstrated to us that this is in place.” IAAF President Sebastian Coe is leaving Andersen’s taskforce to decide when Russia should be allowed back into the track and field fold. “Although there is pro-

gress, there is still more work to be done,” Coe said. The only Russians competing at the world championships in London, which begin Friday, are those cleared to compete as neutrals after the IAAF assessed their history of drug testing. The 19 athletes given exemptions include three former world champions, but they won’t be allowed to wear national coloors and the Russian anthem won’t be played if they win gold.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 2, 2017, PAGE 7

LOS ANGELES REACHES DEAL WITH OLYMPIC LEADERS FOR 2028 GAMES LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles has reached an agreement with International Olympic leaders that will open the way for the city to host the 2028 Summer Games, while ceding the 2024 Games to rival Paris, officials announced this week. The deal would make LA a three-time Olympic city, after hosting the 1932 and 1984 Games. With the agreement, the city is taking “a major step toward bringing the Games back to our city for the first time in a generation,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement. He called it a “historic day for Los Angeles, for the United States” and the Olympic movement. The agreement follows a vote earlier this month by the International Olympic Committee to seek an unusual deal to award the 2024 and 2028 Games simultaneously. Paris is the only city left to host the 2024 Games. The Los Angeles City Council and U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors will consider the agreement this month. If approved, the IOC, LA and Paris could enter a three-part agreement, clearing the way for the IOC to award the 2024 Games to Paris, and the 2028 Games to LA. The IOC vote is scheduled for September, in Lima, Peru. In a statement, the Paris bid committee welcomed the announcement in Los Angeles but stopped short of confirming the obvious, that Paris is in line for the 2024 Games. “Paris 2024 is proud to be

working together with the IOC and our friends in Los Angeles to reach a positive solution for both cities, the Games and the whole Olympic Movement for 2024 and 2028,” committee cochair Tony Estanguet said. In embracing what amounted to the second-place prize and an 11-year wait, LA will receive a financial sweetener. Under the terms of the deal, the IOC will advance funds to the Los Angeles organising committee to recognise the extended planning period and to increase youth sports programmes leading up to the Games. The IOC contribution could exceed $2 billion, according to LA officials. That figure takes into account the estimated value of existing sponsor agreements that would be renewed, as well as potential new marketing deals. The delay to 2028 opens a host of questions for Los Angeles, which is looking at the prospect of retooling its multibillion-dollar plans for more than a decade into the future. It would face challenges from maintaining public interest to recasting deals for stadiums, arenas and housing that have been in the works for months and even years. Speaking with reporters at a soccer stadium in Carson, just outside LA, Garcetti said the 2028 proposal was the better of the two, promising to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in additional benefits. The deal “was too good to pass up,” the mayor said. He also suggested the IOC

would easily ratify the 20242028 deal in September. LA and Paris were the last two bids remaining after a tumultuous process that exposed the unwillingness of cities to bear the financial burden of hosting an event that has become synonymous with cost overruns. LA was not even the first American entrant in the contest. Boston withdrew two years ago as public support for its bid collapsed over concerns about use of taxpayer cash. The U.S. bid switched from the east to the West Coast as LA entered the race. But the same apprehensions that spooked politicians and the local population in Boston soon became evident in Europe where three cities pulled out. Uncomfortably for IOC President Thomas Bach, whose much-vaunted Agenda 2020 reforms were designed to make hosting more streamlined and less costly after the lavish 2014 Sochi Games, the first withdrawal came from his homeland of Germany. The lack of political unity for a bid in Hamburg was mirrored in Rome and Budapest as support for bids waned among local authorities and the population. It was clear they did not want to be saddled with skyrocketing bills for hosting the Olympics without reaping many of the economic benefits anticipated. Just like in the depleted field for the 2022 Winter Games which saw Beijing defeat Almaty, the IOC was left with only THE LOS Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. (AP) two candidates again.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 73° F/23° C

TAMPA

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Partly sunny with a stray shower

Mainly clear

Mostly sunny

Partly sunny, a shower; breezy

Mostly sunny and breezy

Sunny intervals, a t‑storm in spots

High: 95°

Low: 83°

High: 95° Low: 83°

High: 95° Low: 81°

High: 94° Low: 81°

High: 93° Low: 80°

AccuWeather RealFeel

112° F

92° F

109°-88° F

107°-88° F

106°-86° F

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 78° F/26° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

almanac

ABACO

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 83° F/28° C

6‑12 knots

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° C

4‑8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

W S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 80° F/27° C

MIAMI

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 81° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

KEY WEST

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 85° F/29° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 95° F/35° C Low: 83° F/28° C

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 83° F/28° C

N E

tiDes

For

nassau

High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

4:26 a.m. 5:06 p.m.

2.3 2.8

10:38 a.m. 0.7 11:33 p.m. 1.0

Thursday

5:19 a.m. 5:54 p.m.

2.3 2.9

11:27 a.m. 0.6 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Friday

6:07 a.m. 6:39 p.m.

2.4 3.0

12:22 a.m. 0.9 12:14 p.m. 0.6

Saturday

6:53 a.m. 7:21 p.m.

2.5 3.1

1:06 a.m. 0.8 12:58 p.m. 0.5

Sunday

7:35 a.m. 8:00 p.m.

2.6 3.2

1:47 a.m. 1:40 p.m.

0.6 0.4

Monday

8:16 a.m. 8:39 p.m.

2.7 3.3

2:26 a.m. 2:21 p.m.

0.5 0.4

Tuesday

8:56 a.m. 9:17 p.m.

2.8 3.3

3:03 a.m. 3:02 p.m.

0.4 0.3

sun

anD

Sunrise Sunset

moon

6:38 a.m. 7:54 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

3:59 p.m. 2:26 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Aug. 7

Aug. 14

Aug. 21

Aug. 29

CAT ISLAND

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

4‑8 knots

6‑12 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 75° F/24° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 90° F/32° C Last year’s low ................................... 80° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.31” Year to date ............................................... 16.10” Normal year to date ................................... 19.87”

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 83° F/28° C

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 83° F/28° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

6‑12 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 87° F/31° C Low: 83° F/28° C

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 90° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N W

N E

E S

8‑16 knots

10‑20 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS S at 4‑8 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 12‑25 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 4‑8 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑8 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑7 Feet 5‑9 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 4‑7 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet

VISIBILITY 5 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 85° F 86° F 87° F 88° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 87° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 87° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 87° F 85° F 86° F

PAGE 8, Wednesday, August 2, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

MIAMI WANTS IN ON US 2026 WORLD CUP BID

BARCELONA ‘DOUBTS’ ABOUT NEYMAR’S FUTURE

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer MIAMI (AP) — If the World Cup returns to the U.S., Miami wants to be involved. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Tuesday that the county will submit a bid by September to host games in the 2026 World Cup, a move that comes with David Beckham possibly on the cusp of getting approval to bring an expansion Major League Soccer franchise to Miami and following a week where more than 110,000 fans attended two high-profile exhibition matches in South Florida. The county will make its pitch to the United Bid Committee, the group formed by the national delegations of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. to pursue bringing a men’s World Cup to North America for the first time since 1994. “We are hopeful,” Gimenez said. “We anticipate that we would make the first cut. I think Miami is in a very strong position to make the first cut and actually to make the final cut of either eight or 10 American cities to host World Cup games in 2026.” Part of the UBC’s 10-person board is former University of Miami president Donna Shalala. The group has been contacting more than 40 cities in recent weeks, inviting them to apply.

Enthusiastic “Soccer’s never had more momentum here in Miami, or around the United States,” Gimenez said. “This is the sport of the future, it’s the world’s sport and Americans have started to really appreciate it and watch it and be enthusiastic about it.” It also has long had a following in Miami, a multicultural city where international soccer has enormous popularity. Beckham could get his long-awaited approval to put an MLS expansion franchise in Miami on Wednesday, when league owners meet in Chicago — and will have his plan on their agenda. And last week, the Paris St. Germain-Juventus and Real Madrid-Barcelona matches drew huge crowds to Hard Rock Stadium. Even a practice session for the Spanish teams combined to draw another 37,000 paying customers. The crowd and the citywide hubbub for Real Madrid-Barcelona made it easy to envision what the scene could be like for a World Cup match in Miami. “We’re a big-event town,” said Bill Talbert, the president of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. “And I know we have interest, strong interest, in bringing the World Cup to Miami.” The UBC is proposing that 60 matches in that 2026 tournament be played in the U.S., with Mexico and Canada each playing host to 10 early matches. FIFA, soccer’s worldwide governing body, is expected to decide the 2026 site by May 2020. The bid involving the U.S. is expected to be the overwhelming favourite. Chile has expressed interest in bidding for 2026 as well, in a bid where it wants to be joined by some fellow South American countries. Next year’s World Cup is being staged in Russia, and Qatar will host it in 2022.

BARCELONA’s Neymar in action against Real Maded in their International Champions Cup soccer match on Saturday. (AP)

By JOSEPH WILSON, Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona is worried, very worried, that Neymar might be headed to Paris-Saint Germain. The Brazil striker is expected to be at practice on Wednesday, but no one seems to know if he’ll accept a world record transfer or show up for training. Just in case, Barcelona is making moves to protect 26 million euros ($30.7 million) that would be paid to Neymar if he stays in Spain, according to a club official. The official, who spoke on customary condition of anonymity, said “given doubts concerning the future of the player and while the situation is resolved” the money is being held from Neymar. “What the club does with the money, it does not know yet, given the uncertainty of the future,” the official told The Associated Press. The 25-year-old Neymar would

Rumours that star could head to Paris-Saint Germain be due the money now as per his contract renewal last year. But the amount is tiny compared to the 222 million euros ($262 million) that PSG would have to pay Barcelona to trigger the release clause included in Neymar’s contract. Neymar arrived to Barcelona on Tuesday night after some publicity events in China — both personal and for Barcelona. Catalan television channel TV3 showed images of Neymar walking quickly through Barcelona’s airport while wearing large headphones. Neymar is scheduled to return to training at Barcelona’s training grounds just outside the city on Wednesday. There are growing rumors that

Neymar, who has had four seasons of winning trophies and scoring spectacular goals at Barcelona, will bolt for PSG. Part of the gossip surrounding the possible transfer is that Neymar was to meet with doctors in Qatar for a medical. PSG is owned by a Qatari company. But the Barcelona official said the “club is not aware of any medical exam of the player with PSG.” Neymar’s father, who acts as his agent and is also named Neymar, arrived in Barcelona on Monday. He was swarmed by journalists at the airport but revealed nothing about his son’s intentions. Neymar also remained mum about his future while playing for Barcelona during its preseason

tour in the United States before heading off to Shanghai to boost his brand as a fashion icon. Last year, Neymar signed a contract extension with Barcelona through 2021, with his buyout clause increasing to the current 222 million euros and 250 million ($288 million) by 2018. The bonus Barcelona is now trying to protect is from that deal. If PSG does sign Neymar, the cost of the transfer would more than double the 105 million euros (then $116 million) that Manchester United paid a year ago for France midfielder Paul Pogba. PSG starts its season on Saturday, while Barcelona has until Aug. 13. Two weeks ago, Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu told The AP that Neymar “is not on the market.” He then told ESPN that if Neymar “wants to go then they will have to pay the clause, right down to the last euro.”

FORMER player Hasan Salihamidzic attends a news conference in Munich, Germany, Monday and (inset) in his playing days at Bayern Munich. (AP)

SALIHAMIDZIC APPOINTED BAYERN SPORTING DIRECTOR MUNICH (AP) — Former Bayern Munich midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic is the German champion’s new sporting director. The 40-year-old Bosnian was appointed on a three-year deal,

Bayern announced Monday. “I’ll be there for the players 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Salihamidzic said. Salihamidzic won six Bundesliga titles and one Champions

League trophy — in 2001 — in more than 350 appearances for Bayern between 1998 and 2007. Salihamidzic also made 42 appearances for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He takes over a position

left vacant since Matthias Sammer stepped down in 2016 due to health concerns. Even after leaving the club for Juventus, Salihamidzic maintained contact with Bayern president Uli Hoeness.

HALEP BEATS STEPHENS IN STRAIGHT SETS AT CITI OPEN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top-seeded Simona Halep defeated Sloane Stephens 7-6(3), 6-0 in her opening match at the Citi Open on Tuesday. After beating Stephens, the 2015 Citi Open champion, Halep will face Mariana Duque-Marino in the second round. Stephens played her second match of the season after missing nearly a year

with a stress fracture in her foot. Halep, who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, is ranked No. 2 behind Karolina Pliskova. Ekaterina Makarova stopped Jamie Loeb 7-6(4), 6-3, and Monica Puig beat Louisa Chirico 6-4, 6-4. In night matches, second-seeded Kristina Mladenovic faces Tatjana

Maria, Monica Niculescu faces Nao Hibino and Christina McHale faces Eugenie Bouchard. On the men’s side, topseeded Dominic Thiem faces Henri Laaksonen and second-seeded Kei Nishikori faces Donald Young. The Citi Open is a hardcourt tuneup for the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 28.

TOMMY HAAS HINTS AT IMMEDIATE RETIREMENT

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) — Tommy Haas hinted at cutting short his farewell season and retiring immediately after losing to fellow German player Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the opening round of the Generali Open on Tuesday. “It’s a terrible feeling. It could well be that this was my last match,” said the 39-year-old Haas, who was once ranked No. 2. “I am not playing anymore what I am capable of. And that is disappointing. “It’s my job to go out there and win matches.” Ranked 248th, Haas entered the final clay-court event of the year on a wild card. He is 6-14 this year, having lost all six matches since upsetting Roger Federer in Stuttgart in June.