08032017 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

BAAA PRESIDENT APPOINTED CHIEF SCRUTINEER FOR IAAF CONGRESS

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia,net

LONDON: While she waits for Team Bahamas to start competing at the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s 16th World Championships, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Rosamunde Carey is making some headlines of her own in the IAAF Congress.

Carey, who is attending the congress with first vice president Tonique Williams, was appointed as the chief scrutineer for the 51st session of the congress that will take place today ahead of the championships on Friday.

The appointment came on Monday when she was informed by IAAF president Lord Sebastian Coe. She said it was a honour that she gladly accepted, not just for the Bahamas, but the North American and Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) region, which she represented.

“They looked at a variety of items they wanted to discuss and it was decided that the governance and integrity and also events presentation and technology was more relevant for them to deal with at this time.

So she has to preside over the discussion and make a formal report to the IAAF Council.

“I was honoured. I was more pleasantly surprised coming out of the meeting yesterday morning (Tuesday),” Carey told The Tribune.

“When president Coe called me and asked me if I was comfortable being the chief scrutineer, I said ‘yes’ and he said I had the voice of confidence from him and the council.”

While Carey is not the first Bahamian to be appointed to any board or committee within the IAAF, she said it’s important for her to continue the legacy that was started by her predecessors, including the late Dr Bernard Nottage, Alpheus ‘Hawk’ Finlayson, Pauline DavisThompson and Dennis Marshall.

“It means that the Bahamas has people who are capable of making a contribution on the international scene, not just on the track, but in administration,” she stressed.

“I was very honoured to have been chosen.

When we look at the list of scrutineers, to be chosen over persons from 30 countries in NACAC and then to be chosen the chief scrutineer over all of the other countries, is a great testimony to what we can achieve as a people.”

All day yesterday, Carey said she was locked down in meetings making sure that she goes through all of the legal ramifications that come with her role.

And, as the competition is set to start on Friday, following the congress, Carey said she’s looking forward to Team Bahamas putting on a very good show over the next nine days of competition.

“We have great SEE PAGE E3

THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2017

GRAND BAHAMA ENJOYING A ‘DREAM WEEK’ WITH BUDDY PG3

Athletes are ‘looking good’ ahead of World Championships

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON: While he’s never had the opportunity to compete in England, Carl Oliver said he’s delighted to be here at the 16th International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championships as the co-manager for Team Bahamas.

Oliver, a former member of the men’s 4 x 400m relay team that won the gold in Edmonton, Canada in 2001 and the bronze in 2003 in Saint-Denis, said he likes what he’s seen so far after the first day of practice here on Wednesday.

“We had a meeting this morning with the athletes and everybody has settled in,” said Oliver, who is working along with Maybeline Miller as head of the delegation.

“We have no issues with the accommodations, but it is very cold and we expect it will get better tomorrow (today).”

After getting over the jet lag from their travel here on Monday, Oliver said the team went through a shake out and they are just waiting for sprinter Warren Fraser and quartermiler Steven Gardiner to get the ball rolling on Friday.

“We’re good. Everybody is looking good,” he said. “It was a little bit chilly today, but all of the athletes, maybe with the exception of one or two of the juniors, have been to Europe before so they are able to make the adjustments.

“But everybody is in good spirits.

“They are all happy to be here and we are expecting the best from all of the

ABOVE: Team Bahamas officials meet with athletes in London ahead of the IAAF World Championships.

BELOW: Workers continue setup preparations ahead of the start of the championships at the London Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. (AP)

athletes who are here.”

All but four of the athletes named to the 24-member team are in the games village. Officials are still waiting on the arrival of quarter-milers Michael Mathieu, Christine Amertil, Shaquania Dorsett and high jumper Donald Thomas.

They should complete the team here by the weekend.

As a former World Championship athlete, Oliver said he’s relying on his experience to expose

the athletes to some of the things that they need to be in a position to compete at their best.

“I just told them, especially the young ladies, that I’ve been to these events before and they will develop some anxiety, but that’s expected,” he said.

“They just need to go out there and do their best.”

When the opening ceremonies are held on Friday at 1:20pm ET, there won’t be any march past of athletes. Instead, they will sit in the stands with the

evening session to follow.

The competition will get underway for Team Bahamas during the first session of the championships when Fraser will be in one of the preliminaries of the men’s 100m. That starts at 3:20pm.

The start list, however, has not yet been released.

On Saturday, national record holder Steven Gardiner will participate in the first round of the men’s 400m that begins at 5:45am. The men’s 100m semi-final will be contest-

ed at 2:05pm with the final scheduled for 3:45pm.

The weekend will conclude with Olympic gold medallist Shaunae MillerUibo contesting the first of her two events in her signature 400m when the first round starts at 6:55am on Sunday.

The men’s 400m semi-final will take place around 2:40pm.

The remainder of the team will be in action from Monday through Sunday, August 13 when the championships come to a close.

ROBERTS WINS AGAIN TO REACH SEMIFINALS ROBINSON LEADS TEAM

TENNIS

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER gruelling three set match, another win for Justin Roberts as he advanced to the quarterfinals of the Finland F1 Futures – Admares Open.

Roberts defeated a higher ranked opponent for the second time in as many days when he eliminated Tom Fawcett of the United States 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 yesterday at the event in Kaarina, Finland.

In the quarterfinals today, he will face Jonathan Mrhida of Sweden, the fourth ranked player in the draw. Mrhida opened with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Jacob Eskland of Norway and a 6-0, 6-2 win over fellow country man Lucas Renard in round two.

Roberts topped sixth ranked Louis Chaix of France in the opening round, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, before his second round win over Fawcett.

It will also be the second consecutive match he will play against someone with

BAHAMAS GOLFERS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

GOLF

BAHAMAS tennis ace Justin Roberts.

a connection to his play in the doubles draw.

Roberts and Fawcett were teammates in the doubles draw where they lost to Mridha and Linus Frost of Sweden 3-6, 4-6.

With an International Tennis Federation ranking of 1,388, Roberts came into the event with the 15th highest ranking in the field.

The tournamemt has featured several upsets so far as three of the top eight seeds were unable to advance to the quarterfinal.

In addition to Chaix, third seed Alexander Vasilenko of Russia was eliminated in the first round by Mattias Sumar of Estonia 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 and seventh seeded Alexis Gautier of France was eliminated in the second round by Luca Gelhardt of Germany 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The tournament features players from ten countries.

It is the second edition of the event hosted at the tennis court in St. Karins and is organised by the Turku Lawn-Tennis Club.

THE 2017 Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships continued at The Links Casa de Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic and several Bahamian golfers fell behind the pace they established on day one.

Richard Gibson Jr, Devaughn Robinson, Oren Butler, Steven Kemp, Paul Tsavoussis and Lynford Miller comprise the men’s team with Taneka Sandiford and Ignacia Rolle in the women’s team.

On the men’s side, Robinson moved up three spots into 11th position. He improved one stroke from day one and shot 74 for a total gross of 149 (+7). Gibson fell five strokes back from his day one score of 73 and is tied for 12th after he shot a second round

78. Butler is also tied for 12th position after he shot a 76 yesterday and both players have a total score of 151 (+9).

Tsavoussis moved up six spots after he lowered his score four strokes from day one.

He was tied for 31st at 80, but improved to a 76 yesterday for a score of 156 (+14) for 25th place.

Kemp is tied for 38th and shot an 84 on day two for a total score of 163 (+21) and Miller shot an 87 for a total score of 171 (+29), tied for 44th through two rounds.

A pair from the Dominican Republic tops the standings. Juan Campusano leads the field at 140 (-2) and Juan Jose Gerra is tied for second with Sachin Kumar of Trinidad and Tobago with a total gross of 141 (-1).

SEE PAGE E3

PAGE 2, Thursday, August 3, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

NASSAU ROWING CLUB’S BOAT AND DOCK DEDICATION HELPS CELEBRATE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

PAST and present members, junior rowers, and friends and family attended the event.

ON SATURDAY, Nassau Rowing Club had their first Boat and Dock Dedication at their boat club located on the north side of Lake Cunningham.

With many upgrades happening this year to the club, the current board members thought that it would be a great opportunity to showcase its success this year, particularly as it celebrates its fifth anniversary this summer.

The club held its annual Learn to Row summer camp for the fifth year running, coached by Anthony Chacon, Head Coach of the California State University – Long Beach Men’s Rowing programme.

A record 25 rowers from seven local high schools took to the water for the first time, in keeping with the club’s mission to develop the premier competitive rowing programme in The Bahamas for rowers of all experience, age, and fitness levels.

Emily Morley, president of Nassau Rowing Club, praised the event.

THE BAHAMAS’ first rowing club has trained, supported, and produced many ambassadors of the sport.

“It was great to see the many faces of Nassau Rowing Club,” she said. “Some I have never met, some are old rowing friends, while some are new. Our club has a deep following that crosses cultural, national, and age lines – truly showing that rowing is a sport for everyone – and we are very grateful for everyone’s support.”

Dedicating a WinTech four, Vespoli double and their new wooden floating dock, the crowd shared stories, champagne, courtesy of Young’s Fine Wine, and reminisced on how they used to row out of Nassau Rowing Club’s from its infancy with one boat, to now having a growing fleet of racing class boats from top American boatmakers.

The WinTech was named “The Seawolf” after Sir Durward Knowles, after he generously donated money for the purchase of this boat, and to his longstanding dedication for youth and sports development in The Bahamas.

The Vespoli double was dedicated to the Rassin family after their accommodations on their lake-

side property for a number of years. Named “Isabella,” this double has trained many levels of rowers, from summer campers learning to row for the first time to masters rowers with many years of experience. The Nassau Rowing Club extended a special vote of thanks to the Rassins for their generosity in allowing the club to use this safe haven on Lake Cunningham.

The new dock, constructed about a month ago, was dedicated to Donna and Marc Ell. Since arriving in The Bahamas from Canada, where they row with the Regina Rowing Club, Donna and Marc have, the club says, been nothing short of selfless and a very gracious helping hand. The dock commemorated their “love for rowing, and our gratitude for their help”.

The event saw past and present members, junior rowers, and friends and family of rowers celebrate the legacy of the country’s first rowing club that has trained, supported, and produced so many ambas-

sadors of the sport.

Morley expected this to continue.

“The Nassau Rowing Club will continue to be at the forefront of rowing in The Bahamas, leading the way for anyone who wants to have fun and get fit, or for those who want to represent the country at a major regatta,” she said.

“It was a wonderful reminder of the diversity of rowing, and that we can all unite behind our collective passion for rowing and youth sports in The Bahamas.”

The Nassau Rowing Club has a high-profile roster of races upcoming this fall, with Morley herself competing in the Women’s Single at the World Rowing Championships to be held in Sarasota, FL in September. She and other members will also be competing in the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) in Boston in several different boat classes. The club has competed in the HOCR every year since 2014.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 3, 2017, PAGE 3

SCENES from Buddy Hield’s summer workshop held in New Providence last week. The NBA star is now in Grand Bahama for his ‘Dream Week’ basketball tournament. Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

GRAND BAHAMA ENJOYING A ‘DREAM WEEK’ WITH BUDDY

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BUDDY HIELD’S tour of community outreach efforts this summer shifted to Grand Bahama with “Dream Week.”

Dream Week began July 31 with a two day camp at both the Jack Hayward Gymnasium and Pinedale basketball courts.

Following a day off, the action returns to the court today with the inaugural “Buddy Hield Dream Week Basketball Tournament”.

Eight teams in Grand Bahama will participate in the single elimination tournament, including reigning national champion St. George’s Jaguars, GBHSSA champion Tabernacle Falcons, Sunland Stingers, Eight Mile Rock Bluejays, Mary Star of the Sea Crusaders, Bishop Michael Eldon Warriors, Pine Forest Academy and the hosts, Jack Hayward Wildcats.

Participating teams will directly benefit from their play in the tournament through incentives. The winning team will receive a $5,000 prize and new basketball gear while every team in the tournament will receive $2,500 and new basketball gear.

“God has blessed me and put me in a position where I can help someone, where I can reach out and show someone somewhere that people still care. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help my people. This is going to be an annual thing every year,” Hield said when referenc-

ing the inspiration behind the week long schedule of events. “I grew up less fortunate, I know what it’s like and now I have it so I can help those in a position I was in. Right now we are just taking it step by step and eventually we can grow to get bigger and better.”

The Sacramento Kings guard has hosted several camps during the offseason all dedicated to different stops in his basketball career – in Wichita, Kansas at his former high school, Sunrise Christian Academy; in Norman, Oklahoma where he played collegiately and in New Providence where he hosted a Summer Workshop last week.

“The same way it was done for me as a young kid growing up in Grand Bahama where people came and impacted my life I will be the same way, giving back, showing people we still care and helping the community in some kind of way,” Hield said.

Success and Enemies serves as the title sponsor for Dream Week, which culminates in a Hurricane Relief concert on Saturday, August 5, headlined by dancehall reggae artist Popcaan. Proceeds from the event will benefit those impacted by the effects of Hurricane Matthew.

Philcher Grant, director of strategic planning for Success and Enemies, said the organisation’s principles aligned closely with Hield, most notably the notion of “making sure you leave the world a better place than when you met it”.

GROSS Champion Richard Gibson Jr receiving his trophy from Eustan Forbes, BGF’s Central Division Chairman on the left and Glen Archer, BGF President, right.

BUDDY Hield meets youngsters during his basketball workshop last week.

PHOTO: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

JUNIOR Male winner Christopher Knowles with Eustan Forbes, left, and Glen Archer, right.

LYFORD CAY CLASSIC TOURNAMENT WINNERS ON COURSE FOR SUCCESS THE Bahamas Golf Federation recently hosted it’s latest tournament, the Lyford Cay Classic, the first Stapleford Points event in Nassau for the 2017 season. The event had a mixture of male, female and junior golfers. The BGF extended its congratulations to the following winners: Ladies Closest to the Pin - Amarie Smith Men Closest to the Pin - Lynford Miller Men Longest Drive - Oren Butler Junior Male Champion - Christopher Knowles Junior Female Champion - Amarie Smith FROM PAGE E1 Sandiford dropped five spots and is currently tied for 11th place after she shot an 85 on day two, following an opening day 80 and a total score of 165 (+23).

Ignacia Rolle was also off her day one pace and is 17th place with a total score of 173 (+31). She followed her round of 84 with yesterday’s 89.

Maria Fernanda Tor-

Gross Champion - Richard Gibson Jr, 35 points Gross Runner Up - Lynford Miller, 33 points Net Champion - Austin Knowles Jr, 37 points Net Runner Up - Leander Brice, 35points 3rd Net - Justice Neville Adderley The Lyford Cay Classic is a part of the Sands Beer Cup Series; the next event will be the Paradise Island Open, September 9 10 at Ocean Club.

ROBINSON LEADS TEAM BAHAMAS GOLFERS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC res of Puerto Rico had the low score of the day with 71 to move into first place with a total score of 147 (+5).

Golfers from Puerto Rico currently occupy four of the top five spots in the division.

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’s and the George Teale Trophy for the Ladies and also The Arthur Ziadie Trophy (Men and Ladies combined scores).

LYNFORD Miller with the Gross Runner Up trophy with Eustan Forbes and Glen Archer.

BAAA PRESIDENT APPOINTED CHIEF SCRUTINEER

FROM PAGE E1

expectations for not just for Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the 200 and 400 metres, but I think Donald Thomas is looking good in the high, our men’s 4 x 400 metre team and our women’s 4 x 100m team are also going to do very well,” she said.

“We also feel that Devynne Charlton is going to do very well in the hurdles, so is Steven Gardiner in the 400m and

we are looking forward to seeing what Michael Mathieu can do in the 200m.

He seemed to be leaning more towards that event than the 400m.”

Carey said she’s pleased with the 24 athletes that will carry the Bahamian flag in competition, the expectations are very high and the BAAA will ensure that the athletes are all in the best frame of mind to compete at their best.

PAGE 4, Thursday, August 3, 2017

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INDEPENDENT INTEGRITY UNIT IN CHARGE OF MONITORING TRACK

By EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer LONDON (AP) — Among the many issues that made the Russian doping scandal so difficult to detect, then fix, was that track and field’s own leaders were mixed up in the corruption.

To prevent repeats, the IAAF created the Athletics Integrity Unit, an independent operation that will oversee track’s effort to combat doping and other areas of corruption.

The idea of independent oversight is considered central to the anti-doping effort.

Cycling The International Olympic Committee and several winter sports are moving toward emulating what track and cycling have done.

The basic idea is that the people running the sports shouldn’t be deciding who plays and who gets punished, as well.

“If it’s successful, it could be a structure that others could follow, and a structure that could be put into place internationally,” said David Howman, the former director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency, who now chairs the AIU. “These governing bodies don’t like having internal views of their own when it comes to problems in their sport.

It doesn’t look good.

It’s the wrong perception. They need to have something more distant.”

Former IAAF president Lamine Diack is under investigation by French prosecutors for corruption related to cover-ups of Russian doping.

Changes Other IAAF members have been sanctioned for their possible roles in the cover-ups, and the new president, Sebastian Coe, spearheaded the charge for the independent integrity unit, which was among the many changes he’s put in place to remake the federation’s culture.

The integrity unit will not, however, make calls regarding the ongoing Russian scandal.

Those cases erupted before the new structure was in place.

An IAAF-appointed task force, headed by Rune Andersen, is overseeing Russia’s quest to come off suspension.

On Monday, Andersen said Russia still has far to go to be reinstated.

Neutrals Meanwhile, the IAAF has approved 19 Russian athletes to compete as neutrals at the world championships, which begin Friday.

Howman’s hope is that the new integrity unit prevents repeats, and not only in the area of anti-doping.

“My view is that there are so many things going on out there that challenge the integrity of sport,” he said.

“Bidding problems.

Gambling problems.

Anti-doping problems.

If you have an overall structure, you can monitor this so we can do this properly.”

Thursday, August 3, 2017, PAGE 5

NO ANTHEM OR COLOURS, BUT RUSSIAN ATHLETES ARE BACK AT TRACK WORLDS

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH, AP Sports Writer

ZHUKOVSKY, Russia (AP) — They won’t hear their anthem if they win.

Their national colours — even on nail varnish — are strictly forbidden. Regardless, a group of Russian athletes is back at the track and field world championships.

Almost two years after a blanket suspension for widespread doping, and a year after just one Russian was allowed to compete on the Olympic track in Rio de Janeiro, 19 will compete at the world championships starting Friday.

In London, they’ll officially be “neutral athletes,” individuals not representing any country.

Sergei Shubenkov, who won the 110-metre hurdles at the 2015 world championships but had to sit out the Olympics last year because Russia was banned from international competition, said “I’ve got back almost all the rights I had.”

Decked out in an electric blue Russia tracksuit at his national championships last Friday, he lamented he still can’t “take this beautiful, awesome uniform to the worlds and flaunt it.”

Keen to head off any Russian celebrations, the International Association of Athletics Federations has issued its 19 neutrals with strict codes of conduct.

The Russian flag and national colours are banned, so uniforms in neutral colours must be approved

by IAAF officials. Red, white and blue are forbidden, even on hairbands or bandages or accessories.

If the neutrals win, the IAAF’s anthem will play.

Under the rules, an athlete who sings the Russian anthem faces a fine, though any legal tussles could prove embarrassing for the IAAF. The rules “seem tough and a bit ridiculous,” said Shubenkov, who jokingly

ABOVE: Pole vaulter Anzhelika Sidorova, centre, warms up during the national track and field championship just outside Moscow, Russia. Russian athletes won’t hear their national anthem if they win and their national colours, even on nail varnish, are strictly forbidden.

But Russia’s track and field team is back. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) RIGHT: Reigning 110-metre hurdles champion Sergei Shubenkov. (AP)

suggested there might be a loophole for fur hats.

“Bringing a bear on a leash, would that count?”

The Russians will be in London when the IAAF holds a string of ceremonies re-awarding medals from past championships after doping cases.

Some originally belonged to Russians, including Tatyana Chernova, who beat Britain’s Jessica Ennis-Hill to heptathlon gold at the 2011 championships but was later stripped of that medal and others.

The Russians certainly looked like a team as they met Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev last week at their national titles.

Their world championship preparation is subsidised by the Russian state, while entry papers were submitted by the still-suspended national track federation, whose head coach Yuri Borzakovsky expects between five and seven po-

dium finishes.

Besides Shubenkov, another medal contender is reigning world high jump champion Maria Lasitskene, who won every round of the Diamond League this season. She just wants to block out the whole doping controversy.

“I don’t want to waste my emotions on that. I need them for the competition,” she said.

More than two years of investigations and bans have made the team stronger, says pole vaulter Anzhelika Sidorova. “Everyone who’s there will support the others,” she said.

“We’re all friends like never before.”

There’s a return for Russia’s only track and field Olympian of 2016, long jumper Darya Klishina, while some younger ath-

letes could be medal threats too.

Sergei Shirobokov, an 18-year-old racewalker, has promise but would be a controversial champion given his links to a training centre where more than 25 athletes have been banned for doping.

Still, it’s far from a full team.

Among the absentees are 2012 Olympic high jump champion Ivan Ukhov and former world indoor triple jump champion Lyukman Adams. Russian media reported both were refused neutral status by the IAAF. Dozens more are serving bans, including former Olympic champions.

The IAAF is retesting samples from previous championships after World Anti-Doping Agen-

cy investigator Richard McLaren alleged a conspiracy of drug use and cover-ups stretching back years. An apparent coverup of suspicious drug tests on the Russian track team before the 2014 world indoor championships is of particular interest.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted in March the previous anti-doping system “did not work,” there’s been no rush to investigate what exactly went wrong, at least not publicly. Several officials resigned last year in unclear circumstances, but the then-Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko was promoted.

Russian law enforcement has sought to present McLaren’s key witness, former drug-test lab director Grigory Rodchenkov, as unreliable.

The government continues to deny any role in doping cover-ups, frustrating the IAAF, which wants Russia to either accept or disprove McLaren’s findings.

Still, Russia is gradually getting closer to readmission to international track and field, which would make neutral uniforms a quirk of history.

An IAAF taskforce on Monday said Russia was giving drug testers better access but hadn’t done enough to investigate past offences.

“We’re coming out of those crises,” Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov told reporters last week.

Russian officials have toned down once-vehement criticism of the IAAF as they try to build bridges.

“It’ll be hard for the athletes to compete because they are all patriots of their country,” Kolobkov said when asked if he considered the absence of Russia’s flag insulting.

Whether the Russian athletes are neutral or not, he said, “everyone understands who they represent.”

STAGE ALL SET FOR HARDEE AT WORLDS AFTER EATON’S RETIREMENT

By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer

who trains in Austin, Texas. “I was just led down the right path. All I needed to do was put in the work.”

His venture into the decathlon was almost by accident. Cut from his high school basketball team, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Hardee turned to pole vaulting and went to Mississippi State hoping to become the next Sergei Bubka. But Hardee was introduced to the decathlon and began to flourish. He transferred to Texas, where he became an NCAA champion.

LONDON (AP) — Trey Hardee wants to set the record straight: No, he’s not retired. Never has been.

The thought really never crossed his mind.

The two-time world champion decathlete understands why everyone may have jumped to that conclusion. He’s 33, has been sidelined by an assortment of injuries and did some broadcasting work for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

On top of that, his Wikipedia page actually listed him as retired.

“I still really love what I do,” he said.

With world-record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist Ashton Eaton surprisingly announcing his retirement in January, the stage now belongs to the “other” American who, in virtually any other era, wouldn’t have been relegated to such status. Once the top rival of Eaton, Hardee could take his spot atop the medal stand at the world championships in London.

Unicorn

Dominate “I consider myself the bread in the Ashton sandwich,” Hardee joked about being around before Eaton’s arrival and still around now.

“When we were (competing), we were always like, ‘Let’s finish 1-2.’

Neither of us cared. We were like, ‘Let’s dominate this event and represent the United States, make sure we show what the American decathlon stands for.’”

For years, it was the Eaton and Hardee Show in a 10-event competition spread over two days. At the 2012 London Games, Eaton took gold while Hardee grabbed silver.

That despite Hardee having surgery on his throwing elbow a few months before the Olympics.

Another showdown loomed in Brazil. But Hardee was hobbled heading into the Olympic Trials and withdrew from the competition after aggravating his hamstring.

There went Rio for him as a competitor. Instead, he earned his way as an analyst and had a front-row seat for Eaton’s title defence.

UNITED STATES’ Trey Hardee reacts after competing in a 110-metre hurdles heat of the decathlon at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. (AP) “It was a bittersweet moment, watching my countrymen and cheering for them. But really, really in the bottom of your heart, you think, ‘I should be out there,’” Hardee recounted. “It was tough. It gave me more resolve to come back this year.”

A healthy Hardee turned in quite a performance at the U.S. championships in June, when he won the decathlon with 8,225 points. He held off the next wave of American decathletes eager to take over —

such as 24-year-old Zach Ziemek and Devon Williams. Both will accompany Hardee to London.

“It’s a nice time to be a decathlete in the U.S.,” Hardee said.

Hardee is part of a distinguished list, joining Eaton (2013, 2015), Dan O’Brien (1991, 1993, 1995), Tom Pappas (2003) and Bryan Clay (2005) as the only Americans to win the world decathlon title. Hardee captured his titles in 2009 and '11.

“Whatever my legacy is, it’s not for me to determine,” said Hardee,

Ever since, he’s been chasing that “unicorn,” which he calls the mythical perfect score in the competition. His personal-best mark of 8,790 points was set at the 2009 world championships in Berlin. In contrast, Eaton has set the world record twice — 9,039 points at the 2012 Olympic Trials, then 9,045, which he attained at the 2015 world championships in Beijing.

Recently, Hardee added another event to his plate — the getting-hisdaughter-to-laugh competition. He scores big numbers in that area.

“She can smile at you, and turn you into a puddle on the floor,” said Hardee, whose wife — a retired pole vaulter — gave birth to their daughter, Frankie , on Dec. 5, 2016 . “When she’s happy, we’re happy.

I’ve never been more heartbroken than when I’m holding her and she’s crying.”

The family won’t be accompanying him to London. This is more of a business trip. He feels confident heading into London, though, even if he’s dealing with a nagging foot ailment.

“I’m dangerous, because I still got some pop,” Hardee said. “I’m the wild card.”

Asked when he might step aside for real, Hardee just laughed.

“If I do retire, it will be a pretty quiet and an uneventful affair,” said Hardee, who dabbles in real estate on the side. “They’ll be like, ‘Did Trey retire?’

“But I still go to bed every night thinking about the decathlon and I wake up each morning ready to practice.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 3, 2017, PAGE 7

HAPP STRIKES OUT 10, BLUE JAYS TOP WHITE SOX 5-1 BASEBALL

By MATT SCHOCH, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Pitching in his home state for the first time since 2013, J.A. Happ looked more like the 20-game winner from a year ago than he has lately.

The left-hander had a seasonhigh 10 strikeouts in seven innings, matching his longest start of the season, as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Wednesday.

“We had a big group here today, a lot of friends and family in town so it feels good obviously to get the win and get out of here but also to pitch well in front of them too,” said Happ, who had more than 20 friends and family members travel about 100 miles to Guaranteed Rate Field from Peru, Illinois.

Happ (4-8) gave up a run and six hits while walking one to get his first win since July 4. He last got through seven innings in his first start of the season on April 5.

Justin Smoak extended his hitting streak to nine games and reached base three times for the Blue Jays, who won two of three in a matchup of last-place teams. Steve Pearce and Josh Donaldson added solo home runs.

Happ struck out the side in his final inning and the Blue Jays won for the second time in his last eight

starts and also won for the third time in four games.

The Toronto bullpen struck out the side in the eighth inning around two walks, as Dominic Leone, Aaron Loup and Joe Biagini preserved the lead. Roberto Osuna entered with two on and nobody out in the ninth inning, and set down three straight batters to earn his 27th save.

The Blue Jays were playing for the 20th straight day since the All-Star break and have a day off Thursday before a three-game weekend series against the AL-leading Houston Astros.

“I think we’re all excited for the off day,” Smoak said. “Twenty in a row after the break is definitely not easy, so it’ll be a happy flight to Houston.”

Derek Holland (5-11) gave up two runs and five hits with four walks in six innings. The left-hander came into the game with a 9.46 ERA in his past 10 starts.

“This is definitely a good start to build off,” Holland said. “Probably the only thing I would say is disappointing is four walks. That kills you from going later into the game, I should say. But I thought everything else was working perfect.”

Smoak drove in Donaldson with a double in the third inning to open the scoring. The All-Star first baseman had homered in each of the first two games of the series.

ABOVE: Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ delivers during the first inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox. RIGHT: Toronto Blue Jays Josh Donaldson, right, scores a run past Chicago White Sox catcher Kevan Smith (36).

Pearce hit his 11th home run of the season Holland’s first pitch of the sixth inning. It was his third home run in seven games.

Russell Martin had an RBI single and Kevin Pillar later scored on a Jake Petricka wild pitch in the eighth inning.

Donaldson homered on the first pitch of the ninth for his third straight game with a homer and fourth in six games.

Leury Garcia had an RBI single in the sixth inning for the rebuilding White Sox, who lost for the 19th time in 23 games.

“Honestly, today I’m not thinking about 19 games,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “I’m not thinking about the last 23, just today what went right and what went wrong.”

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Mostly sunny

Mainly clear

Sunny to partly cloudy and breezy

Mostly sunny and breezy

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots

Partly sunny, a shower; breezy

High: 94°

Low: 81°

High: 95° Low: 83°

High: 94° Low: 80°

High: 93° Low: 80°

High: 93° Low: 80°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

108° F

88° F

107°-91° F

107°-86° F

105°-83° F

105°-85° F

ORLANDO

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 74° F/23° C

TAMPA

High: 88° 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.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 83° F/28° C

7‑14 knots

S

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 80° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 82° F/28° C

E

W S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

N

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° C

MIAMI

High: 93° F/34° C Low: 82° F/28° C

6‑12 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 93° F/34° C Low .................................................... 79° F/26° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 92° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 79° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday .................................. trace Year to date ............................................... 16.10” Normal year to date ................................... 20.08”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 94° F/34° C Low: 81° F/27° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 83° F/28° C

N

KEY WEST

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 85° F/29° C

E

W

7‑14 knots

S

8‑16 knots

nassau Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

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

Wednesday 9:36 a.m.

9:55 p.m.

2.9 3.3

3:40 a.m.

3:43 p.m.

0.4 0.3

sun

anD

Sunrise Sunset

moon

6:38 a.m.

7:53 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

4:49 p.m.

3:09 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Aug. 7

Aug. 14

Aug. 21

Aug. 29

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 83° F/28° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

L

For

High

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N

S

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

tiDes

CAT ISLAND

E

W

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

8‑16 knots

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

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

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

tonight’s lows.

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

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

N E

W

E

W S

S

10‑20 knots

12‑25 knots

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

Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday:

WINDS SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots NE at 12‑25 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots

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

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

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

PAGE 8, Thursday, August 3, 2017

NBC MOVING STUDIO SHOW TO ENGLAND FOR PREMIER LEAGUE OPENERS NEW YORK (AP) — NBC is moving its Premier League studio show to England for the season openers for the first time.

The network said Wednesday that Rebecca Lowe will host broadcasts on site from Aug. 11-13 with a rotating group of the network’s analysts and commentators.

The Premier League season opens on a Friday night for the first time on Aug. 11 when Arsenal hosts Leicester, a match called by Arlo White and Kyle Martino.

Brighton, in the top division for the first time since 1982-83, host Manchester City on Saturday, with White and Robbie Earle commentating. The weekend concludes with Manchester United hosting West Ham on Sunday, with White and Robbie Mustoe the broadcasters.

Lee Dixon and Graeme Le Saux, who are White’s usual broadcast partners, will be part of pitch-side and studio coverage for about 21 hours of on-site broadcasts. The network gains extra access to players and managers when it moves its coverage to the stadiums.

“It has that feeling of let’s just get going. Everyone’s in a great mood because no one got injured yet. There’s been nothing negative yet,” Lowe said.

“There’s always so much hope at the start of the season.”

NBC made road trips from its studio in Stamford, Connecticut, in each of the last three Aprils.

“It will certainly kick off this season in a bit different way than the last four,” Lowe said. “It certainly does add that closeness, that proximity.”

THE TRIBUNE

NEYMAR ON CUSP OF RECORD-BREAKING MOVE TO PSG BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Neymar is ready to leave Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to put up a record $262 million to make it happen.

The 25-year-old Brazil striker, widely considered to be among the best soccer players in the world alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, broke weeks of silence Wednesday when he told his Barcelona teammates he wants to move on after four trophy-laden seasons.

The cost of the player’s buyout clause is 222 million euros ($262 million), an astonishing price that Neymar’s representative said PSG is willing to pay.

“After Neymar gave me the green light on Aug. 1, I went to Paris and today I brought back PSG’s offer to pay the (buyout) clause, which will be done in the next hours,” Wagner Ribeiro said Wednesday at the airport in Barcelona.

Ribeiro, speaking at an airport entrance as Neymar headed toward a flight, said his client would be with the French team by this weekend. He refused to say where Neymar was flying.

The payment of the buyout clause would dwarf the previous world record transfer of 105 million euros (then $116 million) that Manchester United paid for France midfielder Paul Pogba last year.

After Neymar and his father met with Barcelona officials on Wednesday, club spokesman Josep Vives said the player was reminded of “the release clause in his current contract, which as of July 1 is 222 million euros, which must be paid in full.”

Messi, who has led a dynamic striking trio with Neymar and Luis Suarez, wished the Brazilian well.

“It was an enormous pleasure to have shared all these years with you, my friend Neymar. I wish you the best of luck in the next stage of your life,” Messi wrote in Spanish on Ins-

ABOVE: BARCELONA’S NEYMAR, front row, second from left, and teammates pose with the trophy after defeating Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup match on Saturday.

RIGHT: Neymar arrives at the Sports Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, Spain, yesterday amid widespread rumours that the Brazil striker could make a record-breaking move to Paris Saint-Germain. (AP)

tagram along with a slide show of pictures of the two playing and celebrating together.

Driving a blue Audi with two passengers, Neymar breezed in and out of the Barcelona’s training ground outside the city earlier Wednesday. He had arrived in Spain on Tuesday night after holding publicity events for both his personal brand and Barcelona in China.

Last year, Neymar signed a new contract with Barcelona that tied him to the Catalan club through 2021. Vives noted that Neymar “is still under contract with FC Barcelona, but with temporary permission to not take part in the training session.”

Barcelona said Neymar did not specify where he wanted to play next, but the only club speculated to be after him — and one of

few which could handle the cost of the transfer — is the Qatari-owned PSG. PSG did not answer messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

A style icon and a national hero in Brazil, Neymar is a lucrative lure for advertisers. Clubs like PSG have taken notice.

With his lightning-quick feet, creative instincts and scoring touch, Neymar helped maintain Barcelona as one of the top clubs in Europe for the past four seasons as he blossomed into a worldwide star. Club president Josep Bartomeu had said that the club would do everything to keep him, but to no avail.

Neymar scored 105 goals — some of them true gems — and was a key playmaker for Barcelona as it won a Champions League, two Spanish leagues, three Copa del Reys, one Club

World Cup, a UEFA Super Cup and two Spanish Super Cups.

Yet, even before this drawn-out saga, Neymar also provided more than one headache for his club.

His transfer from Brazilian club Santos in 2013 became the source of a legal dispute that has dogged Barcelona even since. Barcelona said at the time that his transfer cost 57 million euros, while an investigative judge says that the real cost was at least 83.3 million euros.

Now Bartomeu and predecessor Sandro Rosell, who resigned as president of the club amid the transfer scandal, are facing trial on charges of fraudulent administration.

Neymar has also mixed his flair for fancy goals with bouts of immaturity on the field, often needlessly taunting defenders and trying to upstage them with his dribbling skills.

But nobody doubts Neymar is one of the greatest talents of his generation.

PSG saw it first-hand in last season’s Champions League. In his most memorable performance for Barcelona, Neymar scored two goals and set up two more to inspire a historic 6-1 rout to overturn PSG’s 4-0 first-leg win in the last 16.

Unless PSG gets lastsecond jitters, Neymar will take over a team that is searching for a leader who can achieve elusive Champions League success.

DEPARTURES FORCE MONACO TO REBUILD FOR TITLE DEFENCE

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN, AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — Monaco have made a lot of money this summer on the transfer market, and the French league champions’ bank accounts could look even better in a few weeks if Kylian Mbappe leaves for Real Madrid.

It’s on the football pitch, though, where pundits wonder how the Principality club will cope with the wave of departures.

Dmitry Rybolovlev, the Russian billionaire who invested millions of euros to bring Monaco back to the topflight in 2013, has already sold left back Benjamin Mendy, central midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, playmaker Bernardo Silva, forward Valere Germain and midfielder Nabil Dirar.

All of them had been instrumental in Monaco’s run to the French league trophy last season when Leonardo Jardim’s side won the domestic title and reached the Champions League semifinals.

Monaco’s successful combination has been dismantled, and now Jardim needs to rebuild a lineup with the aim of replicating the enthralling football over the past 12 months.

This is not the first time that Jardim has encountered such a complicated task, though.

Three years ago when Monaco faced a UEFA probe for overspending on player transfers and wages, the Portuguese coach had to deal with the departures of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez. A year later, Anthony Martial, one of the brightest young players in French football at the time, was sold to Manchester United, after four other key players also left.

It took some time for Jardim

MONACO’s Kylian Mbappe pictured after the Champions League quarterfinal second leg match between Monaco and Dortmund last season.

There are rumours of interest in the player from Real Madrid. (AP)

to find the right balance, but he eventually managed to end four seasons of dominance from Paris Saint-Germain by clinching the title in glorious style last May. Monaco finished eight points clear of second-place PSG and scored 107 league goals in 38 games, and more than 150 in all competitions.

Regarded as one of the best coaches in European football, Jardim still hopes to keep Mbappe, who scored 26 goals in a tremendous breakthrough season. But in any case, rebuilding a competitive team with the same attacking flair as last season amounts to a near impossible job.

To compensate for Bakayoko’s loss, Monaco has hired Youri Tielemans from Anderlecht, while Terence Kongolo has been recruited for defensive purposes.

In attack, no major player has been hired but wingers Rony Lopes and Allan Saint-Maximin have returned from loans, and Radamel Falcao has signed a contract extension until June 2020.

“Important players have left this summer but quality play-

ers also arrived,” Falcao said.

“Hopefully we’ve got the team needed to achieve something as good as last year, or even better.”

Despite Falcao’s optimism, Monaco was not impressive in its first were game this season, a 2-1 loss to PSG in the Champions Trophy last weekend. After a strong start, Monaco faded during a second half characterised by technical errors and a lack of physical strength in the box.

Monaco has only a few days left to adjust, starting the defense of its title on Friday against Toulouse.

Unlike their big rivals, PSG banked on stability to regain its supremacy, selling only a few players and bringing in Brazil full back Dani Alves while it still tries to secure Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona.

Alves has been decisive immediately, scoring a nice free kick and setting up another goal in the Champions Trophy.

The 34-year-old Alves was signed to bring more experience to a squad whose main objective remains to win the Champions

League after repeated failures that included a terrible humiliation at the hands of Barcelona last season.

“We want to go a long way and keep making progress,” Alves said after the Champions Trophy.

“I just hope that this title won’t be the last one.”

Behind PSG and Monaco, Marseille should also be a factor in the title race after securing the services of Germain, Brazil midfielder Luiz Gustavo, forward Clinton Njie and France defender Adil Rami.

The only French team to win the Champions League, Marseille has entered a new phase in the reconstruction project led by American owner Frank McCourt, mixing veterans and youth.

As part of McCourt’s “Champions Project,” Marseille coach Rudi Garcia has also finalised the return of ‘keeper Steve Mandanda.

“With our recruits, the goal is clear: a top-three finish,” Njie said.

Another potential contender

VALERE Germain is one of many recent departures from Monaco. (AP)

is Nantes, which hired former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri.

It will be Ranieri’s second experience in the French league after helping Monaco win the Ligue 2 title to gain promotion in his first season and then finish runners-up in the topflight in 2013-14.

Eight-time French champion Nantes couldn’t persuade Sergio Conceicao to stay and so opted for Ranieri, who famously led English club Leicester to the Premier League title in 2016.

“The motivation is always very strong. My love for football and the players are always very strong,” Ranieri said. “We must forget Leicester and work with humility.”