ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 26-27, 2021 SPORTS 14 Organizers will stop or re-route relay if crowding becomes a problem Torch relay for Tokyo Olympics kicks off its 121-day journey TOKYO, March 25, (AP): The torch public because of the fear of spreading people stood on the roadside and were from today is a valuable opportunity now put offi cially at $15.4 billion. Sev- ties the Olympics and Paralympics will relay for the postponed Tokyo Olym- COVID-19 but was streamed live. safely spread out. for the people to get a real sense of the eral audits suggest it’s twice that much present with 15,400 athletes entering pics began its 121-day journey across “The torch of Tokyo 2020 will be- “At fi rst I didn’t think much of it,” Olympics and Paralympics that are ap- and a University of Oxford study says Japan, along with thousands of other Japan on Thursday and is headed to- come a bright light for hope for Japa- said 20-year-old Takumu Kimura. proaching,” Suga told reporters. these are the most expensive Olympics offi cials, judges, VIPs, media, and ward the opening ceremony in Tokyo nese citizens and citizens in the world “But when I actually saw it, it felt like: Organizers confi rmed a bit of bad on record. broadcasters. on July 23. and a light at the end of the tunnel,” yes, it’s the Olympics.” luck: the fl ame in the torch was blown The relay is a big test for the upcoming Athletes will be kept in a “bubble” The relay began in northeastern Fuku- said Seiko Hashimoto, the president of Setsuko Hashimoto, a 63-year-old out during one leg of the relay. As has Olympics with fear among the public that like atmosphere in Tokyo and will be shima prefecture, the area that was dev- the local organizing committee and a local resident, was emotional as the happened in other Olympics, it was re- the event could spread the virus to rural limited to the Athletes Village on To- astated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami former Olympian. torch passed. lit by a back-up lantern that also carries and more isolated parts of the country. kyo Bay, the competition venues and and the meltdown of three nuclear reac- Homare Sawa, the biggest star on the fl ame that was kindled in Greece Vaccinations have not been rolled out training areas. Most others will be out- tors. About 18,000 died in the tragedy, the 2011 team, missed the ceremony. more than a year ago. yet in Japan to the general public. About side the bubble and will be kept at a The fi rst runner with the torch was She is being treated for a condition af- OLYMPICS Local organizers and the Interna- 9,000 deaths in the country have been at- distance from the athletes. Azusa Iwashimizu, a key player in fecting her inner ear and had to with- tional Olympic Committee hope the tributed to COVID-19. Organizers announced a few days the Japan team that won the Women’s draw from the event. “Ten years ago there was a nuclear ac- relay will turn public opinion in Japan About 10,000 runners are expected ago that fans from abroad will be World Cup in 2011. Fans were told to social-distance along cident so (seeing the torch) it felt like I in favor of the Olympics. Sentiments to take part, with the relay touching Ja- banned from attending the Olympics Wearing a white track suit, she car- the roadside as the torch passes, and they could really look forward to something expressed in polls in Japan so far are pan’s 47 prefectures. and Paralympics. Most volunteers ried the torch out of the J-Village in- were to refrain from loud cheering. Orga- and live,” she said. “When you become overwhelmingly negative with about After the postponement a year ago, from abroad have also been ruled out. door soccer training center and was nizers have said they will stop or re-route my age, this is the last Tokyo Olympics 80% suggesting another delay or can- there was early talk of eliminating the Organizers are to announce the venue surrounded by 14 other members of the relay if crowding becomes a problem and it’s here. It was very touching.” cellation. relay to save money. However, that capacities in April. Ticket revenue for the that 2011 World Cup squad and coach during the four-month parade. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga The relay and the Olympics both stir idea was quickly dropped with the re- Olympics was to be $800 million but will Norio Sasaki at the rear. They were Spectators cooperated in Naraha chimed in from Tokyo with a state- fear that the events could spread the lay heavily sponsored by Coca-Cola be severely reduced by the lack of fans. also decked out in white track suits. Town, just down the road from where ment. virus. There is also opposition to the and Toyota. Japanese government entities will have to The ceremony was closed to the the torch started its trip. A few hundred “The Olympic torch relay starting soaring cost of staging the Olympics, The relay is a prelude to the diffi cul- make up the shortfall. Nissanka scores ton on debut Sri Lanka take control of 1st Test against Windies NORTH POINT, Antigua, March 25, Joseph down the leg side, directly to (AP): Pathum Nissanka scored a cen- wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva but the tury on debut and Niroshan Dickwella only appeal from the West Indies was a fell four runs short of a maiden century half-hearted one from the bowler. Wednesday as Sri Lanka took control Dickwella surpassed his previous of the fi rst cricket Test against the highest test score of 92 with a four off West Indies on the fourth day. Roach. Five balls later, he was struck a Starting 102 runs behind on the fi rst glancing blow on the helmet by Roach innings, Sri Lanka reached 476 in its and the ball dropped and spun back, second innings for a lead of 374. hitting the stumps without removing Sri Lanka then made an impor- the bails. tant breakthrough in 20 overs before Nissanka reached his 100 with an stumps, dismissing John Campbell outside edge wide of slips, from 240 (11) to leave the West Indies 34-1, still deliveries and with only six fours in 340 runs behind. a particularly watchful innings which Captain Kraigg steadily built Sri Lanka’s advantage. Brathwaite was He is the fourth Sri Lankan to make 8 not out and a century on Test debut and the fi rst to Nkrumah Bon- do so outside Sri Lanka. ner 15. The day began with promise for CRICKET the West Indies, who handed the “I wasn’t aware of those records,” second new ball Nissanka said. “With the state of the to Alzarri Joseph game, the team needed me to per- instead of Ke- Nissanka form and I’m glad to perform for the mar Roach. Jo- team. seph repaid the decision with a wicket “The discussion (with Dickwella) from the fi fth ball of the day, bowling was mainly that we have to try and Dhananjaya de Silva who resumed on drag it out for as long as possible to get 46 and had just posted his eighth test a big score and make sure the bowlers half century. have enough runs to bowl at. Nissanka and Dickwella came to- “If the bowlers keep the ball in the gether at that point and batted through right area, there’s still a chance of almost all of the fi rst and second ses- bowling the West Indies out. I think Azusa Iwashimizu with other members of ‘Nadeshiko Japan,’ Japan’s women’s national soccer team, leads the torch relay in Naraha, Fukushima prefec- sions in a partnership which produced we have a good chance.” ture, northeastern Japan, on March 25. (AP) 179 runs for the sixth wicket. Nissanka was out in the second over The 22-year-old Nissanka was pa- after tea, playing an uncharacteristic tient and careful in his shot selection, slog sweep as he tried to lift the run reaching his half century from 126 rate, only to be caught at deep back- balls with fi ve boundaries. Dickwella’s ward square by Kemar Roach from the Russia’s champ Shcherbakova wins 50 came from 103 balls and included bowling of Rahkeem Cornwall. three boundaries. Dickwella looked sure to go onto his Dickwella lived dangerously later in fi rst Test century. But at 96 he played his innings. He was dropped by Bon- a lazy shot to a wide ball from Roach, ner at gully from Jason Holder’s bowl- looking to dab the ball down to third women’s ‘short program’ at worlds ing when he was 44, chasing a short man. Instead, he dragged it back onto and wide delivery. His cut shot went his own stumps. directly to Bonner at waist height but While Roach loudly celebrated the the fi eldsman, off balance, dropped a wicket, Dickwella looked stunned, Boikova and Kozlovskii take pairs event simple chance. leaning on his bat before slowly trudg- On 74, Dickwella nicked a ball from ing back to the pavilion. STOCKHOLM, Sweden, it, actually. I think I really let myself down there.” Angry about tennis politics March 25, (AP): The ex- Trusova, coached by 2006 Olym- pected was seeing two pic champion Evgeni Plushenko, Russians and a Japanese seemed nervous and rushing through Pospisil stages tirade in Miami woman in the top three af- her program.