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THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014 SPORTS Burns burning Photo of the day for do-or-die run

LONDON: Travis Burns saw his fellow-coun- “Salford have got better and better as tryman and mentor sacked this month but the year has gone on. Of course Rangi it hasn’t diminished his determination to Chase is a great ball player and Kevin force Hull KR into the Super League play- Locke. offs. After arriving at the club from Penrith “They are going to be tough and we Panthers last year, Burns quickly became an know that if we turn up with a bad attitude, influential player under the tuition of fel- they are going to roll us over.” Third-placed low-Aussie Craig Sandercock. Wigan Warriors host Hull FC on Friday night The Queensland-born half back helped and they will head into the game buoyed Hull KR clinch the Super League’s eighth by the news that former North Queensland and final play-off spot last season and he is Cowboys full back Matty Bowen has signed desperate to repeat the feat this time a one-year contract extension at the DW around. Stadium. Since Sandercock was sacked earlier this “I am very happy to stay for another month, a crushing 40-10 victory over table- year,” said the 32-year-old. “My family is toppers St Helens was followed by defeat enjoying it over here, we love the town. The at Leeds Rhinos on Friday - scoreless at club have a great coach in Waney (Sean half-time, Leeds ran away to a 30-6 victory Wane) and great bunch of boys, I couldn’t after the break. be happier.” Now ninth in the table, Hull KR welcome And Denny Solomona has found his way Salford Red Devils on Sunday and with new out of already-relegated London Broncos, boss Chris Chester at the helm, Burns is securing a move to Castleford Tigers ahead preparing for a do-or-die run-in. of the new season. “It was disappointing and I was very Solomona, who moved to England from close to him (Sandercock) but that is the Melbourne Storm this year, has scored nine way the club has gone,” said the 30-year- tries in 17 matches for the winless Broncos old. this season. “It doesn’t change the way that I am The 20-year-old revealed Australian utili- going to play on the field so I am just going ty back Luke Dorn, who returns to the to move on. “We need to start winning - we Castleford squad for their trip to Leeds on don’t want to be in a position where we are Thursday, played a part in the deal. waiting for results. “It would be nice to not “The way the club is run attracted me,” be worrying about must-win games but he said. “Castleford have a good fan base, Joni Wiman races in the Lites Finals at Red Bull Global RallyCross at RFK Stadium in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. that is the position we have put ourselves and they are regarded as the loudest in the in. The ball is in our court to try and make competition by some, so it is good to get — www.redbull.com the top eight. fans behind you when you play. “I spoke to “To keep Leeds out for so long was a Luke Dorn and he said the club was run great effort but we just dropped too much well, so that attracted me there, too. ball. When you drop that much ball against Everyone is professional and does their job, Leeds they are going to make you pay for it. which is what you want.”—AFP Woods back at Open, One down, one to go: Rio Olympics next for Brazil but doubts persist RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil just pulled off the World ters (15 miles) west of central Rio. HOYLAKE: Tiger Woods returns to Cup. Next up is Rio de Janeiro’s 2016 Olympics, The Olympic Park and nearby golf course are the scene of one of his greatest tri- which poses an even bigger challenge. being built in a wetlands/swamp area. Small alli- umphs at Hoylake this week, as he Cement trucks are busy, creating billowing gators have been spotted wandering around attempts, in the 143rd British Open, dust clouds, and girders are rising along Avenida the golf course, and visitors constantly complain to resurrect a career blighted by Embaixador Abelardo Bueno, the road running about swarming mosquitoes in the Olympic injury. in front of the main Olympic Park in the suburb Park area and the neighboring athletes village. It was at the Royal Liverpool of Barra da Tijuca. “It’s going, it’s going,” said a Other events will be staged at three other links course in 2006 that Woods worker at the construction site, wearing an clusters: Deodoro; the famous Maracana won the 12th of his 14 major titles orange helmet, blue overalls and introducing Stadium area in central Rio; the Copacabana just weeks after the death of his himself as Mauricio Lima. Beach and Guanabara Bay areas. father Earl. Rust-orange beams sprouted behind him as Track and field will be run at the Joao It was a superbly crafted per- he talked, a superstructure that in two years will Havelange Olympic Stadium, which was built in formance as the American tamed a become the Olympic media and broadcast cen- 2007 for the Pan American Games. The stadium, course made fiery and fast by hot, ters. “There is a lot to do, but things are moving,” located in the Maracana cluster area, has been sunny conditions. He won by two he added. closed for a year for renovation and is to open strokes at 18-under par as he con- The World Cup overcame fears about next year. tinued relentlessly on his lifelong protests, half-finished stadiums and chaotic In the wake of the World Cup, former IOC quest to match the record 18 transport to deliver an exciting tournament that marketing director Michael Payne warned majors won by Jack Nicklaus. culminated with Germany’s 1-0 victory over against complacency. Woods seemed unstoppable, Argentina in extra time in the final. Brazil’s humil- “The danger would be anybody having a but then, three years later, it all iating 7-1 loss against Germany in the semifinals false sense of security,” Payne said. “The Olympics went pear-shaped as years of swing was a blow to the home country, and the col- are a far more complicated undertaking to deliv- strain on his leg, arm and back lapse a week ago of an overpass - part of a World er than the World Cup.” muscles made him pay a painful Cup project in the southeast city of Belo For example: cost for his success and then his Horizonte - killed two people. Eight workers died -The World Cup involved 736 athletes; the marriage broke up after a shameful, in World Cup stadium construction accidents. Olympics 10,500. public exposure of his marital infi- Rio’s Olympics have had their own problems. - The World Cup is one championship; the delities. A few months ago, International Olympic Olympics are dozens. Coming back to Hoylake for the Committee Vice President John Coates called - The World Cup drags on for a month; the first time since 2006, the question the city’s preparations the “worst” in memory. Olympics are densely packed into just over two marks that surround Woods are as Other IOC members openly lambasted Rio. In weeks. pertinent as ever before. HOYLAKE: Tiger Woods of the US looks up to watch his ball on the practice chipping green ahead of the response, the IOC sent in executive director - Host-generated broadcasting for the World He has not won a major in six British Open Golf championship at the Royal Liverpool golf club. —AP Gilbert Felli to work as a troubleshooter. His pres- Cup amounted to a few hundred hours; the Rio years and he has played only one ence has helped, and Felli expects most projects Olympics will generate about 5,000 hours. tournament since having back sur- move. The balls were checking. It he didn’t have to. This golf win. It would be fantastic.” The sub- back on schedule by September. “I’d like to be Payne suggested Rio’s Olympic preparations gery at the end of March, missing played a little bit longer.” course doesn’t ask that question. It plots are numerous and varied. Phil clear,” Felli said in an interview with The might have “bottomed out” a few months ago, the cut at Congressional outside The 38-year-old world number asks you to play a game of chess Mickelson is the defending champi- Associated Press. “Until the games are delivered which means the only way is up. Washington last month. seven insists that he is pain-free for more than anything.” McDowell, on at 44, Adam Scott seeks to bury I’m always concerned. But it’s not the case to say “No disrespect to FIFA and the complexity But such is his allure and talent the first time in years and that he who won the French Open two the agony of two near misses in the we’re not going to make it. It’s not possible that and what they’ve done,” Payne said. “But the that no-one — players or fans — has a 15th major title firmly in his weeks ago, is among the favorites last two years and emulate his boy- we won’t make it.” sheer number of events becomes intimidating are writing off his chances. “Well it’s sights. as is England’s Justin Rose who won hood hero Greg Norman, the last Felli believes the World Cup gave the in the Olympics. It’s a danger if Brazilians think eight years on. My life has certainly Agreeing with Woods that the back-to-back tournaments by tak- Australian to win the Open Olympics a boost. “The perception of the it’s just a bit more complex.” Brazil is estimated to changed since then,” said Woods, par-72 layout on the Wirral penin- ing the Scottish Open at Aberdeen Championship 21 years ago and Brazilians is much more positive,” Felli said. “It’s have spent $11 billion to 14 billion on the World who arrived at Hoylake earlier than sula stuck in between Liverpool last Sunday. No Englishman has Rory McIlroy wants to finally come good for the games. They have better trust in Cup, mostly public money. About $4 billion usual on Saturday to begin his and the north Wales coastline is a won the British Open on English good in the tournament after six themselves to deliver the games. My view is to went to building or refurbishing 12 stadiums. preparations for the year’s third shotmakers delight, Graeme soil since Tony Jacklin at Royal frustrating attempts. say ... the Brazilians will deliver excellent games. Olympic spending is about $17 billion - a mix major tournament. McDowell said that placement Lytham in 1969 and Rose, who won Apart from Woods, the American But we have to work every day for it. Nothing is a of public and private money. Rio Mayor Eduardo “My life is very different than it rather than length would be the the US Open last year, expects big challenge is led by world number done deal.” Paes said he expects overall spending to was then. And then on top of that, key to success. support from the home crowd. four Bubba Watson and number Deadlines are still tight, and Felli described increase by as much as 20 percent. That would this is a different golf course than “From my point of view, I don’t “With playing at home comes a five Matt Kuchar, while second some as “tense, very tense.” The problem areas put spending at over $20 billion. what we played in ‘06. “It was hot, walk on to this golf course and kind different atmosphere, for sure. You ranked Henrik Stenson is out to include: In their winning bid in 2009, Rio officials ball was flying. It was very dusty. of sigh and say, here we go again, get the crowd sort of behind you become the first Swede to lift the - a shortage of hotel rooms pitched that the Olympics would be a catalyst Now, we’re making ball marks on this is 330-yard paradise. and I think they’ll be behind any- Claret Jug. US Open winner Martin - severe water pollution at the sailing venue for building infrastructure in Rio, a city neglected the greens, which we weren’t doing “It’s not that type of golf course. body that gets their name on the Kaymer, meanwhile says that in Guanabara Bay for 50 years. then. It’s a placement golf course, I think. leaderboard this week, from an Germany’s World Cup triumph in - a late start at the second large cluster of But as costs have risen, and in an election “When I played on Saturday it “Look at the way Tiger won here in English perspective,” he said. Brazil could be the springboard he venues called Deodoro in northern Rio year for President Dilma Rousseff, national, state was running, it was fast. But on 2006. He can dominate with length, “And there’s great English play- needs to pull off a rare Open dou- - completion of a subway line extension from and local officials have flip-flopped. Now they Sunday-with the rain it just didn’t but ers that have an opportunity to ble.—AFP central Rio to Barra da Tijuca, site of the Olympic say infrastructure spending should be viewed Park separately from direct Olympic spending. - construction of a public golf course several They argue that a subway extension, high- kilometers (miles) from the Olympic Park. speed bus lanes and a rejuvenated port would The Rio Games, with events scattered around have been built anyway and are not Olympic- VIVA announces six winners in four venue clusters, could present transportation related expenses. nightmares in a city cut up by mountains, tun- However, Paes has acknowledged the proj- nels and poor roads. About 60 percent of the ects lingered for years and would not have hap- World Cup #VIVAVespa campaign events will be at Olympic Park, about 25 kilome- pened without the Olympics. — AP KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, concluded its three month exciting campaign by announcing the final draw win- ners who won Vespa scooters with World Cup designs. The draw took place on 15 July 2014, where the lucky post-paid winners were Ali Mubarak Mubarak, Meshari Asaf Al Mutairi and Ali Ahmad Al Rashid, and the pre- paid draw winners were Jilisyahbil Alkun, Ali Hassan and Intazul Shaikh Abul Sheikh. Ayman Salem Al Mutairi, Senior Manager Corporate Communications said: “On behalf of VIVA, I would like to congratulate all the lucky winners throughout our cam- paign and thank each and every customer who made the effort to enter the draw. VIVA will continue to demonstrate its commitment towards its customers by delivering unique products and services and designing exciting offers that will allow VIVA to further engage with them”. The draw campaign started on 22 May and lasted until 14 July 2014, where postpaid and prepaid cus- tomers earned one point for every KD5 spent on their RIO DE JANEIRO: This June 27, 2014 photo shows the Athletes Village under con- bill payment or recharge usage. Each point will count as struction for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. one entry into the draw, so the more points accumulat- Brazil has just pulled off the World Cup. Now the tough work begins preparing Rio de ed by a customer, the more chances they will have of Janeiro’s 2016 Olympics, which is an even larger challenge than footballís big event.—AP winning.