08112017 sports

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GARDINER’S SILVER MEDAL TRIUMPH INSPIRES TEAM BAHAMAS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017

SHAUNAE Miller-Uibo on the way to victory in the 200m semifinal.

Photo: Kermit Taylor/ Bahamas Athletics.

A STRANGE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS PG3

TYNIA Gaither qualifies for the 200m final by finishing in 22.85.

Photo: Kermit Taylor/ Bahamas Athletics.

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON, England: When the relays get underway, a couple of young Bahamians, joining some of their veteran counterparts, will be eager to make their debut at the 16th IAAF World Championships this weekend inside the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium.

Most of the athletes said the silver medal performance by Steven Gardiner in the men’s 400 metres on Tuesday night has really inspired them to go out and compete.

STEVEN Gardiner with his silver medal. Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics.

“Steven was just so amazing. I knew he was going to do something amazing,” said Shaquania Dorsett, who is preparing for the women’s 4 x 400m heats on Saturday. “I almost lost my voice cheering for him. He was incredible.”

Dorsett, who ran on the team at the IAAF World Relays in Nassau in April, said Gardiner’s initial medal is encouraging because now they want to go out and add to the medal haul.

“Everyone is good. We’re all focused, friendly,” said the 19-year-old Grand Bahamian now in her sophomore year at Florida State.

As the senior member of the women’s 4 x 400m relay team at age 37, Christine Amertil said she’s trying to do her best to make sure that the others get through the weather in London.

“We as athletes know that rain or shine, you have to go out and compete,” she insisted. “Everybody is doing their thing. We’re all preparing for our specific events. We’ve had some successes so far with Steven getting his medal and we’re looking for some more.

“His performance has been wonderful. Most of us were in separate places in the stadium cheering for him. I know the Bahamas was going crazy just like us.

He set a tone, a precedent, so everybody is excited about getting a medal.”

Last year, Amertil said the women’s relay team shocked the world at the Olympics in Rio when they fell three positions shy of getting in the final, but they hope to improve on that here in London.

Lanece Clarke, a 29-yearold veteran in her first trip to London, concurred with Amertil.

“I’m excited about being here. So far the team has been doing very well and I just want to wish persons who have semifinals and others competing in the qualifying rounds coming up, the very best,” she stressed.

“Everybody is healthy, everybody is in sync with each other. Last year we got so close to qualifying after finishing 11th in the world, so we’re looking forward to getting to final and once we do that, we will take it from there.”

Janae Ambrose, a 19-year-old sophomore at Auburn University who is one of the members of the women’s 4 x 100m relay team, said Gardiner deSEE PAGE E3

SHAUNAE AND TYNIA MAKE IT A DOUBLE MILLER-UIBO RECOVERS FROM FINAL AGONY TO WIN HER 200M SEMI

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedi.net LONDON, England: Forget about the disastrous 400 metre final that denied her a special place in history. Shaunae Miller-Uibo is determined to leave the 16th IAAF World Championships with at least a medal in the women’s 200 metres.

After her bid for the 200/400m double went up in smoke in the one-lap final on Wednesday night at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, MillerUibo shook it off and sped to victory in the second of the three semi-finals.

The Bahamian national record holder clocked an impressive 22.49 seconds to erase any doubts about

her fitness, after her legs wobbled in the final 50m of 400 metres the night before.

“I felt fine. I just want to go out and put on a great show tomorrow night,” said Miller-Uibo, after she matched the qualifying time of defending champion Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands.

Schippers won heat two which also featured Anthonique Strachan. “I had to refocus for the 200m and now I’m ready to compete.”

Looking back at what transpired in the 400m final where she blew a considerable lead, Miller-Uibo cleared up any misconception of what transpired in the final 50 metres of the race that was won by American

BAHRAIN’S Edidiong Ofonime Odiong, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Jamaica’s Simone Facey and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji race in their Women’s 200m semifinal during the World Athletics Championships in London yesterday. (AP) Phyillis Francs, followed

by Silva Eid Naser from Bahrain and American Allyson Felix.

“I had the race under control, everything felt fine and then I took a look up at the screen, lost my balance and that was about a wrap up,” she said. “By the time I caught myself, the race was already done, so I live and I learn through it. I’m

getting over it and focusing on the 200m.”

And if you’re wondering, Miller-Uibo said she didn’t let her misfortune in the 400m get to her.

“One thing about me is I love a strong competition,” she insisted. “The girls came out there and did their best. But one thing about me is that I’m not afraid to lose. Every time I step out there, I

give a good try. That is what I do.”

Coming into the championships, 22-year-old Miller-Uibo lowered the national record to 22.71, the second fastest time in the world this year behind her American training partner Tori Bowie, who was unable to suit up for the preliminaries after she went down with a spill SEE PAGE E3

REACHING FINAL IS ‘THE BEST FEELING IN LIFE’ FOR GAITHER

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedi.net

TYNIA Gaither reached the final of the 200m.

PHOTO: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics.

LONDON, England: Whatever happens tonight, TyNia Gaither said she will be quite content with her first appearance in a global final of the women’s 200 metres.

On Thursday night at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, Gaither joined national record holder Shaunae Miller-Uibo as the first two Bahamians to reach the final of the half-lap race at the 16th edition of the IAAF World Championships.

She finished fourth in 22.85 seconds in the last of three heats – Ivory Coast’s Marie Josee Ta Lou, the 100m silver medalist, was first in 22.50. Gaither earned the last of the two fastest losers spots in the final at 4:50 pm EST. “It’s the best feeling in life,” said an emotional Gaither, who is making her

breakthrough in her first professional season. “My season was so long and so hard.

“I fought hard for that. To be able to do that is a blessing.”

It was indeed a time of celebrations for the 24-year-old Gaither, a native of Grand Bahama.

Gaither, 24, had the 13th best time of 22.71 coming into into the championships and a personal best of 22.54.

Now she’s on the verge of something bigger when she comes back tonight.

She will run out of lane three in the final between Canada’s Crystal Emmanuel in two and 100m silver medalist Marie-Josee Ta Lou from the Ivory Coast in four. Miller-Uibo will be in five next to Schippers in six.

Rounding out the field will be American Daejah Stevens in seven, Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith in eight and American Kimberley Duncan in nine.

“I’m sure it’s a bit of history for us. It’s just a blessing,” she stated. “I didn’t expect this honestly.”

Looking at Miller-Uibo’s resilience in coming back after her disaster in the 400m final, Gaither said what she did was just incredible.

“That is the type of person that she is,” she pointed out.

“I just want to follow suit.”

As she prepares for the final, Gaither emphasised: “We’re going to make it happen for Team Bahamas.

We’re going to make it happen.”

In her semis race, Gaither didn’t have as fast a start as she expected coming off the curve.

But she dug down deep and was able to propel her way back into contention on the straightaway to get into the final.

“I knew I had to finish.

In my head, I kept saying ‘arms, arms, arms.’ That was what got me through.”

PAGE 2, Friday, August 11, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

IBA BAHAMAS ELITE TAME SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GOLDEN EAGLES

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOR the second time in as many days, a local team recorded a win over a visiting NCAA programme at the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder.

IBA Bahamas Elite held on late to defeat the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 109-106 in overtime in their opening game of the series.

Three double doubles led the way for IBA highlighted by Livingston Munnings’ dominant statline. He finished with 31 points, 19 rebounds, four blocked shots and five assists.

Also for IBA, JR Cadot had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Qyemah Gibson had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Adam Johnson finished with six points and five blocked shots.

Three newcomers combined to score more than half of Southern Mississippi’s points.

Oklahoma State transfer Tyree Griffin led the Golden Eagles with 24 points, Memphis transfer Dominic Magee scored 23, freshman LaDavius Draine scored 19.

IBA made the opening three of the game on their first possession and the game was tied at eight and again at 15 before Southern Miss pulled away. They took a 32-25 lead into the second quarter. They opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run and a Magee layup gave them their biggest lead of the game, 41-25 at the 8:19 mark. IBA would have a run of their own near the end of the quarter and eventually trimmed the deficit to just six points at intermission. Munnings split a pair of free throws and they trailed just 5144 at the half.

IBA dominated the third quarter and outscored Southern Miss by 13. Cadot’s three pointer brought IBA to within one, 61-60 and he tied the game moments later at the line. Gibson gave them their first lead of the game since early in the first quarter and a Deangelo Mackey three pointer capped a 16-2 run. IBA would eventually take a 72-66 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Golden Eagles trailed by as many as 10 points when Cadot made a layup for an 82-72 lead before they rallied to force overtime. IBA led 91-86 with just under one minute left to play when Magee made a free throw, Draine made a layup and stole the ball on the ensuing possession for a dunk to tie the game and force overtime.

Southern Miss were still down by four points with 46 seconds to play in the extra period, but after scoring on a layup, Magee intercepted a pass near mid-court and converted the steal into a three-point play. His free throw put the Golden Eagles ahead 106-105 with eight seconds left in the game.

Coming out of a timeout, Cadot scored the game winning layup with just four seconds left to play.

“When you play, you want to win, so I’m obviously disappointed,” USM coach Doc Sadler said to WDAM. “But I really thought there were some positives. We came back in regulation when we were down and got into overtime. We missed a couple of opportunities to maybe get an easy basket, but, overall, that’s why we came down here.”

JEFF RODGERS JR, Derryl Jenkins, Eric Gordon, Jeff Rodgers, Shelvin Mack and Leo Morris.

NBA ICONS HOLD COURT AT JEFF RODGERS SUMMER CAMP

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE opportunity for student athletes to interact with NBA icons has been a staple of the Jeff Rodgers Summer Basketball Camp for three decades and that tradition continued as several familiar names made an appearance.

Bahamian basketball legend Mychal Thompson, along with Eric Gordon of the Houston Rockets and Shelvin Mack of the Orlando Magic attended yesterday’s camp at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, much to the approval of the many campers and instructors.

Thompson recounted his story from being a young teenager in the Bahamas to become the first foreign-born player selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft.

“We didn’t have these opportunities when I was a kid growing up in the Bahamas trying to learn the game so I want you guys to truly appreciate this platform and the opportunity that this provides,” he said. “It’s a really a blessing that Jeff continues to do this every year so even if it’s just a month, with you guys, for that month you get to be taught the game at a high level and to learn life lessons.”

He eventually won two titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and ‘88, before he retired in 1991. His sons have all reached the level of elite professional sports with Trayce – an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mychel – a member of the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA’s G

“Basketball is an amazing tool, I didn’t play when I was as young as many of you here but there were people that identified my potential, that they thought I could do with the game and I was able to change my life and impact the lives of many others.”

Mychal Thompson League and Klay – the two time All Star and two time champion for the Golden State Warriors.

“Basketball is an amazing tool, I didn’t play when I was as young as many of you here but there were people that identified my potential, that they thought I could do with the game and I was able to change my life and impact the lives of many others.

To get to that point it takes focus, it takes the drive, it takes discipline and dedication to your craft. I was one of the first but my story isn’t unique.

“The Bahamas is filled with talented players, I played with many of them in my transition to the United States, you see Bahamians in the NBA right now and there are more to come in the future. For me, it’s always special to be home. No matter how far or how long you’ve been away, it’s always special when you can come home and get re-established with your roots. It never

BAHAMIAN basketball legend Mychal Thompson speaks to youngsters in the camp.

gets old coming home and reconnecting with these young kids, because learning the history of the game and history of the country is so important for development.”

Gordon, whose mother Denise is Bahamian, recently completed one of his best seasons of his NBA career so far and captured the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

“Basketball is great and it’s done wonders for me and my family but I want you guys to always be focused on school and doing well in school. That has to be your top priority right now and where your focus is right now. Pay attention to the people around you and make sure they have the same goals in mind as you do,” he said, “I have a lot of friends and family here, so I enjoy coming here. This will always be my second home or my home away from home for

me. Basketball continues to grow here and so it’s fun to be able to make a contribution.”

Shelvin Mack joined the Orlando Magic this offseason but said he made it a priority to return to the camp for the fourth time.

“It feels good. It’s a blessing to have been invited down here and I’m looking forward to doing whatever I can to help the camp. I played with Klay Thompson on the USA basketball U19 team and I’ve known Eric Gordon for a while, so when they asked me to come down, I couldn’t resist the opportunity. This is my fourth time here being apart of the camp and I always appreciate the opportunity to come down here,” he said.

A new addition to the day’s festivities was a motivational speech by a former camper and current junior national team mem-

ber Samuel Hunter.

Hunter, now with BC Christian in British Colombia, Canada, recently averaged 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game at the FIBA Centrobasket U17 championships and said he got his start at that very event.

“I remember being in this camp, this was where the story started for me. I was coming to the camp since I was six-years-old but I really didn’t get serious with the game and get pushed into it until I was about 10 or 11 and I started to grow. People saw my height and pushed me toward playing basketball and I grew to love it,” he said. “You never know where you can end up if you just push yourself and chase your dreams. When I first started out, I won’t lie to you I sucked and I wanted to quit at times, but I had people around me that helped me stick with it, I pushed and I continued to get better. That story can be the same for many of you.”

The camp will host its final work day today and the fun night will be hosted Saturday, August 11 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Fun Night will be highlighted by an exhibition game between camp instructors and the visiting NBA icons – including a guest appearance from Klay Thompson.

“We thank God for continuing to allow us to host the camp. These guys have always supported me and they understand what I am trying to accomplish,” Rodgers said. “So to have a living legend like Mychal Thompson and these current stars take time out of their busy schedule it is a blessing and this is a commitment that they have made and they continue to honour that commitment.”

THE TRIBUNE

GARDINER’S SILVER MEDAL WIN INSPIRES TEAM BAHAMAS

Friday, August 11, 2017, PAGE 3

A STRANGE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

FROM PAGE E1 served to win a medal.

“He worked really hard this year, especially throughout the rounds,” said the Auburn University standout. “I expected him to medal. He started us off and I think we will have the energy needed to out there and win a medal just like he did.”

Penn State junior Keianna Albury from Eleuthera said the women’s 4 x 1 team is definitely going to feed off Gardiner’s success.

“We’re getting our exchanges in and trying to get the cohesiveness that we need to run well together,” she stated. “We know that we have to get the stick around the track as safe as possible, but as quickly as we can.”

In making her senior debut at a global event, 21-year-old Albury said she’s excited to be here.

“Steven was amazing. I can’t describe it. He went out there and performed every round. He was phenomenal,” she said. “I can’t wait for us to go out there and do our thing.”

For Kendrick Thompson, making the men’s 4 x 400m relay team was a dream come true.

“I’m very excited and hopefully we can get a medal and I can make my family, my hometown people and everybody proud,” Thompson pointed out. “I want to go out there and do my best.”

Thompson, a native of Andros, who attended high school in Grand Bahama and now enrolled at the University of the Bahamas, is one of the newcomers in the men’s 400m team. He said he was very proud watching Gardiner pick up the country’s first medal.

“One of my own in the 400m got a medal and a national record too,” he said. “I hope to do in the same in the next few years. He has really inspired me a lot. I see that I have a lot of things that I have to work on over the next few years to be able to get to his level or higher. Hopefully I will be there in the near future.”

Thompson, 19, said he feels the Bahamas can definitely get a medal with Gardiner being a part of the quartet.

As for the men’s 4 x 100m team, Joel Johnson, the youngest athlete registered to compete in the championships at age 16, said he’s enjoying every moment of his experience that he hopes will propel him to greater things in the future.

“It’s been a hell of a time,” said the St Augustine’s College standout.

“It’s been a good experience seeing all of these countries come together.

Hopefully as time goes, I’m looking forward to representing the Bahamas and a chance for us to get a medal.”

Johnson, fresh off his back-to-back appearances at the IAAF Under-18 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya and the Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau in July, said Gardiner’s performance has certainly inspired him to remain focused on his own goals and aspirations.

Sean Stuart, 20, was raised in Miami, Florida from the area of three. He attended St Augustine’s College and after his father introduced him to Rupert Gardiner, the relay coordinator for Team Bahamas, he said he was honoured when he was selected to represent the country.

“This is my first time at this level. I’ve had a series of injuries, but to cut the long story short, I’m here and I’m getting ready to make my presence felt for the Bahamas,” Stuart proclaimed. “I think Steven Gardiner has really inspired me because we are motivated to do the same thing that he has done – win a medal.”

Assistant coach Jason Edwards said while Gardiner’s medal was expected, they were all still elated when he won the silver because “it’s not easy to go out there and do it. I think he has set the tone for the team and we can look forward to some ever greater performances from the rest of the team.”

LONDON, England: Some strange things happen in sports and the 16th IAAF World Championships has had many moments of its own.

Steven Gardiner finally landed a medal on day five, but disaster struck for Shaunae Miller-Uibo at the worst possible time in the final of the women’s 400 metres on a rainy day six.

Just when Miller-Uibo was about to complete a sensational run out of lane seven and in front of the pack, there was an incredible sequence of events in the last 50m.

Well in control of her third showdown with American Allyson Felix, Miller-Uibo appeared to wobble.

As she tried to regain her composure and accelerate, she was slowly reeled in by American Phyllis Francis, Bahrain’s Salwa Ed Naser and Felix for the gold, silver and bronze in that order.

All Miller-Uibo could do was hold onto the fourth spot.

While last year’s win was physically painful as she suffered some bruises, Miller-Uibo had to deal with the mental letdown of watching her quest for the 200/400m double evaporate. She dropped from gold and a hefty cash prize of $60,000 to fourth and $20,000.

There was no way that Miller-Uibo should have lost the race, no way with the lead that she had developed. You could have looked away and waited for the celebrations to take place.

Unfortunately, Miller-Uibo’s perfect race up to that point turned into a nightmare.

It was one of those “what just happened” moments and it’s still hard to fathom that she actually got beat.

Not only was Miller-Uibo seeking to become the first woman to win the coveted 200/400m double feat,

she was looking to join the elite list of Bahamian quarter-milers who have excelled at the global level.

She would have joined national record holder Tonique Williams, the first Bahamian to turn in backto-back triumphs after winning gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece and the 2005 Worlds in Helsinki, Finland.

Now she has the opportunity to be just the second Bahamian to win a World title in the 200m following the achievement of Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie in 2001 in Edmonton, Canada – albeit at the expense of American Marion Jones after she was stripped of her title for doping.

Tonight, Miller-Uibo will have company as TyNia Gaither turned in a gutsy come-from-behind performance in her heat for fourth place and the last of the two fastest losers times.

What a night it will be at 4:50 pm EST when they compete against defending champion Dafne Schippers (100m bronze medalist) and the Ivory Coast’s Marie Josee Ta Lou (100m silver medalist), who will be out to claim their second medals in the championships.

In contrast, Gardiner was sensational from the preliminaries to the final and in between. In the semifinal he came up with some excitement of his own, shattering his national record for the second time this year.

Gardiner is coming into his own.

And he had some quality company to help him celebrate, including world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, who helped to push him to the next level.

After there was so much dialogue in all quarters about his ability to run the rounds, Gardiner silenced his critics, even though he felt that he should have saved the national

STEVEN Gardiner receives his silver medal. Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics

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/Matthias Schrader) record breaking performance for the final.

Looking at his series of races, Gardiner did what he had to do.

After becoming the first Bahamian to break the 44-second barrier, there was no telling if he would have been able to either duplicate or surpass that effort in the final.

He was in the right zone at the right time in the semis.

To win a silver medal at this stage behind van Niekerk, the most dominant quarter-miler for the past two years, was no small accomplishment.

In time, Gardiner will get to the top of the podium. He’s just 21-years-old and he’s only going to get better with time.

When Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown makes his formal exit off the scene next year, Gardiner will be the face of the event.

And right now he has every right to enjoy this moment as just the second male athlete to medal in the one-lap race, eight championships after Avard Moncur stood atop of the podium as the world’s best in 2001 in Edmonton.

I predicted three medals for Team Bahamas at the start of these championships.

Gardiner got one, Miller-Uibo let one slip way from her grasp, but she has the opportunity to redeem herself in the 200m.

There’s still the men’s high jump with Donald Thomas and the women’s 100m hurdles with Deyvenne

Charlton before the championships wind down with the always exciting 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays this weekend.

So before the curtain comes down on Sunday night, we could very well be looking at least another medal or two.

Who knows? With all that has taken place so far, anything is possible because this has been a strange championships.

For those who missed some of the events, Canadian Andre de Grasse withdrew from the men’s 100m and Jamaican Usain Bolt’s parade as the most dominant sprinter ever came to a halt with a bronze medal behind American Justin Gatlin, who was booed for his efforts.

Coming off her double victory as the Rio Olympics, Jamaican sprint queen Elaine Thompson could do no better than fifth place in the women’s 100m final as American Tori Edwards sped to gold, then tumbled and got so bruised that she could not line-up for a clash with Miller-Uibo – her training partner – in the 200m.

And on the men’s side, Botswana’s Isaacs Makwala made a spectacle of his reinsertion in the 200m after he withdrew from illness that also forced him from the final of the 400m.

He got to run alone in the heats of the half-lap race, dropped to the track and did some push-ups to show his fitness after having qualified.

ACTION HEATS UP ON FINAL THREE DAYS OF CHAMPIONSHIPS

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON, England: The last three days of competition this weekend at the 16th IAAF World Championships will be interesting ones for Team Bahamas, just as the first seven were – with one medal and two finalists on the stage in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium.

National record holder Shanuae Miller-Uibo and TyNia Gaither willl be the Bahamas’ first 1-2 punch in an individual final after they both booked their lanes in come-from-behind fashion, Miller-Uibo taking her heat in 22.49 after her disappointment in the 400m and Gaither in fourth in 22.85 for the last of two fastest losers spots.

Today at 4:50 pm EST, Miller-Uibo will run out of lane five, next to defending champion Dafne Schippers from the Netherlands in six, while Gaither will be in three.

They will be attempting to join men’s 400m silver medalist Steven Gardiner on the podium.

Also today, two competitors will compete in their individual events during the qualifying round of competition in the morning session with the final of the women’s 200m taking the spotlight in the evening session.

The last two days will be devoted to the relays, including

the participation of the men’s 4 x 100m team in light of a positive drug testing of one of the former teammates.

Devynne Charlton, making her global debut after injury prevented her from contesting the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last year, will run out of lane nine in the third of five heats in the women’s 100m hurdles at 6:01 am EST. American world record holder Kendra Harrison is in lane two – the top four and the next four fastest qualifiers will head to the semifinal at 2:05 pm.

The final will be on Saturday at 3:05 pm.

Charlton, a red-shirt junior at Purdue University, comes into the championships with a personal and season’s best of 12.74 after having a sensational collegiate season.

Back for his fifth appearance at the championships since ascending the top of the dais as the world champion in 2009 in Daegu, South Korea.

33-year-old Donald Thomas will be out to improve on his sixth place finishes in the last two championships in Beijing, China in 2015 and Moscow, Russia in 2013.

With a season’s best of 2.31 metres, well below his PB of 2.37m, Thomas will be the 13th out of a field of 14 competitors to take to the run-way in the qualifying round of Group A of the men’s high jump on Friday at 6:15 am EST.

Another field of 14 competitors will line up in Group B with everybody getting a chance to clear the automatic height of 2.31m or wait to see who will be the best 12 performers to clinch their berth in the final – staged on Sunday at 2 pm EST. The heats of the women’s 4 x 100m relay will be contested at Saturday at 5:35 am EST with the Bahamas using a combination of Keianna Albury, Jenae Ambrose, Carmiesha Cox, TyNia Gaither and Anthonique Strachan.

The men’s 4 x 100m will follow at 5:55 am EST, but Shavez Hart, Joel Johnson, Teray Smith and Sean Stuart may have to wait to see if they will be allowed to compete after it was further discovered that the B sample of a member of the relay team that qualified at the IAAF World Relays came back positive.

Originally, the athlete’s A sample tested positive for a banned substance, but unconfirmed reports have surfaced that the B test returned positive, which may put the team’s participation in the championships here in jeopardy.

If they do compete and qualify, the men’s 4 x 1 relay final will close out the night at 4:50 pm EST, just after the women’s final takes place at 4:30 pm EST. Also on Saturday, the heats of the women’s 4 x 400m relay will be around 6:20 am EST with Christine Amertil,

Doneisha Anderson, Lanece Clarke, Shaquania Dorsett, Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Antonique Strachan listed to make up the quartet.

The final will be on Sunday at 3:55 pm EST. And the men’s 4 x 4 team, which is expected to comprise

of 400m silver medalist Steven Gardiner, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller, Alonzo Russell and Kendrick Thompson, will run the heats on Saturday at 6:50 am EST. The final will close out the championships on Sunday at 4:15 pm EST.

MILLER-UIBO RECOVERS FROM FINAL AGONY TO WIN HER 200M SEMI FROM PAGE E1 that left her bruised after winning the 100m.

Jamaican Olympic double sprint gold medalist Elaine Thompson also missed the start after she only contested the 100m where she was fifth.

But Miller-Uibo said she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to get her second global gold to match the one she got in the 400m last year at the Olympic Games.

“My focus coming in here was the 400 and 200,” she summed up. “We (coaching staff) just refocus and get ready for the 200.”

And for the record, Miller-Uibo reiterated that when she looked up at the screen, she lost her balance, kicked into the track with her left leg and things just fell out of place for her in that 400m final.

“A lot of people were thinking that it was (a cramp), but I just lost my balance,” she concluded.

She will get a chance to redeem herself in the final when she will run out of lane five at 4:50 pm EST next to Schippers in six and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the 100m silver medalist, in four.

Another Bahamian, TyNia Gaither, will be making her global final debut when she runs out of line three. She finished in fourth place in her heat with 22.85 for the last of the two fastest losers spots.

It will be the first time in the championships that the Bahamas will have two competitors in the final of the half-lap race.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 11, 2017, PAGE 5

MISSOURI EXPECTS SMOOTHER RIDE IN SECOND YEAR UNDER ODOM

SCOOTER’S GRAND SLAM IN 7TH RALLIES REDS PAST PADRES 10-3

NFL

By JOE WALLJASPER, Associated Press COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Barry Odom was as prepared as a rookie head coach could be when he took over the Missouri football team following the 2015 season.

He had played linebacker at Missouri in the 1990s and worked his way up the ladder under Gary Pinkel, starting as an administrative graduate assistant and finishing as defensive coordinator.

Still, Odom and the Tigers hit a lot of potholes on their way to a 4-8 record last season.

“We’ve all been disappointed in the way we’ve performed — I’m talking about last year,” Odom said.

“Those guys that played and were here were disappointed in the things we did not get achieved.”

Odom said he probably overextended himself in 2016, from fussing over relatively unimportant administrative tasks to putting himself in charge of coaching special teams. He also seized control of the defensive play-calling in the middle of the season, and he will continue in that role.

“You make corrections, you make changes,” Odom said. “You understand what your strengths are and go ahead and admit what your weaknesses are, and obviously I’ve got a few.”

The Tigers return 10 offensive starters, including a 3,000-yard passer (Drew Lock), a 1,000-yard rusher (Damarea Crockett) and a 1,000-yard receiver (J’Mon Moore).

The most pressing concern is a defence that ranked 118th nationally last year, yielding 479.7 yards per game. Missouri lost star defensive end Charles Harris — a first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins — but the Tigers do return some talent up front, particularly defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr. (a member of the SEC AllFreshman team in 2015) and defensive end Marcell Frazier (7.5 sacks last year).

Some other things to watch as Missouri seeks its first winning season since claiming its second consecutive SEC East title in 2014: BREAKOUT SEASON FOR QB? Lock threw for 3,399 yards and 23 touchdowns against 10 interceptions as a sophomore. His accuracy could use some improvement — he’s completed 53 percent of his passes in his career — but his arm strength and 6-foot-4 frame could put him on the radar of NFL teams with a strong junior season.

ALL ABOUT THAT PACE Missouri runs a fast-paced offence that relies heavily on run-pass option plays — a system most often compared to the one run at Baylor under Art Briles. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the offence produced too many quick three-and-out possessions in losses to West Virginia, LSU and Florida in which they scored a combined 32 points. For the system to succeed in Josh Heupel’s second year as coordinator, Missouri needs to consistently get the initial first down on drives so the Tigers can begin taking advantage of the defence’s fatigue.

TALKING A GOOD GAME Linebacker Eric Beisel was known mostly for his cool nickname — Zeus — until he went on a trash-talking binge before Missouri’s season finale against Arkansas. He warned that that if the Razorbacks chose to get off the plane in Columbia, “it’d be a huge mistake.”

Odom wasn’t amused and asked Beisel to apologise to Arkansas coach Bret Bielema. After Beisel helped the Tigers pull a 28-24 upset , he continued to relish his role as playful antagonist of Missouri’s cross-divisional rival. At SEC media days in July, Beisel said of Arkansas: “That team down south will always be below us — at least geographically.” In preseason camp, coaches and teammates have raved about Beisel’s leadership, and the senior said even Odom appreciates his big personality.

“I’m a smart enough guy to know when I’m crossing the line or whenever I’m just hugging the line,” he said. “I like to hug the line.”

CINCINNATI Reds’ Scooter Gennett hits a go-ahead grand slam off San Diego Padres relief pitcher Brad Hand (above) and (below) runs the bases. (AP)

By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer CINCINNATI (AP) — With the bases loaded and the game on the line, Reds manager Bryan Price decided to let Scooter Gennett head to the plate even though he’s struggled mightily against left-handed pitchers. It worked out this time.

Gennett hit his third career grand slam, which ended left-hander Brad Hand’s long scoreless streak and rallied Cincinnati to a 10-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

The Reds won three of four in the series. They’re 9-18 since the AllStar break.

San Diego took a 3-2 lead into the seventh, leaving Dinelson Lamet in line for a fourth straight victory.

The Padres’ best reliever let it get away.

The Reds loaded the bases against Kirby Yates (2-3) and Hand, who had a streak of 24 scoreless innings. With two outs, Price could have sent up a right-handed hitter instead of Gennett, who was batting only .203 with one homer off lefties.

“Maybe at times I’ll pinch-hit there, but I usually don’t pinch-hit a lot for regulars,” Price said. “I like to see guys in those situations, and

Scooter’s been a big-time player for us.”

Gennett hit the first pitch — a hanging slider — for a 6-3 lead, the first runs allowed by Hand since June 10.

“I saw it pretty early,” Gennett said of the bad pitch. “It was just a slider he’s trying to throw for a strike to get ahead.”

Eugenio Suarez homered two pitches later, after Gennett came to the front of the dugout to acknowledge an ovation from the crowd of 14,915. By then, the game had turned.

“I left a pitch up to Scooter and that was basically the end of it,” Hand said.

Zack Cozart and Joey Votto added homers in the eighth, with Votto’s solo shot extending his hitting streak to a season-high 15 games.

Drew Storen (3-2) escaped a twoon threat in the seventh.

Wil Myers homered for the second straight game, and Jose Pirela completed his big series with a tiebreaking single as the Padres went ahead 3-2.

Lamet pitched into the sixth inning, leaving him in position to become the first Padres pitcher to win four straight starts since Jesse Hahn in 2014.

JOSH BELL, GERRIT COLE LEAD PIRATES PAST TIGERS 7-5

By BOB DUFF, Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — A few words of advice from a Hall of Famer gave Josh Bell the inner belief that someday he would harness his power.

That time has arrived for the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie first baseman.

Bell hit his 20th homer and drove in three runs Thursday, leading the Pirates over the Detroit Tigers 7-5.

“Two years ago, we were having conversations about his power,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “Where was it?”

It was around that time at the All-Star Futures Game that Bell got a chance to talk with Dave Winfield. The former slugger gave Bell some insight into why his potential had yet to blossom.

“It really started with Dave Winfield a couple of years ago at the Futures Game,” Bell said. “He said, average comes first and then the power will come.”

Last season, Bell hit 14 homers at Triple-A Indianapolis and another three in a brief stint with the Pirates.

This season, his 45 extrabase hits are the most by a Pittsburgh rookie since Andrew McCutchen hit 49 in 2009.

“It’s definitely cool,” Bell said. “It’s not something I would have expected out of myself a couple of years ago.”

Bell’s first-inning sacrifice fly gave the Pirates the lead, and his two-run homer off Drew VerHagen (0-2) in the third put Pittsburgh ahead for good.

“It was a two-seamer that ran back out over the plate, and he jumped on it,” VerHagen said.

Gerrit Cole (10-8) allowed six hits and three earned runs in a season-high eight innings. He improved to 3-1 since the All-Star break and is 6-3 in his last 10 starts.

“It was his skillset, mindset and backbone,” Hurdle said. “He stayed with his gameplan. He stayed with his programme, even though

PITTSBURGH Pirates’ Josh Bell (55) is congratulated by third base coach Joey Cora (15) after hitting a two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the third inning. (AP) they scratched some runs off him early.”

Detroit has lost five of six.

“I thought we’d get to Cole early, the way it started out, but it was kind of the reverse,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “Cole settled in, and they got to VerHagen.”

Felipe Rivero got two outs for his 11th save.

Sean Rodriguez hit a solo home run and RBI single for the Pirates.

Detroit scored twice in the ninth on a double by Victor Martinez and an RBI groundout by James McCann.

Adam Frazier tripled and scored on Bell’s sacrifice fly in the first.

The Tigers took the lead in the bottom half on a tworun triple by Nick Castellanos. Rodriguez tied it with a single in the second.

Bell hit a two-run homer in the third for a 4-2 lead.

Mikie Mahtook had a solo homer in the bottom half.

Frazier’s two-out, two-run double in the fourth finished VerHagen.

PITTSBURGH Pirates starter Gerrit Cole pitches against the Detroit Tigers. (AP)

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 11, 2017, PAGE 7

KAROLINA PLISKOVA ADVANCES AT ROGERS CUP TORONTO (AP) — Karolina Pliskova advanced to the quarterfinals at the Rogers Cup on Thursday when Japanese qualifier Naomi Osaka was forced to retire because of an injury.

The world’s top-ranked player moved on with a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 1-0 victory when Osaka had to retire because of an abdominal injury.

It wasn’t immediately clear when Osaka suffered the injury. She was in form during the tiebreaker, firing a service winner to convert her second set point under the warm sun at Aviva Centre.

Pliskova came out strong to open the third set and Osaka called for a trainer at the changeover.

She briefly stretched out on the hardcourt before the decision was made.

The world’s No. 50 player received treatment after the match and did not speak to reporters.

Pliskova, meanwhile, will move on to play sixth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who ousted 10th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-3, 6-1.

FEDERER TOPS FERRER IN THREE SETS ROGER FEDERER, of Switzerland, celebrates his 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over David Ferrer, of Spain, at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Thursday in Montreal.

(Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP) MONTREAL (AP) — Roger Federer overcame a weak first set to post a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spaniard David Ferrer in the third round Thursday at the men’s Rogers Cup. In Friday’s quarterfinals, the second-seeded Federer will face 12th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, who outlasted Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2) on centre court at Uni-

prix Stadium.

Unseeded Argentine Diego Schwartzman posted a strange win over American Jared Donaldson 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 to advance to a quarterfinal meeting with Robin Haase, the 52nd-ranked Dutchman who upset seventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-1.

Federer, who breezed past Canadian Peter Polansky in the second round on

Wednesday, struggled in the opening set, spraying balls long, wide or into the net, but gradually rediscovered at least some of the form that has seen the 36-year-old Swiss earn two grand slam wins this year.

Federer is 17-0 in his career against the 35-year-old Ferrer, who was ranked third in the world in 2013 but is now at No.33.

Bautista Agut fought off

a match point to force a tiebreaker, which the tiredlooking Monfils opened with a double fault and never challenged again.

The unseeded Monfils played his third straight three-set match, including an upset win over fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori in the second round.

Schwartzman saved four match points to upset thirdseeded Dominic Thiem in

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 75° F/24° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Partly sunny with a shower in spots

Partly cloudy with a stray shower

Partly sunny with a shower in spots

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots

Partly sunny with a shower in spots

A blend of sun and clouds

High: 92°

Low: 80°

High: 92° Low: 79°

High: 91° Low: 79°

High: 92° Low: 79°

High: 92° Low: 80°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

109° F

92° F

112°-92° F

112°-92° F

112°-93° F

111°-91° F

High: 90° F/32° 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: 82° F/28° C

4‑8 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 90° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

6‑12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

S

E

W

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 79° F/26° C

MIAMI

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 80° F/27° C

3‑6 knots

KEY WEST

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 92° F/34° C Low: 80° F/27° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N E

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uV inDex toDay

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

tiDes

For

nassau

High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

11:01 a.m.

11:17 p.m.

3.0 3.2

4:57 a.m.

5:11 p.m.

0.3 0.5

Saturday

11:48 a.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

3.1 ‑‑‑‑‑

5:38 a.m.

6:01 p.m.

0.3 0.6

Sunday

12:03 a.m.

12:39 p.m.

3.1 3.1

6:23 a.m.

6:56 p.m.

0.3 0.7

Monday

12:54 a.m.

1:36 p.m.

2.9 3.2

7:14 a.m.

7:57 p.m.

0.4 0.8

Tuesday

1:52 a.m.

2:38 p.m.

2.8 3.2

8:11 a.m.

9:03 p.m.

0.4 0.8

Wednesday 2:55 a.m.

3:43 p.m.

2.8 3.3

9:12 a.m. 0.3 10:11 p.m. 0.7

Thursday

2.8 3.4

10:17 a.m. 0.3 11:16 p.m. 0.6

sun

4:02 a.m.

4:47 p.m.

anD

Sunrise Sunset

moon

6:42 a.m.

7:48 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

10:35 p.m.

10:09 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Aug. 14

Aug. 21

Aug. 29

Sep. 6

CAT ISLAND

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

S

E

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6‑12 knots

S

8‑16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 73° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/32° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 93° F/34° C Last year’s low ................................... 80° F/27° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 3.04” Year to date ............................................... 19.22” Normal year to date ................................... 21.34”

the second round. The win over Donaldson put him in a quarterfinal for the sixth time this year. Schwartzman’s only ATP win was on clay in Istanbul last year.

Donaldson, 20, was seeking a first career quarterfinal in a Masters Series tournament, where he is 0-13 in round of 16 matches.

Later Thursday, Canadian Denis Shapovalov faced top seed Rafael Nadal.

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

H

E

W

8‑16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

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

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 89° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N W

N E

W

E S

S

10‑20 knots

8‑16 knots

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

Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday:

WINDS SE at 6‑12 Knots ENE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 4‑8 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ENE at 6‑12 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots

WAVES 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑3 Feet 2‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 5 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 83° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F

PAGE 8, Friday, August 11, 2017

COLOMBIA WINGER IZQUIERDO SET TO JOIN EPL NEWCOMER BRIGHTON BRIGHTON, England (AP) — English Premier League newcomer Brighton was set to break its transfer record for the third time this offseason after reaching an agreement to sign Colombia winger Jose Izquierdo from Belgian side Club Brugge on Thursday.

The deal will be completed following a medical examination and once the player is granted a work permit and international clearance, Brighton said.

Preparing for its first season in the Premier League, the south-coast club previously broke its record to sign goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and then Dutch midfielder Davy Propper for a reported 10 million pounds ($13 million).

Brighton didn’t disclose the fee for Izquierdo, who was the Belgian league player of the year in the 2015-16 season.

US MOVES UP NINE SPOTS TO 26TH IN FIFA RANKINGS ZURICH (AP) — The United States climbed nine spots to 26th in the FIFA rankings after winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. had dropped 12 places to 35th in the July rankings, one above the Americans’ low in July and August 2012. Much of that drop was attributable to a devaluation of points from last year’s Copa America.

Brazil regained the top spot Thursday after a onemonth absence, replacing World Cup champion Germany.

Brazil hasn’t played since June, while Germany was last in action when beat Chile on July 2 in the Confederations Cup final.

The rankings are based on results over a four-year period.

Argentina remained third and Switzerland rose to fourth.

THE TRIBUNE

PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18: 6 NEW THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

By ROB HARRIS, AP Global Soccer Writer

LONDON (AP) — Six new things to watch out for in the new Premier League season, which begins on Friday: FRIDAY START The 25th season of the Premier League will be the first campaign to open on a Friday.

With broadcasters increasingly able to call the shots on scheduling, even the usual Saturday start is no longer set in stone.

A night match between Arsenal and Leicester at Emirates Stadium launches the new campaign.

DIVING BANS Players who try to deceive referees to win a penalty or get an opposing player sent off will now face two-match bans.

A three-man panel will be convened by the Football Association, featuring a retired player, a former manager and ex-referee. They will assess incidents and must unanimously agree that a player was diving or feigning injury.

PITCH DESIGNS The Premier League has reined in the creativity of the ground staff.

Leicester didn’t just set the league alight with its astonishing title win in 2016 but also the elaborate patterns mowed into the field at the King Power Stadium.

Rules for the new season state that the markings on playing surfaces must only be traditional horizontal and white lines, in line with UEFA regulations.

CONCUSSION The Premier League has held off from trialing video assistant referees, but doctors on the sidelines will be allowed to assess replays from this weekend when concussion is suspected.

“Many signs of concussion are subtle and only apparent in the first few seconds following injury,” the league said. “By the time the doctor arrives on the pitch the player may be feeling and looking fine.”

The Associated Press first revealed last year that soccer’s lawmakers would allow

WEMBLEY Stadium in London. English soccer’s national stadium will stage Premier League matches for the first time, giving the competition its biggest-ever crowds. Tottenham will be moving into the 90-000-capacity Wembley for the season while a new stadium is built at its White Hart Lane home 12 miles across north London.

(AP Photo/Rob Harris) medics to assess head injuries on touchline monitors.

WEMBLEY English soccer’s national stadium will stage Premier League matches for the first time, giving the competition its biggest-ever crowds.

Tottenham will be moving into the 90-000-capacity Wembley for the season while a new stadium is built at its White Hart Lane home 12 miles (19 kilometers) across north London.

Tottenham took up temporary residency at Wembley for its European matches last season, but Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping his team’s form at the stadium improves. Tottenham went out of the Champions League in

CHELSEA’s manager Antonio Conte, right, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger pictured during the English Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London. Antonio Conte ignited the first managerial feud of the season when he said that Chelsea must avoid “a Mourinho season” as the champions seek to defend their Premier League title.

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein/File) the group stage after winning just one of its three home matches.

SHIRT SPONSORS As well as the main spon-

sor emblazoned across the front of jerseys, clubs are now allowed to sell space on the left sleeves to commercial backers.

Liverpool has secured 5

million pounds ($6.5 million) a season for the next five years from financial services firm Western Union. The right sleeve will feature the league’s logo.