MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 SPORTS Turner Field US flag at half-staff after fan dies

ATLANTA: The US flag flew at half-staff at Turner Field ers’ wives and families sit.Braves president John ruled a suicide; In 2008, police cited alcohol as a fac- Disturbing doesn’t really go far enough.” yesterday, one day after a fan died following his fall Schuerholz said grief counselors have been made tor after a man died. Major League Baseball said it MLB has said it is studying the issue of fan safety from the upper deck into the lower-level stands dur- available to players’ friends and family members who had been in contact with the Braves and was moni- in the wake of several people being hurt by foul ing a game between the Atlanta Braves and New York witnessed the fall. “It’s just sad and we’re all dealing toring the situation. A sellout crowd of 49,243 was balls and flying bats this season. Some players have Yankees. Mary Beth Hauptle, an investigator with the with the sadness and the tragedy of it for the gentle- the largest of the season at Turner Field. called for more protective netting around the field. Fulton County Medical Examiner, identified the victim man’s family and anybody who happened to witness The Braves are set to move into a new suburban A fan died at Turner Field on Aug 12, 2013, after as Gregory K Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta, Georgia. it,” Schuerholz said. “It’s difficult and that’s what our stadium in 2017. Schuerholz said now is not the falling 85 feet from a walkway on the fourth level of Murrey was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial focus is now.” A Braves security officer blocked an AP time to say if the latest death at Turner Field would the stadium. Investigators from the Fulton County Hospital. reporter from entering section 401 yesterday without affect plans for the new stadium, including the Medical Examiner’s office later ruled that the death The Braves said yesterday they are “deeply sad- a ticket. Braves second baseman Jace Peterson said height of the rails which line the bottom of each of Ronald Lee Homer Jr, 30, was a suicide. In 2008, dened” by Murrey’s death. “Greg was a valued and his girlfriend was close to the spot Murrey fell. “It was section of seats. “We made our plans long before Justin Hayes, 25, died after falling down a stairwell longtime season-ticket holder and an incredibly pas- within 10 feet from her,” Peterson said. “So everybody this event occurred,” Schuerholz said. “Every facility in Atlanta during a game against the Mets. Police sionate Braves fan,” the team said in a statement. “This whose families were here definitely experienced that’s getting built, there’s a great deal of communi- said alcohol contributed to his fall that caused head tragic loss is felt throughout Braves Country, and the some part of it. It’s not good for anyone to see some- cation with architects and engineers and the league injuries. thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organiza- thing like that. “A lot of player families were right in terms of abiding by league standards for the Two fans died at major league games in 2011. In tion continue to go out to his family and friends.” The there. I heard some pretty graphic stuff. It’s not some- industry. We certainly will do that.” Texas, a man fell about 20 feet to the ground Braves displayed a photo of Murrey on the thing I really want to get into. It’s just unfortunate.” Adam Staudacher and his girlfriend were return- beyond the outfield fence trying to catch a baseball videoboard and observed a moment of silence before Yankees catcher Brian McCann’s mother, who is a ing to their seats near where Murrey fell. tossed his way by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Sunday’s game. nurse, was one of the first to assist Murrey following Staudacher, 33, from Atlanta, said it appeared Shannon Stone, 39 and a firefighter in Brownwood, The fall in the seventh inning immediately fol- his fall. “She ran to him,” said McCann, who began his Murrey landed headfirst on a 3-foot-wide walkway Texas, was attending the Rangers game with his lowed the introduction of Yankees slugger Alex career with the Braves. “She was in the mix trying to between sections. He estimated 20 EMTs immedi- young son. Earlier that year, a 27-year-old man died Rodriguez as a pinch hitter. Lt Charles Hampton of the do everything she could.” ately surrounded the fan and began doing CPR, after falling about 20 feet and striking his head on Atlanta Police Department homicide unit said foul adding they treated him for “five to seven minutes” concrete during a Colorado Rockies home game. play is not suspected at this point. He said no fans Third Death before taking him away. Staudacher said he saw no Witnesses told police the man was trying to slide were hurt in the 200-level seats where the man fell This was the third fan death from a fall at Turner movement from the fan. “There were a ton of kids down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his from section 401, landing close to an area where play- Field in eight seasons. In 2013, a fan’s death was right there,” he said. “It was a disturbing scene. balance. —AP

BEIJING: The teams of Trinidad and Tobago, silver, the United States, gold, and Great Britain, bronze (from left) stand on the podium during the ceremony for the men’s 4x400 relay at the Championships. — AP Kiprop puts on top in

BEIJING: Asbel Kiprop produced a trademark sprint vidual title winners from the Beijing Olympics to the longer race. Ayana ran the last four laps on her Lashawn Merritt anchored the U.S. team to their end to a world championships that altered very lit- finish to win a third straight 1,500 metres gold and return to the Bird’s Nest and win gold again seven own to better the championship record of Dibaba’s victory in the final event of the championships, see- tle in the landscape of the sport, despite nine days ensure Kenya topped the medals table at successive years later. “I am so proud of myself to become part sister Tirunesh in a time of 14 minutes 26.83 sec- ing off an explosive start to the final lap from young of sometimes spectacular performances. world championships after the final night of action of this exclusive club of three-times world champi- onds, leading Senbere Teferi and the younger Jamaican Javon Francis and crossing the line in two Despite an injury-ravaged season and the form yesterday. The United States men won a sixth ons,” Kiprop told reporters after clocking three min- Dibaba across the line in an Ethiopian sweep. minutes 57.82 seconds. of Justin Gatlin, Usain Bolt finished as he started as straight gold in 4x400m relay but Jamaica’s Novlene utes 34.40 seconds to win. “I had to win the gold medal,” said Ayana, who “I wanted to control the race,” said the 29-year- the dominant athlete of his age with a fifth sprint Williams-Mills ran down tiring American Francena “But I would dearly love to defend the title a won by 17 seconds. “I was so surprised to get such old Merritt, who won his 11th world championship sweep at a major global championships. McCorory in the women’s event to claim a sixth fourth time in in 2017. This allows me to so easy victory today. I can’t even explain how I did medal. “But I didn’t even know the guy from The sport’s embattled leaders, meanwhile, faced gold in Beijing for the Caribbean powerhouse. join Algeria’s but Hicham El that today.” Ayana’s gold was the second of the day Jamaica who was on the anchor leg. I was in such a as many questions about doping in their final news That was enough for second place on the Guerrouj still has one gold more and that is what I for Ethiopia after the unrelated Mare Dibaba won zone and focused on my people. But that’s the way conference as they did on the eve of competition. medals table ahead of a U.S. team who won only am aiming at.” Genzebe Dibaba’s bid to become the the women’s marathon in a thrilling sprint finish he runs his race. “I wasn’t really fazed. I picked it up a , who took over as president of the five gold, their worst tally in the 15 world champi- first woman to win both the 1,500m and 5,000m at along the home straight. little bit because he was running hard. Then he was International Association of Athletics Federations onships. Kiprop, Usain Bolt and his fellow Jamaican the same world championships was thwarted by a Dibaba out-kicked Kenya’s Helah Kiprop to win still running hard, I just shifted a gear.” (IAAF) at the conclusion of the championships, sprinter Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce were the only indi- stunning run from her team mate Almaz Ayana in the gruelling event by just one second, crossing the A fifth straight title defence was an appropriate knows he has a big job ahead of him. —Reuters finish line in two hours, 27 minutes and 35 seconds. To the delight of the crowd, hosts China looked to be on course for second title of the champi- onships when Lyu Huihui led the women’s javelin with just one throw remaining. Germany’s Katharina Molitor, however, conjured up the longest throw of her career-a world leading 67.69 metres- to take her first medal at a major championships. “This event is unpredictable and it is beautiful,” said South Africa’s Sunette Viljoen, who took bronze behind Lyu. “It was a very special per- formance from the Chinese girl. And Katharina, wow, nobody expected that.”

JUMP-OFF Canada’s Derek Drouin won the men’s high jump gold with a 2.34-metre clearance in a sudden-death jump-off with defending champion Bogdan Bondarenko of Ukraine and China’s Zhang Guowei. After the trio had all failed at 2.36 for a fourth time, the bar was lowered to 2.34 and Drouin cleared it while his rivals failed and shared the silver. “I was first in the list and I felt a big pressure,” Drouin said of his winning jump. “I knew I couldn’t BEIJING: Gold medalist Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba (center), Kenya’s Helah Kiprop, silver (left) and BEIJING: Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi clears the bar in the men’s high jump final at the World make even one mistake as my rivals were very Bahrain’s Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa, bronze, pose on the podium during the ceremony for the Athletics Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium. — AP strong and they could use it to get the victory.” women’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships. — AP Molitor snatches javelin gold Coe: Our sport is more than BEIJING: Germany’s Katharina Molitor her first major medal and paid tribute to conjured up the longest throw of her the noisy crowd at thee Bird’s Nest career with the final throw of the compe- Stadium. “I am very excited about this sil- ‘test tubes, blood and urine’ tition to win a surprise javelin gold and ver medal, I was able to come back and deny hosts China a second title of the to come back strong,” said the 26-year- BEIJING: Part of Sebastian Coe’s new job as head of parts of their lives to help out,” he added. “The clean athletes have to know that we are in world athletics championships yesterday. old. “We had set a goal to do well here. world athletics will be to shift the conversation about “It is slightly the territory we have inherited and their corner and words are simply not enough.” Coe The 31-year-old, who had never previ- The crowd here gave me wonderful sup- his “ostensibly clean” sport from doping to spectacular one of my responsibilities is to move us off that terri- said another job for the IAAF was to bring more profile ously won a medal at a major champi- port, they shouted “jia you” (go, go) for performances, he said on Sunday. tory, we are more than just a discussion about test to other athletes in addition to superstar sprint cham- onships and one of four Germans in the me and this helped me a lot.” The Briton will become president of the tubes, blood and urine.” Coe again launched a defence pion Usain Bolt, who said this week that he might final, launched the javelin a world lead- South Africa’s Sunette Viljoen, who International Association of Athletics Federations of the IAAF, saying there was no doubt it had done retire after next year’s Olympics in Brazil. ing 67.69 metres with her sixth effort. had owned the previous best throw of (IAAF) at the conclusion of the 15th world champi- everything in its power to root out drug cheats. “We shouldn’t be concerned because we have a “I cannot really believe this,” she said. the year, collected a second world bronze onships on Sunday. The former Olympic champion “It is ostensibly a clean sport and nobody would sport that is adorned by some of the most outra- “After my fifth throw, I thought, ‘Maybe I after her 2011 podium finish with takes over a sport that has endured a month of allega- deny that, and it is a global challenge that every sport geously superhuman, talented individuals in any can still improve a little bit’. I dreamed 66.13m. “This event is unpredictable and tions that it is soft on doping after the leak of thou- faces,” he said. “Can it be cleaner? I hope so. Are there sport,” Coe said. “Our challenge is to make sure the sands of blood tests to media organisations. things that we can do differently in the future, I dare public know that there are other athletes in our sport.” about that and now I have this new PB it is beautiful,” she said. “It was a very Coe was asked whether he had sympathy for ath- say so. “Can we do more? Most certainly but that’s the One of those might be American Allyson Felix, who and world lead. Perfect.” special performance from the Chinese letes like his compatriot Mo Farah, who won a second human condition.” won the 400 metres title in Beijing but was unable to “This is a first class feeling now. I still girl. And Katharina, wow, nobody expect- successive world distance double on Saturday, when run in the 200 metres, an event in which she is the cannot believe it. I am so happy. This is ed that. people questioned how they were able to perform NO REFLECTION Olympic champion, because of a scheduling conflict. fantastic! I have always dreamed about a “I love what I do, I love the javelin and such gruelling feats. Moreover, Coe said, his plans to move towards an Under current plans, that issue will also exist at the Rio medal, no matter the color.” it is such a privilege to stand on the podi- “We have to be very careful here about making independent anti-doping agency for athletics were no de Janeiro Olympics next year. Coe said he would Molitor’s final throw relegated China’s um.” Czech Olympic and former world assumptions about quality and unpredictable per- reflection on the work currently being done. always want top athletes to be able to showcase their Lyu Huihui, who had led the way after an champion Barbora Spotakova managed formances which for the largest part are down to “It is a recognition that reality and perception talents as well as possible at major championships. Asian record 66.13m with her fifth throw, only 60.08m with her third throw and innate ability and hard work,” the former middle-dis- sometimes get confused and we need to make sure “That is ideal but I am also aware that there are some to the silver medal position. failed to get through to the last three tance world record holder told reporters. we do everything both in the integrity of our sport technical issues which sometimes mean it is not possi- Lyu was nevertheless delighted with rounds. — Reuters “About 10 years of road mileage, thousands tonnes and with our processes and procedures to give maxi- ble,” he said. “Where it is possible, we should always of steel energy and people who have given up large mum confidence,” he added. look to try and help them.” — Reuters