08102017 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017

LEEVAN SANDS DELIGHTED TO LEND SUPPORT PG3

400M FINAL HEARTBREAK FOR SHAUNAE

SHAUNAE Miller-Uibo (centre) falls behind Phyllis Francis (second from right) and Allyson Felix (far right).

PHOTO: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net LONDON, England: It will probably be the biggest disaster that Shaunae Miller-Uibo will have to recover from, hopefully it will be in time to get back on the track to compete in the women’s 200 metres semifinals today at the 16th IAAF World Championships.

In the final of the women’s 400 metres with plenty room to spare ahead of her rivals at a raindrenched Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, Miller-Uibo’s feet wobbled and she relinquished her huge lead and dropped from the gold to fourth place in the last 50 metres.

She and American Allyson Felix were set to square off for the third straight year in a global meet, breaking the 1-1 tie from

Miller-Uibo slips back after leading in final stretch the last World’s in Beijing, China won by Felix and last year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with Miller-Uiboi’s dive across the line.

Instead, American Phyllis Francis powered from lane six to sneak the gold in a personal best of 49.92. Sava Ed Naser produced a Bahrain national record of 50.06 for the silver and Felix clinched the bronze with 50.08.

Miller-Uibo, who appeared to be on a 48-second pace, eventually completed the race in 50.49.

Unavailable to speak to the media after the race, her mother and team manager Maybeline Miller said her daughter is fine.

“She still doesn’t know what happened,” she said. “She was clear on the way coming home and she just tripped. She don’t understand it. She doesn’t know what it is. In talking to her, she is still in high spirits and she said she’s going to win the 200m. She didn’t get the gold in the 400, but she’s going to get it in the 200m.”

She was attempting to become the first woman ever at the championships to win the 200/400m double. Now she has to turn her attention on the semifinal of the 200m where she will compete with fellow team-mates Tynia Gaither SEE PAGE E3

SHAUNAE Miller-Uibo after the race.

Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics

HARD WORK PAYS OFF AS STEVEN GARDINER COLLECTS SILVER MEDAL BIANCA STUART

BIANCA STUART DISAPPOINTED WITH LONG JUMP FINISH

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net LONDON, England: Bianca Stuart’s fourth trip to the IAAF World Championships was certainly not what the national long jump record holder had anticipated.

She was so disappointed in her 29th position overall with a best leap of 5.91 metres or 19-feet, 4 3/4-inches that she could hardly utter any words in her post-event speech.

“I’m not sure. I don’t know what happened,” she said.

Competing on a rainy Wednesday in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, Stuart struggled through the 14-woman field in Group B. She opened with a leap of 4.25m (1311 1/2) on her first attempt, fouled her second, but managed to soar to 5.91 (19-4 3/4) on her final attempt.

But that wasn’t enough for her to advance as she finished 13th and saw Great Britain’s Lorraine Ugen clear 6.63m (21-9).

“I don’t want to blame anything on the weather,” said Stuart. “It didn’t go as well as I would have liked it SEE PAGE E3

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedi.net

LONDON, England: All of Steven Gardiner’s sacrifices and accomplishments this year, and a crucial coaching change, culminated in the 400m silver medal he received on Wednesday night at the 16th IAAF World Championships.

“It’s finally sinking in and I started to cry a bit with one tear and I had to suck it in a bit out there,” said Gardiner of his prized possession.

“It feels really good – a pleasure to be the world silver medalist in an individual event.”

On Tuesday night, Gardiner became just the second Bahamian to win a medal in the men’s one-lap race at these championships, joining Avard Moncur, the gold medalist from the 2001 championships in Edmonton, Canada.

However, his silver behind world record holder Wadye van Niekerk from South Africa was the first for Team Bahamas in these championships so far.

“I’ve been working hard and I just put my hard work to use to get the medal,” insisted Gardiner, who in the semis lowered his national record to an impressive 43.89 as he became the first Bahamian to dip under the 44-second barrier.

The native from Abaco, who moved to New Providence from coach Anthony Williams to George Cleare as a 200m specialist, has been knocking on the door of global prominence for the past three years.

After falling short in his world championship and Olympic Games debut where he failed to get out of the rounds, Gardiner has now proved that he’s a world contender.

“It was very tough, moving up and down, switching coaches and moving to a new environment,” said Gardiner, who is now based on Florida under coach Gary Evans.

STEVEN GARDINER was presented with his 400m silver medal on Wednesday night. Photo: Kermit Taylor/ Bahamas Athletics

“But at the end of the day, I managed to push through everything and look where I am now.

“The transition was fine with me.

“We were on the same page from day one. He’s very humble and quiet. That is what I like about him.”

After enduring a very cold night of rest following the chilly conditions that they had to compete in, Gardiner said he can take comfort in the fact that he’s a world silver medalist.

Now he’s hoping that since he’s arrived on the world stage, he can enjoy even more days as a medalist. Starting with the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia from April 4-15, 2017.

“The future is to try to be on the podium as much as I can,” he projected. “Every year, some peo-

ple will be up and down, but that’s life.”

With more than 200 countries fighting for three medals in each event, Gardiner said he’s just delighted to get one for the Bahamas.

He’s hoping to be well rested so that he can come back over the weekend to try to claim another for the Bahamas when the preliminaries and the final of the 4 x 400m relay will be contested on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Van Niekerk said he’s been watching Gardiner’s progress and he’s just as thrilled that he came out with the silver.

“He’s been putting out some quality times and he’s finally had the opportunity to break the 44-seconds as well,” van Niekerk said.

“It’s all of our dreams to break barriers and I’m please to see that

he’s finally broke through and hopefully it will go from strength to strength from now.”

And van Niekerk said he was just as delighted with his success as the repeat champion.

“It’s what we want to do.

“The consistency to try win gold medals.

“That is where the standard is right now,” he insisted.

“It wasn’t a very easy race with the weather.

“It was quite freezing, but we take the circumstances as it comes.

“It’s equal to each and everyone of us, so I’m glad that last night worked out very well for me.”

Now, Niekerk’s quest is to become the first male athlete since American Michael Johnson in 1995, to win both the 200 and 400m titles in the same championships.

PAGE 2, Thursday, August 10, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

BLUE CHIPS ATHLETICS CAMP IS ‘A BREATH OF FRESH AIR’

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE fourth edition of the Blue Chips Athletics Camp is underway at the Queen’s College campus, offering elite level training for student athletes interested in advancing their throwing and middle distance running skills.

Blue Chip Head Coach Corrington Maycock is spearheading the effort at the camp, which concludes August 12, and is assisted by several visiting coaches from the United States at the high school and collegiate level.

“It’s all about conditioning, technique, progression charts and showing them how they can move from novices to advanced throwers,” Maycock said. “What we really want is to bring further recognition and awareness to these events and those opportunities that they can create for our student athletes. We just want to attract more interest and get more athletes around the Bahamas to take up the throwing events. Once that interest and enthusiasm is there to work with, we can see what we can do from there, but this is where it starts, getting kids interested.”

He noted the recent success of many junior athletes at the junior level in throwing events, most notably, Serena Brown, who recently completed a record breaking season for the Texas A and M Aggies.

“We have athletes like Serena Brown that the younger ones can look to as an example with her success,” Maycock said. “A lot of the kids may not be aware of their potential in throws because once they hit one sport or one specific event they think that it’s the only avenue they can take, but we have had kids from all over - different sports, different disciplines in athletics and they all make the transition and make it very well. They possess the athleticism they can come over the throws and see where that can take them.”

The camp provides theoretical and practical instruction for the participants with lectures and skill development.

April Smith is the Assistant Coach (Throws) at Fresno State and is participating in the camp for the

third time.

“It’s enjoyable because the athletes are fun to work with and they’re so hungry for the knowledge and the opportunity to earn scholarships and to perfect something that they enjoy,” she said, “The kids are great and they truly enjoy learning and doing something different. These kids will bend over backwards for you to follow instructions, they try hard and their work ethic is wonderful and it makes it easy to want to come back.”

Smith has already recruited one thrower from the Blue Chip programme to Fresno State – Tahjnee Thurston – and said she is always on the lookout for more talent.

“Coach Maycock instills a similar philosophy that I have and that makes the transition easier. It’s kind of a breath of fresh air when I come down here because of their work ethic and their approach,” she said, “There’s a large amount of talent here and its undiscovered talent, even by the kids themselves. One thing I have always tried to pride myself on is being able to identify with a lot of the females.

Being a taller girl, a thicker girl, I know what they are going through in the aspect of not wanting to look manly, they want to be attractive, they want to be beautiful so I want to show them that strength is not an ugly quality. Some of these kids that were basketball players that didn’t really think athletics was in their frame, a lot of them have been the pleasant surprises. Discovering the talent is what makes this even more fun, seeing that light bulb go off in their heads and seeing them get excited when they realise that they are good at it.”

Her husband, Bob Smith coaches throws at Central High School in Fresno, California and has joined the coaching staff at Blue Chips this year.

“I was telling my wife it usually takes us about two and a half hours to run through the drills and we got through that in about an hour yesterday,” he said. “We had about eight kids that were returners from last year who went through a quick refresher course and they were ready to go. We plan to get a lot more throwing in this year than we did last year and that means that they’re

PICTURED are camp participants throwing the discus.

PHOTOS: Terrel W Carey/Tribune staff well trained, they’re doing the things that we did last year and that base is established. The talent level this year is above what it was last year and every year we want it keep getting better, especially with so many kids coming back.

“It’s about finding kids that have a love for it, they see the sprinters getting the glory but there is a lot more scholarship opportunity in track and field with throwing at all levels. It’s about finding coaches that are just as involved and have as much passion for it as the athletes do. We’re starting to get a bond with these kids.”

Participants shifted through several stations including the shot put and discuss yesterday on day three of the event.

Shannon Popp, an assistant coach (throws) from Louisiana LaFayette University also joined the camp this year for the first time.

“In the summers I usually work with a very prestigious camp in the states called the Iron Wood Throwing Camp and that one is very similar to what we are doing down here. I love the fact that I can work with so many individual athletes from other countries and spread that knowledge,” she said, “I have never seen kids pick up information, retain it and apply it so fast. These kids are very talented and it’s been a pleasure and a blessing to come down here and

work with them.”

This year, Maycock has decided to add a middle and long distance component to the camp.

Coach Christine Engel, also an assistant coach (distance) at Fresno State University, is conducting the inaugural middle and long distance segment of the camp with the view of providing an athletic scholarship to potential Bahamian athletes.

“There’s so much talent in the Bahamas and its great to expose them to different warm-up techniques drills and a variety of things that they can take back to their own teams and schools and implement. We’ve had lectures on nutrition, recovery, college recruiting and many topics. We’ve really tried to pack a lot into these few days with them so that they can learn something each day,” she said, “Their enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge has been great.

It’s a great week to do this as the World Champs are going on in London and we require them to become even more of a fan of the sport so they were focusing on those events like the 1500 and the steeplechase and finding some athletes they want to emulate and that is important for goal setting.”

The challenge for the coaches, according to Maycock, is to try and cram it all in one week.

“Not everybody will get a

scholarship from the camp, but there are other schools who are interested in giving out scholarships who are not going to be here,” Maycock said. “But we do have the means outside of the camp to help your kids. You have to be developed first before we can talk about talent. We are still looking for the development of the throwers

or runners first. The focus of the camp is to get the campers from basic development to peaking to compete. It’s going to be tedious in a way, but beneficial in the long run.

“So we’re hoping this one opens the door for us to put on a stronger camp next year and to help the programme in the future.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 10, 2017, PAGE 3

BAAA PRESIDENT IS ‘MORE THAN PLEASED’ WITH TEAM’S PERFORMANCE

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net LONDON, England: Just past the mid-point of the 16th IAAF World Championships, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Rosamunde Carey said she’s more than pleased with the performances she’s seen from the 24-member team representing the Bahamas.

“I’m excited about it.

Coming in, we knew that Stevie was going to be on the medal podium,” said Carey during a team celebrations on Wednesday at Bahamas House, hosted by Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard. “We were prepared to take whatever medal.

“He said he was going for either of the two spots, gold or silver, so we were there cheering him on.

He said he was kind of disappointed, had he ran how he ran in the semis, he would have been in gold. But we told him that as this was his first major competition, you’re on the medal podium, and we as Bahamians are very proud of you. Whatever medal you have, we’re grateful for it.”

With five more days to go, Carey said the accomplishments so far will only set the tone for greater things to come from Team Bahamas.

“We had Botswana’s general secretary and their president in the VIP said this was going to be an African sweep, but we told them that Stevie will have to be an African because he is going to be right in the mix,” she said. “After the race, they said, only because Isaacs (Makwala) wasn’t in it. That’s the reality, we got a silver medal.”

Makwala, having qualified for the final, was not allowed to compete after he withdrew from the preliminaries of the men’s 200m because of illness. However, he was granted permission to run the 200m in lane seven by himself to see if he would advance to the semis. He did and came back later in the night to book his trip to the final tonight with Wayde van Niekerk, the South African 400m world record holder, who took the gold over Gardiner in the one-lap race.

The Bahamas had one competitor entered in the 200m, but Grand Bahamian Teray Smith didn’t advance out of the qualifying round.

BIANCA STUART in action at the IAAF World Championships.

Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics

BIANCA STUART DISAPPOINTED WITH LONG JUMP FINISH FROM PAGE ONE to, but I thank God for allowing me to still come out healthy.”

Stuart, 29, was one of three Bahamians invited to compete in the 16th edition of the championships after she failed to qualify. She competed in her initial event in 2011 in Daegu, South Korea where she was 17th with 6.44m (21-1 1/2). In 2013 in Moscow,

Russia, she placed 24th with 6.35m (20-10) and followed that with a 25th showing in Beijing, China in 2015 with 6.34m (20-9 3/4).

The 2015 Pan American Games’ silver medalist in Toronto, Canada, holds the national record with a leap of 6.83m (22-5) two years ago at the BAAA’s National Championships at home and she came into the championships with a season’s best of 6.67m

(21-10 3/4) on May 28 in Fairburn, Georgia.

She said she will contemplate whether or not she will go to the Commonwealth Games next year in the Queensland, Australia where she will get an opportunity to improve on her eighth place in Glasgow, Scotland in 2015.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time. This is just another stepping stone,” she summed up.

LEEVAN SANDS DELIGHTED TO LEND SUPPORT

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedi.net

LONDON, England: Although he would rather be here to compete, men’s national triple jump record holder Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands said he’s just delighted be back at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Stadium to support Team Bahamas.

Sands, the elected Athletes Representative, arrived in London on Wednesday, one day after missing out on Steven Gardiner’s historic performance in the men’s 400 metre final on Tuesday when he clinched the country’s first medal - a silver – behind world record holder Wadye van Niekerk from the Republic of South Africa.

“It feels great to be back here competing. That was my goal to get back to London,” said Sands, who suffered a near career ending injury in the final of the men’s triple jump at the 2012 Olympic Games.

“I got the injury. I strained a ligament in my foot late in the season and it turned out to be a setback for me. I was disappointed because I wasn’t

LEEVAN SANDS

able to be here as an athlete with the team, but it is what it is. I have to move forward and get ready for the Commonwealth Games next year.”

It was a painful time for Sands when he went down with the injury and had to settle for fifth place as Americans Christian Taylor and Will Claye went on to a 1-2 sweep for the gold and silver respectively and Fabrizio Donato of Italy settled for the bronze.

Sands clearly remembers when he had to be carted off the field and taken to a local hospital to undergo immediate surgery.

“I won’t lie. It brought back a lot of memories,” said Sands with a chuckle.

“They were good memories, but I just enjoy being back here. Coming back here reminds me of everything that happened.

“I visualised everything.

I came off the plane and I saw the same signs and seeing the same scenic routes, it just reminded me of what happened at the Olympics. But it’s a good feeling to be here among Team Bahamas.”

Still holding on to the distinction of being the first Bahamian to win a medal at the championships when he landed the bronze in 2003 in SaintDenis, France, Sands congratulated Gardiner for winning the first medal for the country at this year’s event.

“I’m proud of him. I think last year he didn’t make the final,” said Sands of Gardiner’s Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “He was a favourite to win a medal, but he didn’t even make the final. But I congratulate him for his accomplishment this year.

“We also have Shaunae coming up and I know she’s going to do her thing, as well as Bianca, who is

great shape. Like I said, it’s a young team and I think it will be an experience for them. I think next year, a lot of them who didn’t make the final this year will be finalists and possibly get a chance to medal.”

At the same thing, Sands said he won’t miss the men’s triple jump as Taylor looks set to defend his title.

“Normally I wouldn’t watch track and field unless I am competing,” he pointed out. “But seeing that I’m here, I’m going to go to the track and watch the guys perform in the final. Even though we fight in the competition, we are still very close friends, so I will be there to support them.”

Sands expects Taylor to come out on top.

He said he’s also counting on Team Bahamas to do well and he offered this bit of advice to all of them.

“Keep fighting. Disappointments are going to happen,” he warned them.

“If you continue to follow your goals, anything is possible. It’s all in the mind.

“The sport of track and field or any sport is 90 per cent mental and 10 perc

ent physical. To me that’s how it is.

“I think once you visualise what you want to do, anything is possible. Why can’t you be a gold medalist? I think anybody can be a gold medalist.”

Although he’s not won his gold medal yet, Sands is also the holder of a bronze medal from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

He also plans to thank the doctor and staff at the local hospital in London for how they took care of him during his surgery.

“I want to see the doctor. I spoke to him and I told him I might be coming to London and I just found out that I was coming, so I want to sit down at lunch with him because I owe him a lot,” Sands said.

“He never doubted the process when others did.”

For those who are still doubting, Sands, who will celebrate his 36th birthday on August 16, said he will be back next year for the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia from April 4-15 since he didn’t get to close out his long and illustrious career here on the global stage at the Worlds.

400M FINAL HEARTBREAK FOR SHAUNAE MILLER-UIBO FROM PAGE ONE

and Anthonique Strachan, starting at 4:05 pm.

“She knows that race is gone. Ain’t nothing she could do with that,” her mother said. “She’s focusing on the 200m semifinals tomorrow and the final the day after.”

The elder Miller said Miller-Uibo wasn’t in any pain, nor did she indicate that the weather was a factor in the race.

Head coach Dianne WoodsideJohnson said she was able to assess Miller-Uibo after the race and she was in good spirits and looking forward to redemption in the 200m. She said it was just one of those things that happened that she couldn’t do anything about it.

“She was a 48 second pace,” said Woodside-Johnson, her former coach when Miller-Uibo attended St Augustine’s College. “We will never know how fast she could have ran. She was looking good up to that point.”

Relay coordinator Rupert Gardiner concurred.

“It just happened. She didn’t run out of gas,” he said. “Her foot just buckled. Her foot just leave from under her.

“You will see her out tomorrow in the semifinal of the 200. Nothing to worry about.”

UNITED STATES’ gold medal winner Phyllis Francis comforts Shaunae Miller-Uibo, right, after the women’s 400-metre final during the World Athletics Championships in London Wednesday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

PAGE 4, Thursday, August 10, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

RAMS, CHARGERS SCUFFLE DURING JOINT PRACTICE

MAKWALA RUNS ALONE TO CLAIM PLACE IN THE 200M SEMIFINAL

NFL

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — The Fight for LA finally has some punch.

A handful of skirmishes broke out Wednesday when the Los Angeles Chargers visited the Los Angeles Rams’ training camp for the teams’ second joint practice in five days.

The fights mostly arose between the Chargers’ offence and the Rams’ defence during a lively scrimmage.

In the first and best scrap, Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson threw a punch at Chargers receiver Dontrelle Inman before Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman pushed Inman to the ground — and Chargers receiver Keenan Allen responded by bodyslamming Robey-Coleman.

Even veteran Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers chipped in with some trashtalking of the Rams’ defenders during the workout, but Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines’ bloody face was the only noticeable result of the short-lived brouhahas.

The players and coaches left UC Irvine with the first on-field instance of bad blood between two franchises currently competing for the hearts and minds of Los Angeles’ football fans after moving to town one year apart.

“We’re definitely building a nice little rivalry with the Rams,” Chargers running back Melvin Gordon said. “That’s what I got out of today.”

The franchises have co-existed peacefully in the seven months since the Spanos family announced the Chargers’ intention to join the Rams in Stan Kroenke’s lavish Inglewood stadium complex, which will open in 2020.

The Chargers also moved north with a bold advertising campaign built around a “Fight for LA” slogan, and they actually released a new video from the campaign earlier Wednesday.

That fight hadn’t really materialised until the teams got together for a workout lasting more than two hours.

They are holding their training camps 5 miles apart in Orange County.

“It’s a fun experience being out here,” Rams quarterback Jared Goff said.

“I’m sure there’s a little bit of a rivalry among the fans with both LA teams now, but it was a good day today, and it was a lot of fun to see both teams’ fans out here.”

The teams also held a joint practice last weekend at StubHub Center, the Chargers’ new home stadium, without anything approaching a fight.

Everything changed in Irvine, where Johnson and Inman set off the festivities with a scrap after the whistle.

“He probably landed (a punch) on my helmet, which is kind of nothing,” Inman said of Johnson.

“I think that’s stupid. If you break your hand, then what?

“But nah, I think it got real intense.”

Johnson, the Rams’ highest-paid player, indeed threw a punch at Inman, and Robey-Coleman flattened Inman as the third man in.

Johnson said the scuffle arose from Inman leaving his hand in Johnson’s facemask for far too long.

“Where I’m from, if somebody initiates it, you’re going to finish it,” Johnson said. “But it was a fun competition. ... I’m from Stockton, (California) and the Stockton came out in me.

“At the end of it, he got in my face, and I’m not going to let anybody disrespect me.”

The intensity and feistiness likely were secretly thrilling to both coaches, who used the joint practice to shake their teams out of the preseason doldrums with their exhibition openers looming this weekend.

Sean McVay and Anthony Lynn both expressed relief that nobody got seriously hurt in the workout.

“I liked the energy,” McVay said.

“Going against another quality team is something that’s going to be helpful for us going forward. ...

(Fights) are a good learning opportunity for us as a team, about keeping that composure in scrimmage situations.”

BOTSWANA’S Isaac Makwala runs a men’s 200-metre individual time trial during the World Athletics Championships in London Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Makwala ran to qualify for the 200m semi-finals after he missed the 200m heats and the 400m final as he was barred from competing for 48 hours while organisers tried to halt a norovirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

By EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer LONDON (AP) — Turns out, Isaac Makwala is healthy. Really healthy, in fact.

So healthy, that after getting called back to the stadium for a surprise command performance at the world championships Wednesday, he ran two 200-metre sprints — the first all alone on the track — qualified for the final and even dropped to the ground and pumped out five pushups near the finish line.

Any more questions?

“I’m running with anger,” Makwala said.

“I have no point to prove because I know myself.

“I’m fit. I know I’m a great athlete. I believe in myself.”

The Botswanan sprinter’s plight became the cause celebre of the championships when he threw up before the start of the 200-metre preliminaries Monday, was determined to be among the handful of athletes afflicted with the stomach flu and was barred from the stadium for 48 hours to lower the risk of infecting other runners.

All along, Makwala insisted he was not sick. One of his managers, Sander Ogink, told The Associated Press it was simply a case of nerves.

“As you probably know, athletes throw up when they’re nervous,” Ogink said.

But the IAAF held firm, and Makwala was scratched from both his 200-metre heat and the 400-metre final, where he could’ve been the main challenger Tuesday to the eventual gold medalist, Wayde van Niekerk.

After further review, and another visit from the doc-

tor, the IAAF determined that while it couldn’t do anything about the 400 — Makwala showed up to the stadium for it Tuesday but was turned away — it could try to right one wrong. He was asked back for Wednesday’s action.

He opened the proceedings on a dreary, raindrenched night by lining up in Lane 7 with nobody else on the track.

His goal was to beat the slowest non-automatic qualifying time from the day before — 20.53 seconds — and after he crossed in 20.20, he dropped and gave

‘em five, snapped off a salute to the crowd, then hustled off to get ready for the semifinals.

Back out in the rain two hours later for that race, Makwala finished second to earn his berth in Thursday’s final.

His best race is the 400.

His only chance now, though, will come in the 200.

“I’m still running with my heart broken,” he said.

“I was ready to run.

“I don’t know who made the decision. Four-hundred metres is my reason for training.”

SOUTH Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk applauds after finishing a Men’s 200m semifinal during the World Athletics Championships in London Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017.

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

VAN NIEKERK CHASES 200 WORLD TITLE AS HE STEPS IN FOR BOLT

By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — Next for Wayde van Niekerk comes the “easy” part: Trying to win the 200 meters.

After that, something more challenging: Becoming the face of track and field now that Usain Bolt is moving on.

It’s a daunting proposition. But Van Niekerk started off on the right foot by winning the 400 at the world championships. On Thursday, the South African standout goes for gold in the 200 — Bolt’s signature race. Only, Bolt is sitting this one out, ending his string of four straight titles in the event.

Pressure filling Bolt’s role? Van Niekerk insisted that’s not his mission.

“I’ve got a massive responsibility to continue performing, continue growing and continue winning medals,” said Van Niekerk, who qualified on time after finishing third in his semifinal heat on a rainy Wednesday. “That’s what’s important right now — continue the great legacy that the greats ... have left behind. To continue to promote track and field.”

Van Niekerk certainly has impressive credentials. His top time

— and personal best — in the 100 this year (9.94) would’ve tied for second at worlds had he run in London, and his 200 is good enough to win big events. He’s already the world-record holder in the 400.

That he’s even trying the 200-400 double is impressive. Bolt eventually chose the 100 over the 400 as his second race because the 400 is just that demanding.

No arguments from Van Niekerk.

“Obviously, I know the pain that comes with (the 400) once I cross finish line,” Van Niekerk said.

“Very excited for the 200 — my body just needs to be ready and I’ll give it my best shot.”

Now that he’s almost retired, Bolt’s future endeavors will involve plenty of travel and very little training.

“I’m excited to just live normally,” said Bolt, the world-record holder in the 100 and 200.

After his bronze-medal finish in the 100, the Jamaican great said he would’ve struggled at 200 meters, as well.

“I’m not in shape to win the 200 meters,” Bolt said. “When you’re old, it’s hard getting back from injuries. It’s time for me to pack it up.”

Soon, the stage will belong to Van Niekerk & Co. “Each and every one of us in our

BRONZE medalist Usain Bolt holds up his medal on the podium following the ceremony for the Men’s 100 metres during the World Athletics Championships in London on Sunday. Bolt said: ‘I’m not in shape to win the 200 metres. When you’re old, it’s hard getting back from injuries. It’s time for me to pack it up.’

(AP Photo/Martin Meissne)

THE TRIBUNE

NADAL AND FEDERER WIN OPENING MATCHES AT ROGERS CUP TENNIS MONTREAL (AP) — Top-seeded Rafael Nadal and No. 2 Roger Federer cruised to easy victories Wednesday in their opening matches at the Rogers Cup. Nadal breezed past Borna Coric of Croatia 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the third round, while Federer routed Canadian Peter Polansky, 6-2, 6-1 in 53 minutes.

Nadal, a three-time Rogers Cup winner who is back in the hunt for the No. 1 ranking after winning his 10th French Open title this year, will play Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov, who downed 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin De Potro 6-3, 7-6 (4) in a second-round match on a gusty Wednesday afternoon.

The 18-year-old Shapovalov became the youngest player to reach the round of 16 of a Master Series tournament since Nadal in 2004 at Miami.

Federer, a two-time Rogers Cup champion ranked third in the world, has had a surprise resurgence this season by posting his 18th and 19th career Grand Slam wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He played his first match of the hardcourt season that leads to the U.S. Open.

“I think this tournament I’m trying to play with confidence that I gained through the grasscourt season,” Federer said. “I have to adjust my game a little bit just because the bounce of the ball is so much higher here than at Wimbledon, and there’s wind, which in Wimbledon we didn’t have much of.

“It’s just really to see how it goes this week, and then learn from this week, how I need to then play in Cincinnati (next week) and the U.S. Open.”

The Swiss star, who turned 36 on Tuesday, next faces Spain’s David Ferrer, a 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-1 winner over 15th-seeded American Jack Sock.

Polansky, ranked No. 116 in the world after some strong results in challenger events, upset No. 75 Vasek Pospisil of Canada in the first round on Monday.

It was his second meeting with Federer. At the 2014 Rogers Cup, he lost 6-2, 6-0.

“Even though I lost, this is one of the most memorable experiences of my life along with the match I played against him in Toronto,” Polansky said.

“His transition from the baseline to the net, it’s a joke.

“You blink and he’s at the net.

“You hit balls pretty hard at him and he’s handling them like it’s no problem. Guys I’m used to playing, if I hit really hard, they’ll kind of block it but he’s constantly moving forward like a freight train.”

Sixth seed Milos Raonic, another Canadian, faced France’s Adrian Mannarino later Wednesday.

In other results, thirdseeded Dominic Thiem of Austria was upset 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-5 by Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman, and fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, a finalist last year, was ousted 6-7 (4), 7-6 (7), 7-5 by Gael Monfils. It was the Frenchman’s first win in four meetings with Nishikori.

Seventh-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov topped German Mischa Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. No. 12 Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain downed American Ryan Harrison 7-5, 6-2, and Robin Haase of the Netherlands defeated lucky loser Ernesto Escobedo 6-4, 6-1.

Thursday, August 10, 2017, PAGE 5

EAGER FOR PGA, KUCHAR MOVES PAST BRITISH OPEN HEARTBREAK

GOLF

By JOEDY McCREARY, AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Matt Kuchar is ready to lose that pesky label.

Arguably golf’s best player without a major championship title gets another chance to shed that distinction this week at the PGA Championship — three weeks after coming tantalisingly close at the British Open, overtaken by Jordan Spieth’s late surge.

“There’s not much you can do when Jordan finishes the way he did,” Kuchar said Wednesday. “You tip your hat to a guy who per-

forms like that and say, ‘Well done.’ The thing is, there will be more chances, and I’ll certainly keep plugging along.”

Playing each of the last two tournaments helped.

The relatively quick turnaround to the season’s final major helps even more.

“The great thing about the game of golf is, once you tee it up Thursday of the next week, nobody cares what you did the previous week — everybody starts from even par, and you have to go out and perform right then and there,” Kuchar said. “And I think that’s good therapy.”

He’s ready for the challenge that Quail Hollow

poses — especially the demanding three-hole closing stretch known as the Green Mile.

“You better do everything well” this week, he said. “This course is going to punish bad shots, whether it comes with a driver, wedge, putt. This course tests everything.”

Kuchar, a 39-year-old former Georgia Tech player, ranks 13th on the PGA Tour’s career money list, with nearly $41 million in earnings — second only to Steve Stricker among players without a major win. He has finished in the top 10 in each of the four majors at least once, doing it nine times in all.

MATT Kuchar hits from the bunker on the 12th hole during a practice round at the PGA Championship golf tournament. (AP)

That first title was in his grasp at Royal Birkdale, where he went to the 14th tee during the final round with a one-stroke lead. He had two birdies and two pars over the next four holes and found himself two strokes back going to No. 18.

So it wasn’t so much that Kuchar lost the British Open — but that Speith went out and won it.

The experience could have crushed Kuchar.

Instead, it seems to have strengthened him.

He said his phone was flooded with supportive text messages and emails, and found it therapeutic to respond to each of them.

And during the Canadian

SAN Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner pictured in the second inning of the game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

BUMGARNER GETS SECOND VICTORY SINCE RETURN AS GIANTS TOP CUBS 3-1 BASEBALL

By GIDEON RUBIN, Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner admits at times he wondered whether he would make a complete recovery from injuries sustained in a dirt biking accident.

He looked like his old self against the Chicago Cubs.

Bumgarner allowed four hits over seven innings to win for the second time since returning from the disabled list, helping the San Francisco Giants defeat the Cubs 3-1 Wednesday and complete a winning homestand for only the second time this season.

Doubt “Obviously there’s going to be some times when doubt creeps in,” Bumgarner said. “It’s just like anything else, you’ve got to deal with it.

You can’t try to push it aside, you can’t try to trick yourself, you just try to deal with it.”

Bumgarner (2-5) struck out seven, walked one and gave up five hits — including a third-inning home run by Albert Almora Jr. Bumgarner is 2-2 with a 2.52 ERA in five starts since returning July 12 after missing nearly three months because of injuries sustained April 20.

Since beating Pittsburgh on July 25, he did not get a decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers and lost to Arizona.

The 2014 World Series MVP has a 1.38 ERA in his last four starts

and has received two runs or fewer of support in seven of 10 starts this year.

“I just think he’s shown what he’s really about with the way he’s thrown the ball because we know how good he is, but still, that was a pretty serious injury that he had to overcome,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Hunter Strickland pitched a onehit eighth and Sam Dyson completed the six-hitter with a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

San Francisco won two of three against the NL Central-leading Cubs and has won consecutive home series for the first time since May. The Giants went 5-3 on a homestand that included a twogame split against Oakland and two wins in three games against Arizona. The Giants went 5-2 against Cincinnati and the Dodgers from May 11-17.

Joe Panik hit an RBI single in the second, Jarrett Parker had a tiebreaking single in the seventh against Brian Duensing (0-1) and Hunter Pence hit an opposite-field homer to right-centre in the eighth against Pedro Strop.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks gave up one run, five hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

“I had a good fastball in the first inning and it started to come back late, in the middle it was all over the place, I just had to battle. I had no fastball command,” Hendricks said.

SAN Francisco Giants outfielders from left, Denard Span, Jarrett Parker, and Hunter Pence celebrate at the end of the game.

(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Open the following week, he explained how tough it had been to see his young children — who “look up to you like you’re Superman” — in tears after the British Open because he so desperately wanted to be “the hero holding the trophy.”

The experience became a valuable teaching moment for the Kuchar family.

“I came so close, and it was tough to get so close to realising a dream and to not come through and not realize the dream, but I think a few things helped,” Kuchar said, alluding to the supportive messages. “I think that was a healthy thing.

Just a whole lot of positivity coming out of that.”