Sports42 FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014

India’s Kom qualifies as flag row unfurls

NEW DELHI: Five-time world women’s in the 51kg category in Patiala on Guangzhou in 2010. But with India’s before the Asian Games open in the boxing champion Mary Kom will return Wednesday. “It is good to be back and boxing association not recognised by South Korean city of Incheon on to the ring at the Asian Games next prove those people wrong who thought the sport’s world body since December September 19. month, but her competing under the my career was over,” said Kom, who had 2012 due to election malpractices, it But it remain unclear if the elec- Indian flag remains in doubt, a top offi- been busy promoting an upcoming was uncertain if the 13-strong Indian tions, already put off once, will be held cial said yesterday. Bollywood movie on her life starring squad will be allowed to compete on time as a dispute continues over Kom, 31, qualified for her first inter- popular actress Priyanka Chopra. under the national flag. administrative matters between the national competition since winning an “I think I can win a medal, hopefully Fresh elections to a provisional Indian Olympic Association and the Olympic bronze medal at the London a gold medal.” Kom won a bronze body, Boxing India, are scheduled to be International Boxing Association Games in 2012 after clinching the trials medal at the last Asian Games in held on September 11, just eight days (AIBA). —AFP

What to watch in World Cup group stage

NEW YORK: The US and Spain played a pair of classics in the last two Olympic gold-medal games - the Americans winning both - and fans would love to see them meet again in the FIBA World Cup of Basketball. That could only happen if they both reach the Sept. 14 champi- onship game in Madrid, as the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 teams are on opposite sides of the bracket for the 24-team tournament. There is plenty of good action in the meantime. Play begins Saturday at four sites throughout Spain and the Canary Islands, with four teams from each site advancing to the single-elimination round that begins Sept. 6. Count the defending champions among those who will be fol- lowing the games. “I don’t know how much we’ll actually get to watch, but definitely keep up with how the pools are playing out,” US guard Stephen Curry said. “Not going to look ahead to who we might play until the end of pool play, but we know there are some big games. Brazil and Spain play against each other, who else, France I think, so there’s some big teams playing KYOTO: 103-year-old Japanese sprinter Hidekichi Miyazaki (2nd L) runs during men’s 100m dash at a Japan against each other.” Masters Athletics competition in Kyoto on August 3, 2014. Miyazaki, who holds the 100 metres world record for centenarians at 29.83 seconds and is dubbed ‘Golden Bolt’ after the Jamaican flyer, plans to wait another five Here are some of the games to years for his dream race and was happy to reveal his secret weapon: His daughter’s tangerine jam. —AFP watch in the group stage: SPAIN VS. FRANCE, GROUP A. The European rivals meet Sept. 3 in Granada. star Tony Parker is taking the sum- 103-year-old challenges mer off after leading France to last year’s European championship, which ended Spain’s quest for a three-peat. Their dislike was appar- ent when they met in the 2012 Olympic quarterfinals, with Nicolas world’s fastest man Batum winding up and slamming his arm into Juan Carlos Navarro, hitting him in the groin, in the final seconds of Spain’s victory. Japan’s ‘Golden Bolt’ TURKEY VS. US, GROUP C. Their Aug. 31 meeting in Bilbao on the second day of action is probably the toughest game the KYOTO: Closing in on his 104th birthday, a Usain Bolt running shoes. “That makes my tum- ing an old people’s sports day broadcast on tel- Americans will get in pool play, a chance for their big men to test twinkle-toed Japanese sprinter has thrown my happy and helps my running. And I eat my evision. themselves against center Omer Asik and the down the challenge to the world’s fastest man tangerine jam every day.” Having become the planet’s fastest cente- tall Turks. It’s also a rematch of the 2010 championship game, Usain Bolt, telling him: “let’s rumble!” In a country with one of the world’s highest narian in 2010, he now has his sights on anoth- which the Americans won 81-64 in Istanbul to claim their first world Hidekichi Miyazaki-who holds the 100 life expectancies, Miyazaki is the poster boy for er milestone in the unlikely 105-109 age group title since 1994. metres world record for centenarians at 29.83 Japan’s turbo-charged geriatrics. category. AUSTRALIA VS. SLOVENIA, GROUP D. The opening day of seconds and is dubbed ‘Golden Bolt’ after the Some 6,000 pensioners are registered at “That’s what I’m training for,” said Miyazaki, action in the Canary Islands gives incoming rookie Dante Exum of Jamaican flyer-plans to wait another five years the Masters federation which hosts more than who loses valuable seconds at the start of races Australia an early look at what life is like for an NBA . for his dream race and was happy to reveal his 40 track and field meetings every year across because he can’t hear the gun go off. The No. 5 overall pick of the will match up against the secret weapon: his daughter’s tangerine jam. the nation. “It’s my birthday next month and that’s my “I’d love to race Bolt,” the wispy-haired Serenaded by buzzing cicadas in sweltering next goal.” He need only cross the finish line to ’ Goran Dragic, a third-team All-NBA selection last sea- Miyazaki told AFP in an interview after totter- heat, Miyazaki fell into the arms of 73-year-old set the new world record as no official mark son who won’t care who is defending him after getting held to six ing over the line with a joyful whoop at a daughter Kiyono after clocking 38.35 — more exists in that age class. points by the aggressive US defense in the Slovenians’ 101-71 loss recent Japan Masters Athletics competition in than 20 seconds behind race winner Yoshio As Miyazaki left the track, 85-year-old in their final exhibition game on the same court they will play on Kyoto. Kita, a relative spring chicken at 82. Mitsue Tsuji tossed a shot put 4.73 metres-this Saturday. “I’m keeping the dream alive. I try to stay in “I’d give myself five out of 10 for that,” he after she had set a mark of 2.07 metres in the VS. ARGENTINA, GROUP B. The rivals from the top shape and stay disciplined and healthy. said after regaining his breath and copying long jump. Not content, she set a meet record Americas region meet Saturday in their opener in Seville, which That’s important for everyone-even Usain Bolt.” Bolt’s trademark ‘lightning’ pose. “Before I ran I of 13.85 in the women’s 60 metres sprint. could quickly provide an answer as to how good the Argentines can Born in 1910 — the year Japan annexed curled up for a little nap-big mistake! I felt stiff. “I started doing athletics when I was 81,” still be without the injured Manu Ginobili. Puerto Rico has an experi- Korea and when the Titanic was still under con- “I’m still young so it’s a learning process,” she said. “My husband had passed away and I enced backcourt with Carlos Arroyo and J.J. Barea, and trailed the US struction-the pint-sized Miyazaki offered some joked Miyazaki, grinning from ear to ear as he thought there was no point moping around at dietary tips to Bolt, whose world record is 9.58 put on a straw hat. “I can run for another five home alone.” Tsuji will join Miyazaki at next by just five points at halftime of an exhibition game in New York. seconds. years.” month’s Asia Masters championships in north- BRAZIL VS. SPAIN, GROUP A. Spain’s Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol “My body is small so I take care of what I east Japan. and Serge Ibaka against the Brazilian trio of Nene, Tiago Splitter eat,” said Miyazaki, who stands just 1.53 metres Late bloomer “I had a bit of a fall last year and was going and Anderson Varejao in a battle of NBA big bodies. The Sept. 1 (five feet) tall and weighs in at 42 kilograms (92 Miyazaki, who hails from tea-growing to skip it,” said Tsuji, who credits power naps game comes a day before the day off in Granada, and these pounds). Shizuoka prefecture, about 200 kilometres for her age-defying stamina. “But my son told bruisers will surely need it after banging each other around for “When I eat, I chew each mouthful 30 times southwest of Tokyo, was a late bloomer, only me I might not live much longer so I’ll do as I’m 40 minutes. —AP before swallowing,” he added, loosening his taking up running at the age of 92 after watch- told. —AFP