ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021 SPORTS 15

IOC assures to hold ‘safe and secure’ Olympics Bach offers Tokyo medical help amid call for cancellation TOKYO, May 19, (AP): Confronted in with some of the strongest medical-community opposition yet to Russian swimmer Kolesnikov breaks world record again the Tokyo Olympics, IOC President offered Wednesday to BUDAPEST, Hungary, May 19, (AP): For the second That was 0.13 faster than his previous record set in the have added medical personnel avail- consecutive day, Russian swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov semifi nals a day earlier, when he became the fi rst man able to help out when the games open improved his own world record in the 50-meter backstroke. to break the 24-seconds mark. He fi rst set the record of in just over nine weeks. The 20-year-old Kolesnikov clocked 23.80 seconds 24.00 at the last Euros in Glasgow three years ago. to win the gold medal at the European Championships. The 50 back is not an Olympic event.

OLYMPICS The letter was made public this ship. fourth wave, the worst so far,” the week on the group’s website. Japan has offi cially spent $15.4 letter said. “The medical systems re- Bach gave few details, speaking “We believe the correct choice is to billion or organize the Olympics, al- sponding to COVID-19 are stretched remotely at the opening of three days the cancel an event that has the pos- though government audits suggest the thin, almost to their limits. The reality of meetings between the International sibility of increasing the numbers of fi gure is much higher. is that the entire medical system faces Olympic Committee and local organiz- infected people and deaths,” the letter There is no indication the games an almost insurmountable hardship in ers. He said the help would come from said. will be canceled, though opposition trying our best to respond with corona- various national Olympic committees “Viruses are spread by people’s continues with small street protests virus measures.” and be available in the Olympic village movements. Japan will hold a heavy and online petition drives. Last month Bach said hundreds of sports events and sports venues. responsibility if the Olympics and the British Medical Journal came out have been held safely during the pan- In his 12-minute address, Bach at- Paralympics work to worsen the pan- against holding the Olympics and demic, and cited recent test events in tempted to assure the Japanese public International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach delivers demic, increasing the number of those many local scientists have voice their Tokyo that came off without many and athletes coming to Tokyo that the an opening speech on a screen at a meeting of the IOC Coordination Com- who must suffer and die.” opposition. problems. IOC will hold “safe and secure” Olym- mission for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on May 19, while Tokyo Much of Japan, including Tokyo Japan has has attributed more than “None of these test events was a vi- pics in the midst of the pandemic. 2020 Olympics organizing committee President Seiko Hashimoto listens. and Osaka, is under a state of emer- 11,500 deaths to COVID-19, good by rus spreader for the Japanese people or “For obvious reasons we cannot (AP) gency, which forced Bach to cancel a some standards but worse than most the people of Tokyo,” he said. give them (athletes) every detail yet, call off the postponed Olympics. trip to Japan this month. Opposition to Asian neighbors. Tokyo organizers have said about but the most important principle is egation will begin getting vaccinated The 6,000-member Tokyo Medical the Olympics is running at 60-80% in The Tokyo Medical Practitioners’ 10,000 medical personnel will be very clear: the Olympic Village is a in June. numerous polls, depending on how the Association warned of a possible needed during the Olympics. They safe place and the Olympic and Para- Between 1-2% of Japanese are fully Practitioners’ Association called for question is phrased. collapse of Japan’s medical system, have also asked for 500 extra nurses, lympic Games will be organized in a vaccinated, and its unlikely that even the Olympics to be canceled in a letter The Olympics are to open on July which could come under more pres- and 200 sports medicine specialists. safe way,” Bach said. the elderly population will be fully sent last week to Prime Minister Yo- 23. The Paralympics follow on Aug. sure with Tokyo’s hot and humid sum- Several prefectures near Tokyo have Bach said he anticipated more than vaccinated before the Olympics end on shihide Suga, Tokyo Governor Yuriko 24. They are a fi nancial imperative mer months approaching as the Olym- said they will not give priority to treat- 80% of those staying in the Olympic Aug. 8. Koike, Olympic Minister Tamayo for the IOC, which derives about 75% pics open. ing Olympic athletes, and many towns Village would be vaccinated. Reports Bach appeared to be responding to Marukawa, and Seiko Hashimoto, the of its incomes from selling television “Our nation is now undergoing in Japan have canceled plans to host locally say that Japan’s Olympic del- one of the strongest demands so far to head of the organizing committee. rights and another 18% from sponsor- a surge in coronavirus patients in a foreign delegations. Mercury top Mystics 91-70 Ionescu’s 1st triple-double in Jarry rebounds with 39 saves as WNBA lifts Liberty over Lynx NEW YORK, May 19, (AP): Sabrina players because of COVID-19 proto- Penguins even series with Isles Ionescu had the fi rst triple-double of cols. New York’s Natasha Howard and her WNBA career to lead New York Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier fi nished to an 86-75 win over the Minnesota their overseas seasons and needed a Lynx, giving the Liberty their fi rst 3-0 few more negative coronavirus tests to start in 14 years. rejoin their teams. They both are ex- Ionescu, who had an NCAA record pected to be back later this week. 26 triple-doubles in college, recorded Mercury 91, Mystics 70 the fi rst in franchise history with 26 In Washington, Diana Taurasi points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. scored 17 points, Brittney Griner had The No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft 14 points and 10 rebounds for a fran- became the 10th player in league his- chise-record 43rd career double-dou- tory to have a triple-double, and fi rst ble, and the Phoenix Mercury beat the since Chelsea Gray did it in 2019. The Washington Mystics. Liberty’s young Brianna Turner also had a double- star did it in her double with 10 points and 14 rebounds second season - for Phoenix (2-1). Kia Nurse added 12 the earliest in a points, and Skylar Diggins-Smith had career that it had 10 points and fi ve assists as every Mer- ever been done. cury starter scored in double fi gures.. Sheryl Swoopes, who had the league’s fi rst BASKETBALL triple-double, ac- complished the Phoenix made fi ve of its 11 3-point- feat in her third Ionescu ers in the fi rst quarter to build a 21-18 season. lead. The Mercury fi nished 11 of 28 Ionescu has now had a game-win- from long distance while Washington ning buzzer beater in her fi rst home was 5 of 28. game Friday and a triple-double in Tina Charles led Washington (0-2) her second game at Barclays Center with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Charles to help the Liberty to their best start scored 10 points in the fi rst quarter to since 2007, when they won their fi rst fi ve games. move into ninth place on the WNBA New York trailed 45-43 at the half career list - becoming the 11th player in before outscoring Minnesota 19-10 in league history to reach 6,000 points. the third quarter to go up 62-55 head- Natasha Cloud added 18 points and ing to the fi nal period. Ariel Atkins scored 12 for the Mystics, The Liberty expanded on that lead who are awaiting the return of Elena Del- and Ionescu reached the triple-double, le Donne after offseason back surgery. corralling her 10th rebound with 5:24 Aces 96, Storm 80 left in the fourth. She then nailed a In Seattle, Jackie Young had 21 3-pointer at the other end to extend points and 10 rebounds, A’ja Wilson the advantage to 75-65. Minnesota added 18 points, 11 rebounds, fi ve couldn’t get closer the rest of the way. assists and three blocks, and the Las Sylvia Fowles led the Lynx (0-2) Vegas Aces held off the defending with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Kayla champion Seattle Storm to avenge a McBride scored 16 points and Jessica season-opening loss. ’ Bryan Rust, (right), can’t get a shot past Semyon Varlamov, (left), as they collide during the second Shepard had 12. Las Vegas led by as many as 21 period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Pittsburgh, on May 18. (AP) The Liberty welcomed back Kiah points in the fi rst half before Seattle Stokes, who was playing her fi rst game opened the second half on a 13-6 run, with New York after completing her with nine points from Jewell Loyd, to Lightning beat Panthers to take 2-0 lead overseas season. She checked in mid- get within 51-44. Seattle newcomer way through the fi rst quarter receiving Katie Lou Samuelson beat the third- a nice hand from the crowd. quarter buzzer with a shot near mid- PITTSBURGH, May ’s slick backhand in the time stunner in the series opener on Lightning 3, Panthers 1 Both teams were still missing key court to pull the Storm to 66-62. later stages of the second period drew Sunday, taking advantage a subpar In Sunrise, Florida, Andrei Vasi- 19, (AP): Tristan Jarry the Islanders within a , but Jarry effort by Jarry to steal home-ice ad- levskiy stopped 32 shots, Steven Stam- bounced back from a shaky hung tough down vantage. The Penguins insisted there kos and Ondrej Palat had fi rst-period performance to stop 39 the stretch, par- was no time to panic, expressing con- goals and the shots, and the Pittsburgh ticularly in the fi dence in both Jarry and their ability beat the Florida Panthers 3-1 to take a fi nal 90 seconds to rebound. 2-0 lead in their Central Division fi rst- Penguins evened their first- after Rust took round playoff series. an inexplicable It’s the seventh time that the Light- round playoff series with delay-of-game the New York Islanders ning have won the fi rst two games a when he And just like Game 1, Pittsburgh series, the third time doing so on the with a taut 2-1 victory. grabbed a loose road. They’ve never lost one of those puck and threw came out fl ying. Energized by the Jarry, who gave up four goals in largest crowd at PPG Paints Arena matchups, and will look to put Florida it like a baseball on the brink of elimination when the the opener, picked up the first play- out of the Pitts- this season after COVID-19 protocols were eased to allow 50% capacity, the series shifts to Tampa on Thursday off win of his career as Pittsburgh burgh zone. Vasilevskiy night. won for just the second time in its New York Penguins overwhelmed the Islanders in the opening 20 minutes, even with Yanni Gourde added an empty-nett- last 12 postseason games. Game 3 couldn’t fi nd the equalizer, sending the er off a giveaway with 1:25 remaining series to Long Island tied. Russian star Evgeni Malkin sitting out for the Lightning. is Thursday night in New York. The Islanders pulled off a 4-3 over- again with an undisclosed health issue. Bryan Rust and Jeff Carter scored Golden Knights 3, Wild 1 during a dominant fi rst period, and Jar- In Las Vegas, Alex Tuch had two ry did the rest to outduel New York’s goals, including the tiebreaking score Semyon Varlamov. in the second period, as the Vegas Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird (left), runs into Las Vegas Aces’ Liz Cambage Varlamov, unavailable for Game Golden Knights beat the Minnesota in the second half of a WNBA basketball game, on May 15, in Everett, 1, made 43 saves, including several Wild 3-1 and tied the fi rst-round play- Washington. (AP) highlight-reel stops in the third period. off series at a game apiece. Jonathan Marchessault also scored for Vegas. Marc-Andre Fleury made NHL Results/Standings 34 saves in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,683. Matt Dumba scored for the Wild. Cam Talbot, one of eight goalies in WASHINGTON, May 19, (AP): Results and standings from the NHL games on Tuesday. NHL history to post a playoff Vancouver 4 2 Tampa Bay 3 Florida (Playoffs Game 2) 1 with three or more franchises after the Pittsburgh 2 NY Islanders (Playoffs Game 2) 1 Vegas 3 Minnesota (Playoffs Game 2) 1 Wild’s 1-0 victory in Game 1, made 25 East Division West Division saves. GP W L OT Pts GF GA GP W L OT Pts GF GA y-Pittsburgh 56 37 16 3 77 196 156 Canucks 4, Flames 2 x-Washington 56 36 15 5 77 191 163 z-Colorado 56 39 13 4 82 197 133 In Vancouver, British Columbia, x-Boston 56 33 16 7 73 168 136 x-Vegas 56 40 14 2 82 191 124 x-NY Islanders 56 32 17 7 71 156 128 x-Minnesota 56 35 16 5 75 181 160 Thatcher Demko had 38 saves and the NY Rangers 56 27 23 6 60 177 157 x-St Louis 56 27 20 9 63 169 170 Vancouver Canucks withstood a late Philadelphia 56 25 23 8 58 163 201 56 24 26 6 54 153 176 barrage and held on for a 4-2 victory New Jersey 56 19 30 7 45 145 194 Los Angeles 56 21 28 7 49 143 170 Buffalo 56 15 34 7 37 138 199 San Jose 56 21 28 7 49 151 199 over the . Central Division Anaheim 56 17 30 9 43 126 179 Tyler Myers, Travis Hamonic and GP W L OT Pts GF GA North Division Brock Boeser each had a goal and an y-Carolina 56 36 12 8 80 179 136 GP W L OT Pts GF GA assist for the Canucks. Rookie Nils x-Florida 56 37 14 5 79 189 153 y-Toronto 56 35 14 7 77 187 148 x-Tampa Bay 56 36 17 3 75 181 147 x-Edmonton 56 35 19 2 72 183 154 Hoglander rounded out the scoring for x-Nashville 56 31 23 2 64 156 154 x-Winnipeg 56 30 23 3 63 170 154 Vancouver with a goal in the closing Dallas 56 23 19 14 60 158 154 x-Montreal 56 24 21 11 59 159 168 minute of the fi rst period. Chicago 56 24 25 7 55 161 186 Calgary 55 25 27 3 53 150 159 Detroit 56 19 27 10 48 127 171 Ottawa 56 23 28 5 51 157 190 The Canucks seemed poised for Columbus 56 18 26 12 48 137 187 Vancouver 55 23 28 4 50 149 182 a shutout until Andrew Mangiapane Note: Two points for a win one point for overtime loss. The top four teams in each division will qualify for playoffs under this scored for the Flames late in the third. season’s temporary realignment. Calgary Flames’ Matthew Tkachuk (19) checks Vancouver Canucks’ Jayce Matthew Tkachuk added Calgary’s x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division Hawryluk (13) during first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, second goal with a minute left in the British Columbia, on May 18. (AP) third period.