By BRENT STUBBS
TOKYO, Japan — Kendrick Thompson capped off Team Bahamas’ appearance at the 20th World Athletics (Outdoor) Championships with an eighth-place finish in the men’s decathlon.
With the rain pouring inside the Japan National Stadium on Sunday night, Thompson clocked four minutes and 32.26 seconds
for his fifth personal best performance in the 10 events contested over the last two days of the championships.
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By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
He finished the race in 10th place for 730 points to bring his overall total to 8,175 pts to wrap up the appearance of The Bahamas’ 15-member team at the biggest international global meet outside of the Olympic Games.
“It feels good to be at number eight in the world,” Thompson said.
“I’ve always dreamed about the top eight in the world and now I am here.”
The three medals went to Leo Neugebauer of Germany with 8,804, Ayden Owens-Delerme of Puerto Rico getting the silver with a national record of 8,784 and American Kyle Garland settling for the bronze with 8,703.
“This was a really tough field,” Thompson pointed out.
“We had number ones in the world and top 20 guys in the world, so to come out in eighth place with them is special,” he added.
TOKYO, Japan — After falling short of advancing to the final at the Olympic Games last year, national record holder Rhema Otabor was hoping that she would make it at the 20th World Athletics (Outdoor) Championships.
On Friday at the Japan National Stadium, Otabor had to settle for 15th overall in the javelin after placing seventh in Group B with her best toss of 197-feet or 60.06 metres on her first attempt.
Although
fell short once again of making it back for a final, the 22-yearold Pan American Games silver medallist in 2023 in Santiago, Chile, said she’s still pleased with her performance.
“It was a better performance for me in comparison to my last few meets, but I fell short of making the final and that
Women’s 200m - Anthonique Strachan false started in the final and was disqualified. Strachan lowered her season’s best to 22.48 seconds for fourth place in her semifinal heat to qualify for the final. She placed second in her heat in a season’s best of 22.57 to advance to the semifinal with the ninth best time overall.
was sixth in heat two of the semifinals in 11.14 seconds for 14th overall.
- Camille Rutherford fifth in heat four of the heats in 11.40 seconds for 35th overall.
Women’s 400m - Printassia Johnson placed sixth in her heat of the women’s 400m in 50.81 seconds. She ends up at number 17 in
the world. Johnson advanced to the semifinal with her fourth place in heat four in a personal best of 50.53 for 14th overall.
- Javonya Valcourt seventh in heat three in the preliminaries in 52.00 for seventh place for 36th overall.
Women’s 100m hurdles
- Devynne Charlton finished sixth in the final in a season’s best of 12.49 seconds. Charlton advanced to the final with her third-place finish in a season’s best of 12.51
seconds. She advanced to the semifinals with second place in heat six in 12.69 for ninth overall.
- Denisha Cartwright seventh in heat one in 13.50 for 40th overall.
- Charisma Taylor sixth in heat four in 12.96 for 24th overall.
Women’s javelin - Rhema Otabor finished seventh in Group B for 15th place overall with her best throw of 197-feet or 60.06 metres on her
BAH. - from page E1
for 19th place overall.
Men’s triple jump Kaiwan Culmer was 14th in Group B with 16.38m, placing him 23rd overall.
Men’s javelin - Keyshawn Strachan was 12th in Group A with his best toss of 80.08 metres for 22nd overall.
Decathlon - Kendrick Thompson finished in eighth place with 8,175 points in the 10 events split in five over two days. Thompson ran 10.67 seconds for fifth place in the men’s 100m for 935 points. Thompson cleared his best distance of 24-9 (7.54m) on his first attempt in the
long jump for sixth place and 754 pts.
Thompson was 23rd in the shot put with his best heave of 41-2 1/2 (12.56m) on his third attempt for 640 pts in the high jump.
Thompson cleared a per sonal best of 6-7 1/2 (2.02m) first first place in his group for sixth overall with 822 pts. Thompson ran the 400m in 47.93 for fifth place in his heat for 913 pts. Thompson ran a personal best of 14.15 for second in his heat of the 110m hurdles for 956 pts.
Thompson struggled in the discus, producing a best of 118-5 (36.10m) for 586 points.
Thompson had a PB in the pole vault, clearing 4.60m for 790 pts.
Thompson threw a PB of 68.02m for 859 pts in the javelin.
Thompson completed the competition running 4:32.25 for 20th place in the race, adding 730 to his account.
(Outdoor) Championships now completed.
Javelin thrower Rhema Otabor:
‘It was a better performance for me in comparison to my last few meets’
JAVELIN - from page E1
was my goal coming here, so I had mixed feelings,” Otabor said. “But I’m handling this better than last year at the Paris Olympics.”
After she threw a leading opening mark that placed her in fifth place, Otabor scratched the second as she placed her foot on the line, obviously not pleased with where the spear landed.
in the qualifying round as opposed to the six in the final for the top 12 qualifiers, Otabor knew she needed to come up with a distance over 61 metres, but she fell short of surpassing her opener.
“On the third, I was going for it, but I felt I lined up my technique pretty well. I don’t think the angle was off. I think being heavy and leaning and not staying tall at the end may have played a factor in it. “But in regards to what it felt like, I thought it was pretty nice. But maybe visually my coach saw some other thing that went wrong so it’s something that we will have to discuss together.”
For her second senior global international meet, Otabor said she saw her progression in the event, although it didn’t get her into her first final.
‘I was pretty consistent around 60m, which is a lot better than how I performed at previous global meets,” she reflected. “And so I was just happy that I was able to stay consistent around 60m and that it was a better performance.’
Now that her season is over, Otabor intends to return to the University of Nebraska to complete her academic requirements for graduation she’s already done on the athletic side.
“I think I will take a month off and then get back to my training,” said Otabor, who spent the past year competing on the professional circuit. And how prepared is she for life after college? any more eligibility, you better be ready to hop on out there,” she stated.
And with the transition comes the hopes and dreams of becoming the
champion, or at least being one of the contenders in the final.
“I’m looking forward to more progress,” she insisted.
“I think I’ve said this before, but progress is a big thing for me in whatever form. For instance, I said I was more consistent in this meet than some other meets, so that’s a form of progress that I feel I need.
“I really wished I had a big throw obviously, but that’s a good thing and then moving forward I hope to make more bigger stages and compete against the world’s best.”
From the junior to the senior ranks, Otabor has transgressed as the next Bahamian female javelin thrower to watch following the retirement of former national record holder Lavern Eve. Eve, 60, set the stage competing at all levels from CARIFTA to the Olympics and the Central American and Caribbean Championships, Pan Am Games, Commonwealthonships in between.
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net
JASRADO “Jazz”
Chisholm Jr etched his name into New York Yankees history on Friday night against the Orioles, becoming just the third player in franchise history to record a 30-30 season. With his two-run home run, Jazz reached 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, joining Bobby Bonds who did it in 1975, and Alfonso Soriano who did it in 2002, as the only Yankees to accomplish the feat.
In the Yankees’ 4-2 loss at Camden Yards, Jazz went 1 for 4 with one home run, two RBI and a run scored. His home run was the lone highlight for the Yankees against the Orioles’ starter Trevor Rodgers, who limited the Yankees
to one hit over six shutdown innings and seven strikeouts. The 27-year-old outfielder has produced one of the most dynamic campaigns by a Yankee in recent history. Through Friday’s game, Jazz is batting .242 with 30 home runs, 77 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, and an OPS of .816. His offence and elite base running have made him the centrepiece of the Yankees’ lineup throughout the season.
Jazz’s addition to the 30-30 club places him in exclusive company and further cements his reputation as one of baseball’s most electrifying players.
While the Yankees continue to battle for playoff positioning, Jazz’s milestone offers the club an historic bright spot in the late stretch of the season.
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamian sporting community is mourning the loss of national Hall of Famer Dr Norman Gay, who made invaluable contributions to the growth and development of sports as a former minister of youth, sports and culture, president of the Bahamas Olympic Association and as an executive of a number of sporting bodies.
Gay, 84, passed away on Saturday at the Princess Margaret Hospital after a long illness, leaving behind his wife Tonya, sons Norman Demetrius Gay and Tarick Gay and a host of family members and friends who have been touched by his passion for sports.
Gay was a former minister of health and youth, sports and culture.
He succeeded the late Sir Milo Butler as a Member of Parliament after Butler demitted office following the independence in 1973 to become the Governor General of the Bahamas.
Additionally, Gay served as a past president of the
Bahamas Volleyball Federation, the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation and the Caribbean Bodybuilding Federation.
He also served as past president of the Caribbean Bodybuilding Federation, the Bahamas Olympic Association and the Bahamas Confederation of Amateur Sports.
Gay was later appointed chairman of the Bahamas Boxing Commission and he was instrumental in the launching of the Bahamas Anti-aging Institute.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said Gay’s life was a testament to his love for sport and country.
“As an athlete, he was a champion bodybuilder, a skilled volleyball player, and a competitor across a wide range of British and American sports,” he said.
“His accomplishments on the field inspired many, while his leadership off the field transformed the sporting landscape of The Bahamas.”
Bowleg noted that Gay served in numerous capacities in the landscape of sports, but
will be remembered for his tenure in office as Minister of Youth and Sports from 1990 to 1992 when he advanced landmark legislation, including the Boxing Act, which led to the establishment of the Bahamas Boxing Commission.
The Bahamas Government achieved his extraordinary contributions by inducting him into the Bahamas National Sports
Hall of Fame in 2013 during the nation’s 40th Anniversary of Independence.
“Dr Gay’s passion, generosity of spirit, and unwavering commitment to youth and sports development will forever remain an inspiration,” Bowleg said.
“His legacy will live on through the countless athletes and administrators he mentored and the institutions he helped build.”
In his dual role in both politics and sports, former deputy prime minister Desmond Bannister said Dr. Gay played a critical role in the development of so many of our young athletes.
“He was the inspiration behind Obed Gardiner and Henry Crawford walking the streets of Bain Town every day to recruit young people, most of whom had never competed in organised sports, to start the Bain Town Flyers Track and Field Club in 1975,” Bannister recalled.
“None of us were from wealthy families, so Doc ensured that we were able to have our first track and field uniforms. We took so much pride in them that I still have mine today, 40 years later.”
Bannister recalled that Gay’s residence on West Bay became their headquarters where they could feel comfortable just hanging around and not getting in trouble.
“So many memorable events occurred there,” said Bannister, a former middle distance runner who excelled as a Member of Parliament for Camichael.
“Many of us are thankful for his vision and generosity that provided inspiration.”
Immediate past president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee Wellington Miller said Gay also made his mark as the third Bahamian and the first Black Bahamian to be elected president of the BOA, as it was formally called then.
“His stint in the BOA at the time was very short because when he was the president, he got the nomination to run in politics for the Bain Town Constituency after Sir Milo Butler became the Governor General,” Miller said.
“Right after that, he resigned and Sir Arlington Butler became the president. So his stint as president of the BOA was very short and he didn’t
have that much effect,” said Miller.
But Miller said he watched as Gay came back into sports and served effectively in every organisation that he was involved in, making a valuable contribution to sports in general.
From the boxing arena, where he played a pivotal role in the lives of so many amateur and professional boxers as both a medical advisor and executive, BBC chairman Fred Sturrup said he was truly one of the great sons of the soil and his outreach was enormous.
“Dr Gay was a giant figure in the field of medicine. He was a very special politician, one of our iconic sports administrators and equally as significant, he was a versatile athlete who excelled in volleyball, bodybuilding and baseball,” said Sturrup, a long-time prolific journalist.
“However, more importantly, Dr Gay was a superb human being.
“He was a great credit to his country and the wider world, and his transition leaves a huge void in Bahamian life.”
May his soul rest in peace.
THE Bahamas Bodybuilding Wellness & Fitness Federation (BBWFF) announced the official team that will represent The Bahamas at the Central American & Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships (CAC), scheduled for September 24-29, 2025 in St. Lucia.
The 17-member national team, composed of top amateur athletes, will compete against the best in the region as they proudly represent The Bahamas on the international stage. This year, professional (pro) athletes will not compete in the amateur event but will instead play a crucial role in supporting the team from behind the scenes. Their mentorship and guidance are part
of BBWFF’s broader effort to bridge the gap between elite and amateur athletes, ensuring knowledge, training and discipline flow directly into the next generation. In alignment with the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture’s athlete subvention and development programme, BBWFF has officially submitted multiple athletes for consideration. While several names are under review, the two leading candidates based on the federation’s national criteria are Alexander Kemp and Danica Thompson. Both athletes are among the most promising competitors on the regional stage and stand out as strong contenders for future intera look at Team Bahamas’
roster for the 2025 CAC Championships: - Wellington Sears, Remington Rolle, Judah Forbes, Simone Sawyer, Henrick Sands, Tove McDonald, Khalid Ross, George Wilson, Alexander Kemp, Jackie Cleare, Kyle King, Orick Nesbitt, Denica Thompson, Shantae Rahming, Ryan Payne, Candace Murray and Rashad Cunningham.
BBWFF president Wellington “Cat” Sears expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture for its continued support while stressing the importance of accountability and structure.
“We thank the Ministry for expanding the subvention and development programme,” he said. “While we have submitted
a number of athletes for consideration, Alexander and Danica have distinguished themselves as the leading candidates at this time.
“At the same time, we must ensure that funding goes only to those in good standing with the BBWFF, the governing body for bodybuilding and fitness in The Bahamas. That is the only way to protect the integrity of our sport and guarantee fairness.”
Sears further emphasised the role of professional athletes in supporting the amateur division.
“Our pro athletes are stepping into a mentorship role, helping guide the amateurs through preparation and competition,” he said. “This isn’t just about medals, it’s about building
a sustainable system of development for Bahamian athletes at every level.”
Funding Update
The BBWFF notes that while the federation is still awaiting the collection of its government grant, efforts are actively underway to secure additional sponsorship to assist with immediate expenses for the CAC Championships.
Discussions have already begun with several corporate partners, including Island Luck, who has expressed interest in supporting Team Bahamas on this important journey.
“We appreciate the government’s commitment, and while we await the processing of our grant, we are grateful for the private sector stepping forward,” Sears said. “Partnerships
with organisations like Island Luck will help ensure that our athletes can travel and represent The Bahamas with pride,” said Sears.
The BBWFF invites the public, sponsors and all supporters of Bahamian sports to rally behind Team Bahamas as they prepare to compete in St Lucia.
About BBWFF
BBWFF is the only bodybuilding and fitness federation officially recognised by the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture and IFBB Elite internationally. The federation governs the sport in The Bahamas, ensures compliance with WADA anti-doping regulations, and is committed to developing athletes from grassroots to professional levels.
PHOENIX (AP) —
Alyssa Thomas had a 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in her fifth career playoff triple-double, and the Phoenix Mercury advanced to the second round of the WNBA playoffs by eliminating the defending champion New York Liberty 79-73 in Game 3 on Friday night.
Satou Sabally added 23 points and 12 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Mercury, who played at top-seeded Minnesota yesterday (see story below) to start the best-of-five semifinal round.
Thomas has five of the seven WNBA playoff triple-doubles.
Sami Whitcomb scored 13 points and Kahleah
Copper had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Mercury, who had a 49-33 advantage on the boards.
DeWanna Bonner had eight rebounds to pass Candace Parker for the most boards in playoff history with 614.
Breanna Stewart, five days after spraining the MCL in her left knee in overtime of a Game 1 win, scored 30 points, including the last 14 in the fourth quarter for the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu added 22 and Jonquel Jones contributed three points, four assists and eight rebounds. There were five ties and 13 lead changes through three quarters, which ended with Phoenix on top 60-59, but New York never led in
the fourth. Stewart’s threepoint play had the Liberty within 65-64 with 6:51 to play.
But Thomas had a basket, two assists and a rebound to get her ninth triple-double of this season, as the Mercury surged ahead 72-64 with 5:36 to play.
Stewart made two free throws — she was 12 of 15 from the line — to make it 76-73 with 1:10 to play. The Liberty had a turnover and three misses in the last minute and finished 7 of 32 from 3-point range, including 1 for 17 in the second half. The Mercury led by 12 in the second quarter but with Ionescu scoring 12 points the Liberty cut it to 45-41 at halftime.
By The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored a playoff-career high 34 points and the Indiana Fever beat the Las Vegas Aces 89-73 on Sunday in Game 1 of the best-of-five semifinal series.
After seeing their double-digit lead shrink to three points with 2:51 left in the third, the Fever closed the quarter on an 11-0 run to extend their advantage to 14 points, seizing control of the game and never looking back.
Mitchell, who finished fifth in MVP voting with 93 points, scored 17 points in the first half, setting the tone for the Fever’s offence.
The veteran guard, who finished the regular season ranked third in scoring with 20.2 points per game, shot 12 of 23 (52.2%) from the floor, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range for the game.
Odyssey Sims had 17 points, while Natasha Howard finished with a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds).
The Fever finished the game hitting 50% from the floor (34 of 68), while the Aces shot just 29 of 71 (40.8%).
The victory spoiled A’ja Wilson’s celebration for becoming the WNBA’s first player to win four MVPs in her career.
The 29-year-old, who was also named the AP Player of the Year, finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Wilson shot just 27.3% (6 of 22) from the field.
Jackie Young led the Aces with 19 points, while Dana Evans came off the bench to score 14 points and Chelsea Gray chipped in with 13.
Las Vegas hadn’t lost at home since August 2,
when the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx handed the Aces the worst home loss in WNBA history, a 53-point beatdown.
From that point, the Aces closed the regular season on a 16-game win streak before defeating the Seattle Storm in the opening round.
The win was even more impressive, considering the Aces came into the game without a single player on the injured list, while the Fever had six.
Already shorthanded without Chloe Bibby (left knee), Caitlin Clark (right groin), Sydney Colson (left knee), Sophie Cunningham (right knee) and Aari McDonald (right foot), Indiana added Damiris Dantas to the list, as she was in concussion protocol.
LYNX 82, MERCURY 69 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Courtney Williams scored a game-high 23 points, Kayla McBride scored 21, and Napheesa Collier added 18 points and nine rebounds as the top-seeded Minnesota defeated Phoenix in Game 1 of the best-of-five semifinal series.
The Lynx trailed by as many as nine and faced a seven-point deficit at halftime.
As Phoenix threatened to even the game down the stretch, it was Williams and McBride making big shots to keep the Mercury at bay. McBride drilled a shot from deep to put the Lynx up 73-67 with under four minutes to play, and Minnesota never looked back.
Kahleah Copper led Phoenix with 22 points and Alyssa Thomas had 18. Mercury leading scorer Satou Sabally (16.3 ppg) was held to just 10 points.
By The Associated Press
JONATHAN Taylor ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns and the Indianapolis Colts continued their best start since 2009 by beating the hapless Tennessee Titans 41-20 yesterday.
The Colts are now 3-0 and off to their best start since 2009 when Peyton Manning led them to the AFC championship.
Kenny Moore put the Colts ahead to stay on the third offensive play of the game. He picked off rookie Cam Ward and went 32 yards for the pick-6.
Tyquan Lewis had two of the Colts’ four sacks in a game they outgained Tennessee 145-34 and led 17-3 after the first quarter in a game Indy controlled throughout.
Daniel Jones now has as many victories this season as he had in his last 16 starts over two seasons with the New York Giants. Jones also has yet to have a pass intercepted as he threw for 228 yards and a touchdown to Michael Pittman.
PANTHERS 30, FALCONS 0
CHARLOTTE, N.C.
(AP) — Bryce Young ran for a touchdown, Chau Smith-Wade returned an interception 11 yards for a score and rookie Ryan Fitzgerald made three field goals and Carolina routed Atlanta for its first win of the season.
Young was 16 of 24 for 121 yards, but played mistake free after turning the ball over five times in the previous two games.
Smith-Wade’s third-quarter pick-6 highlighted a dominant performance for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s unit as the Panthers (1-2) intercepted Michael Penix Jr. twice, forced three turnovers and limited the Falcons to 5 of 16 conversions on third and fourth downs for their first shutout since November 22, 2020.
Outside of Bijan Robinson, who combined for 111 yards from scrimmage — 72 on the ground and 39 through the air — the Falcons (1-2) got little production from their offence.
STEELERS 21, PATRIOTS 14
FOXBOROUGH, Mass.
(AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw a go-ahead 17-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III with 2:16 left, and Pittsburgh beat New England. Rodgers passed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, Kenneth Gainwell ran for a 1-yard TD and the Steelers’ defence forced five turnovers to help Pittsburgh (2-1) win at New England for the first time since 2008. The Steelers had lost four since then in Foxborough, including the AFC championship game in the 2016 season.
The Patriots (1-2) were driving with a chance to tie it and had fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 28, but DeMario Douglas caught a pass from Drake Maye and was stopped for a 1-yard loss.
It was New England’s first five-turnover game since losing 33-10 at home to Pittsburgh on November 30, 2008, when Tom Brady was out for the season with a knee injury.
JAGUARS 17, TEXANS 10
JACKSONVILLE (AP) — Trevor Lawrence found
Brian Thomas Jr. for a 46-yard gain, Travis Etienne scored on the next play and Jacksonville held on to beat Houston Texans. It was Jacksonville’s first win over the Texans at home since 2017. Houston had won 12 of the previous 14 in the AFC South series. This one was decided on the final two drives.
The Jaguars (2-1) got a huge play from Lawrence to Thomas, a connection that has been mostly missing all season, and then the Texans (0-3) seemingly let Etienne score from 10 yards out with 1:48 remaining.
C.J. Stroud drove Houston into striking distance in the waning seconds, but Josh Hines-Allen tipped his pass and Antonio Johnson intercepted the wobbler to seal the victory.
The Texans can point to Nico Collins’ fumble as the turning point. Tyson Campbell knocked the ball out and it bounced into Devin Lloyd’s hands. It got Jacksonville headed in the rightdirection after a sluggish performance.
COMMANDERS 41, RAIDERS 24
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — A reconfigured Commanders offence — nearly half the starters were different from a game ago, including quarterback Marcus Mariota filling in for an injured Jayden Daniels — produced 201 yards on the ground, 174 in the first half alone, and Washington beat Las Vegas. In his first NFL start since 2022 with Atlanta, Mariota went 15 for 21 for 206 yards with a late touchdown through the air, and ran six times for 40 yards, including a 2-yard TD on the game’s opening possession. Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft after winning the Heisman Trophy at Oregon, also lost a fumble on a run.
In addition to Mariota’s 43-yard scoring pass to Luke McCaffrey with a little more than two minutes left, Washington (2-1) got touchdowns via a 60-yard run by Jeremy McNichols, a 1-yard plunge by rookie seventh-round draft pick Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt that was set up by Mariota’s 56-yard throw to Terry McLaurin and a 90-yard punt return by rookie fourth-round selection Jaylin Lane.
McNichols never had a run or reception that gained more than 28 yards in his eight NFL seasons before Sunday; his play was the longest rushing TD for Washington since Adrian Peterson scored from 90 yards out against Philadelphia in 2018.
Lane’s return, meanwhile, tied for the longest punt score in franchise history and was the first for Washington since Jamison Crowder brought one back in 2016.
BROWNS 13, PACKERS 10 CLEVELAND (AP) — Andre Szmyt kicked a 55-yard field goal as time expired and Cleveland rallied from a 10-0 deficit with under four minutes left to beat Green Bay.
The Browns (1-2) snapped an eight-game losing streak dating to last season when it appeared for much of the game they might be shut out. But the defence kept them in it with
INDIANAPOLIS Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) breaks away from Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker (37) on his way to a touchdown during the second half yesterday. (AP
four sacks and came up with the key turnover which resulted in it being tied. Green Bay (2-1) appeared as if it might win with a last-minute field goal when it drove to the Browns 25, but Shelby Harris blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt by Brandon McManus and Greg Newsome II recovered at the 47. Cleveland took over and went 16 yards in five plays. Joe Flacco had an 8-yard completion on third-and-2 to get the ball to the Packers 35. Flacco then spiked the ball, bringing Szmyt on with 2 seconds remaining. It was redemption for the rookie kicker, who missed an extra point and field goal in a 17-16 loss to Cincinnati in Week 1.
VIKINGS 48, BENGALS 10 MINNEAPOLIS (AP)
— Isaiah Rodgers helped make Carson Wentz’s debut at quarterback for Minnesota a rousing success, setting a Vikings record with two defensive touchdowns and forcing three of Cincinnati’s five turnovers in a romp for the worst loss in Bengals history.
Jordan Mason rushed for 116 yards and two scores on just 16 attempts, Will Reichard made a 62-yard field goal — the longest in Vikings history — as the first half ended and Wentz threw for two touchdowns over three quarters before yielding the mop-up work to rookie Max Brosmer.
Jake Browning was picked off twice in a rough start for the Bengals (2-1), who lost three of their five fumbles and missed Joe Burrow more than ever in their first game since their franchise quarterback had toe surgery that will sideline him for at least three months.
Wentz hit Josh Oliver and T.J. Hockenson for scores and went 14 for 20 for 173 yards without a turnover for the Vikings (2-1), who posted their most lopsided victory since 1998 and their highest score since 2015.
EAGLES 33, RAMS 26
PHILADELPHIA (AP)
— Jordan Davis blocked a field-goal attempt by the Rams’ Joshua Karty on the final play of the game and returned it 61 yards for a
touchdown — the Eagles’ second blocked kick of the fourth quarter — to give Philadelphia an exhilarating win over Los Angeles.
The Rams (2-1) led 26-21 midway through the fourth when Jalen Carter blocked Karty’s 36-yard try, and Jalen Hurts then led the Super Bowl champion Eagles (3-0) on a 17-play, 91-yard drive for the goahead score. That left 1:48 on the clock for Matthew Stafford, who led the Rams into position for Karty’s 44-yard attempt with 3 seconds left.
Davis instead wedged his way through, knocked the ball down, scooped it and rumbled to the end zone, where he was mobbed by his teammates as fans at the Linc erupted in celebration of the Eagles’ 12th straight home victory.
Philadelphia slogged through a listless first half and trailed 26-7 in the third quarter after Stafford’s second TD pass of the game. Karty had already kicked four field goals for the Rams, who lost a tight NFC divisional-round playoff game to the Eagles last season.
BUCCANEERS 29, JETS 27
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield led Tampa Bay to another thrilling finish, Chase McLaughlin kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired and the Buccaneers rallied for a victory over New York for their best start in 20 years.
The Buccaneers (3-0) overcame a late surge by the Jets (0-3), who erased a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead before Mayfield orchestrated a scoring drive in the closing minutes for the third straight week.
Mayfield, who was 19 of 29 for 233 yards and one touchdown, set up McLaughlin’s fifth field goal of the game with completions of 28 yards to Emeka Egbuka and 20 to Sterling Shepard.
McLaughlin’s winning kick came less than two minutes after Will McDonald blocked his 43-yard attempt and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to put the Jets ahead 27-26 with 1:49 remaining.
McLaughlin also made field goals of 54, 33, 28 and
55 yards, and Mike Evans had a 5-yard TD catch before leaving with a hamstring injury. The defence did its part, too, with Jamel Dean returning an interception of Tyrod Taylor in the first half 55 yards for a TD.
Antoine Winfield Jr. forced a fumble with one of the team’s four sacks.
49ERS 16, CARDINALS 15
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Recently signed kicker Eddy Pineiro made a 35-yard field goal on the final play to give San Francisco a 16-15 win over Arizona for their third straight win to open the season.
San Francisco (3-0) overcame an injury to Nick Bosa, the absence of starting quarterback Brock Purdy and a tiebreaking safety allowed with 3:15 to play to eke out the win.
Rookie Upton Stout broke up a pass to Zay Jones on third down after the safety to force a punt by Arizona (2-1) and Mac Jones then calmly led a game-winning drive. He took over at his 20 with 1:46 to play and completed five passes for 59 yards to get the Niners in position for the game-winning kick. Pineiro, who was signed after Jake Moody missed two field goals in the opener, calmly delivered to set off a celebration.
The Cardinals had taken the lead when Calais Campbell forced a holding penalty in the end zone by Dominick Puni for the first tiebreaking safety in the fourth quarter in nearly 11 years but couldn’t close it out.
BEARS 31, COWBOYS 14
Caleb Williams tied a career high with four touchdown passes and Chicago gave Ben Johnson his first win as an NFL head coach by beating Dallas.
The Bears (1-2) got a win they sorely needed coming off a 52-21 blowout loss at Detroit. Johnson called out his team’s practice habits during the week, saying they weren’t “championship-calibre.” But he had to like what he saw against the Cowboys (1-2). Johnson’s offence broke off several big plays while racking up 385 yards. It added up to a rough day for
)
Dallas defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus in his first appearance at Soldier Field since the Bears fired him as head coach last November. Williams looked more like the quarterback the Bears need him to become than the one who faded after strong starts the first two weeks. The No. 1 overall draft pick last year, he completed 19 of 28 passes for 298 yards and a 142.6 rating.
SEAHAWKS 44, SAINTS 13
SEATTLE (AP) —
Rookie Tory Horton returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown — the longest punt return in Seahawks franchise history — and caught one of Sam Darnold’s two TD passes in Seattle’s 44-13 rout of the winless New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Kenneth Walker III ran for two TDs for the Seahawks (2-1), with the first set up by another big play on special teams. D’Anthony Bell blocked a punt by Kai Kroeger deep in New Orleans territory, and Walker’s 3-yard run gave Seattle a 21-0 firstquarter lead.
Horton, who had his first career TD catch a week earlier in a 31-17 win at Pittsburgh, gave the Seahawks a 14-0 lead with his punt return midway through the first quarter. Early in the second, Horton hauled in a 14-yard fade from Darnold to put Seattle ahead 28-3.
The Seahawks didn’t let up. Walker’s second short TD run capped a four-play, 76-yard drive that made it 35-3, and Jason Myers added a 56-yard field goal before halftime. Seattle led 38-6 at the break for the second-highest-scoring half in franchise history. For the Saints, it was the most points allowed in a half since they also gave up 38 in the second half of a 62-7 loss to Atlanta on Sept. 16, 1973.
CHARGERS 23, BRONCOS 20 INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert found Keenan Allen for a tying touchdown with 2:44 remaining and then led Los Angeles into position for Cameron Dicker’s gameending 43-yard field goal as the Chargers beat Denver for their first 3-0 start since 2002.
After Herbert eluded the Broncos’ pass rush and connected with Allen — who fought off Riley Morris in the end zone for the 20-yard score — Bo Nix and the Broncos (1-2) went three-and-out. That set up Herbert and the Chargers on their 32, and he went 4 of 4 on the final drive. Herbert was 28 of 47 for 300 yards with the TD and one interception. At 27 years, 195 days, he became the youngest NFL player to reach 2,000 career completions, surpassing Drew Bledsoe. Herbert did so in his 82nd career game, making him the secondfastest player to reach the mark.
Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers beat their third straight division rival after opening with wins over AFC West opponents Kansas City and Las Vegas. Their stretch of not allowing a touchdown in the second half ended against Denver.
THOMPSON, of The Bahamas, competes during the men’s pole vault decathlon and high jump at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, September 21, 2025. (AP
Bernat Armangue/Ashley Landis)
DECATHLON - from page E1
“There ain’t anything I could ask for this time. I’m really happy with what I did. I gave it all I had. These guys will see me next time.”
From the results, Thompson fell short of his lifetime achievement of 8,182 pts from May 27-28, 2023 in Gotzis, Austria, and the Bahamian national record of 8,226 pts that Ken Munnings posted at the Olympic Games in Paris, France from August 2-3, 2025.
The two 28-year-old former training partners have yet to go head-to-head in an international global meet as each one could not perform in the same meet with each other because of various reasons.
Thompson missed the Olympics after he had a pair of injuries at sea, which left him inactive last year.
This year, Mullings skipped the trip here as he is currently in training at the Police College.
But in his return to the international scene this year, having competed in four multiple events before the championships, Thompson added PBs in running 14.15 seconds in the 110m hurdles for 955 pts, soaring 2.20m in the high jump, clearing a height of 4.60m in the pole vault for 790 pts and tossing the javelin 68.02 metres. Additionally, Thompson also sped to 10.67 in the 100m for 935 pts and 47.93 in the 400m for 913 pts, soared 7.54m in the long jump for 945 pts, but only threw 12.66m in the shot put and 36.10m in the discus, the latter being his two worst events.
“I think if I hadn’t had those two bad events in the discus and the shot put, I could have done better,” Thompson said. “But to get to eight in the world, I feel good about my performance.
“This is like a start for next year. Next year I will be back stronger and hopefully I will score much more than I did this year.”
With his position in the championships, Thompson said his ranking will improve tremendously and things will move forward for him and he’s looking forward to it.
‘It feels good
in the world’
KENDRICK Thompson competes in the decathlon 110 metres hurdles. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
“I really think I need to work on my discus and do a little more pole vaulting,” he stated. “This year, I did like three practices with the pole vault because unfortunately, I don’t own any poles. So when I go to meets, my coach brings my poles and I get to train with him. That’s how I have to train for that event.”
With a little more financial assistance from corporate Bahamas, especially to get his personal equipment and to be able to travel to train and compete in events, Thompson said he knows he can be a force to reckon with against his peers.
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer
TOKYO (AP) —
Sha’Carri Richardson saved the day in her relay. Noah Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone put exclamation points on theirs.
The best in the U.S. splashed through the rainy relays Sunday in Tokyo to capture three gold medals and close out world championships on a night when track also bid a hug-filled farewell to Jamaica’s sprint legend, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
“I felt like I ran with my heart because of the ladies I’m standing with,” Richardson said, as she celebrated her first gold medal of a championships that was far from perfect. “I feel really good. It came back. I’m ready to start all over again.”
It has been a tough, injury-tainted year for Richardson, who finished fifth last weekend in the women’s 100. Even so, the U.S. put her on the anchor leg for the 4x100 relay — same place she’s been for gold-medal performances the last two years — and she didn’t disappoint.
But unlike last year at the Olympics, when she gave the side-eye to the opponents she passed, then stomped her foot for emphasis at the finish line, she had to run hard all the way through in this one.
Richardson was actually trailing by .01 when she received the baton from Kayla White. It took a few steps for her to build a lead of her own, and she held off Jonielle Smith down the stretch and leaned in for the win in 41.75 seconds.
It was a .04-second margin, and the difference might have been a slight hiccup in an exchange between Jamaican twins Tia and Tina Clayton. The U.S. had none of those problems.
A full-circle moment for Jefferson-Wooden, Fraser-Pryce In a couple of near-perfect, full-circle moments, it was Richardson’s comeback that turned Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who ran the lead leg, into the first three-time sprint winner at worlds — 100, 200 and relay — since Fraser-Pryce did it in 2013.
It also left the Jamaican they call the “Mommy Rocket” with silver, the same colour she won in her debut at worlds, back in 2007 in Osaka when she was 20 and earned a spot on the foursome that ran the qualifying round.
“No emotions right now,” Fraser-Pryce said. “Just grateful to be able to finish this race. It’s been such a remarkable moment.” Jefferson-Wooden wasn’t alone in seeking out
Fraser-Pryce, whose medal was her 17th from world championships to go with eight from the Olympics, mostly to say “thanks.”
“She’s definitely paved the way for women’s short sprints and it’s so inspiring to see someone like her do what she did and be so dominant for so long,” Jefferson-Wooden said.
“All of us up here are aspiring to do the same things.”
Not lost in the celebration was that all four racers on that women’s team — Tee Tee Terry ran the second leg — train together and that Richardson and Jefferson-Wooden figure to be vying to take FraserPryce’s place atop the sprint game in the lead-in to the LA Olympics. Lyles headlines a (rare) no-drama win in the men’s 4x100 A few minutes after that relay, and with the rain still falling, Lyles crossed the line first to give the U.S. its 26th medal and 16th gold of the meet — totals that are more respectable after what, earlier in the week, had the makings of a bad meet.
The 26 overall medals are the same number they captured in the same stadium four years ago at the Tokyo Olympics. Only seven were gold that time. Lyles accounted for two golds and a bronze, and the finale was, frankly, boring — something hardly anybody says about the U.S. men in a 4x100. Bad exchanges have cost them in seven worlds and six Olympics since 1995.
But this is now a worlds winning streak for the Americans, who won two years ago in Budapest (but did mess up at the Olympics last year) and didn’t have to deal with Jamaican 100 gold and silver medallists Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson because of that team’s troubles in qualifying. “I didn’t have to do much. These guys took care of business,” Lyles said. “They made sure the handoffs were clean. It’s a little anticlimatic, but at the same
time, it’s a great feeling because you know that the job has been done.” McLaughlin-Levrone gets asked about another world record McLaughlin-Levrone also kept it light on drama. She inhereted a huge lead in the 4x400 from Aaliyah Butler and opened it wider from there. The Americans finished in a championshipsrecord 3 minutes, 16.61 seconds for a 2.64-second win over Jamaica. Much like Thursday night, when
McLaughlin-Levrone ran 47.78 in the 400 flat to become the first woman to crack 48 seconds in nearly 40 years, she was being asked about world records again. The mark in the women’s relay is also ancient — 3:15.17 by the Soviet Union in 1988. “We’re getting closer and closer,” she said. “It’s going to