Established 1961 15 Sports Monday, August 30, 2021 Afghan Paralympians in tears while Brits light up Super Sunday ‘Extremely emotional’ meeting at athletes’ village TOKYO: Afghanistan’s athletes were in tears when matic finish after Australia’s Lauren Parker had led they finally arrived at the Tokyo Paralympics, offi- almost the entire race at Odaiba Marine Park yes- cials said, as Britain’s rugby team won terday. Parker was hampered by backmarkers on one of 63 golds up for grabs on Super Sunday. the final lap, with the crucial seconds lost enabling Afghanistan’s Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli Gretsch to reel her in to win by less than the length were evacuated to France last weekend from the of her wheelchair. “I couldn’t see her in front of me Taleban-controlled country in a “major global oper- until halfway through that lap,” said Gretsch. “As ation”, the International Paralympic Committee said. soon as I saw her, I was like, ‘Hey! You just have to “The meeting at the athletes’ village was do it. You have to give everything you can’.” extremely emotional. There were lots of tears from everyone in the room,” said IPC spokesperson Craig Spence. Spence said the Afghanistan flag appearing at Tuesday’s Opening Ceremony had been the “first step to keep the door open” to the athletes and their arrival was “a very strong mes- Gretsch snatches sage of hope to many others around the world”. Khudadadi will compete in the women’s -49kg triathlon gold K44 taekwondo on Thursday. Sprinter Rasouli will take part in the men’s T47 long jump tomorrow hav- ing arrived too late for his favored T47 100m. “As you can imagine after a very turbulent week, both athletes were exhausted following their flight last night,” added Spence. Day 5 of the Games brought a first-ever wheel- chair rugby gold for Britain, who beat the United Sixth gold for Cockroft States 54-49 in the final. The Brits had never previ- There were 20 finals at the athletics stadium yes- ously won a medal in the event, but a heroic effort terday and the first gold there went to world record edged out the Americans, who were looking to holder Oksana Zubkovska of Ukraine in the T12 TOKYO: Australia’s Lauren Parker (top) and Kendall Gretsch of the USA race to the finish line in the women’s improve on the silver they claimed five years ago in long jump with a leap of 5.54 meters as records triathlon PTWC at Odaiba Marine Park during the Tokyo 2020 in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP Rio. “What an amazing shift that was — that was began to tumble. one to remember,” said Britain’s Jim Roberts, who British great smashed her own led the scoring with 24 tries. “I play to win every women’s 100m world record as she won a sixth But the Russian still had one attempt remaining swimming pool, 14 more gold medals were decid- game I go into, so that’s what I wanted to come for.” Paralympic gold medal and third in a row in this and he astonishingly bettered Tnaiash’s mark by ed, with Japan’s Naohide Yamaguchi setting a new Japan beat Australia 60-52 to take the bronze, event, with fellow Brit following her just one centimeter at 11.16m to snatch back the world record of 1min, 3.77sec in the men’s 100m leaving the Aussies — who went into the competi- home for silver. “I honestly didn’t know that time gold. “It’s gorgeous,” said a jubilant Gnezdilov. breaststroke SB14. tion looking for a third straight gold — going home was within me,” said Cockroft. “It’s the best mood possible. These are the Two athletes have tested positive for COVID empty handed. “It’s going to hurt watching every And there was a stunning conclusion to the F40 Paralympic Games. I won them and with a world in the Paralympic village, the IPC announced, other team receive a medal and not us, but that’s men’s shot put final when Iraq’s defending record on top of everything. This is the best thing among 11 new Games-related cases. The others just what happens when you’re not the best,” said Paralympic champion Garrah Tnaiash broke the to happen in my life.” are seven contractors, one staff member and one Australia captain Ryley Batt. world record with 11.15m on his final attempt to Wheelchair racing legend Tatyana McFadden member of the media. It brings the total coron- The day began with American Kendall Gretsch leapfrog the RPC’s Denis Gnezdilov into gold claimed a silver in the women’s T54 800m final — avirus cases detected in the village to 15, includ- snatching triathlon gold right on the line in a dra- medal position. the 19th Paralympic medal of her career. In the ing seven athletes.— AFP No game for old men: The NBA says COVID precision art of Paralympic boccia vaccine required TOKYO: Boccia sounds remarkably ‘Incredibly impressive’ for referees simple. Throw one or more of six col- Whichever method is employed, ored balls closer to a white target angles, trajectory, speed and a calcu- NEW YORK: The NBA said Saturday it will ball, or jack, than your opponent. lating brain are crucial to prevail on require COVID-19 vaccinations for all referees Simple? Think again. This sport is a an indoor playing field roughly the working games in the 2021-22 season. The league combination of chess, snooker and size of a badminton court. But leading said in a statement that the requirement was agreed bowls where strategy, precision, Canadian player Julian Ciobanu, who with the National Basketball Referees Association. steely nerves — and a little luck — has muscular dystrophy, compares it It allows some exemptions for religious or medical all come into play. to another sport. “It’s like archery,” he reasons. “The referees have also agreed to take any One of two Paralympic Sports at told AFP on Sunday after winning his recommended boosters,” the league said. “Any ref- Tokyo 2020 that has no Olympic second consecutive pool match in the eree who does not get vaccinated and is not equivalent, it shares similarities with BC4 class at the Ariake Gymnasium in exempt will be ineligible to work games.” the French game of boules or the Tokyo. “But you are shooting with The announcement comes a day after several US Italian equivalent, bocce. The game your hand or foot.” media outlets reported the NBA had informed traces its roots back to Ancient Some boccia players have severe teams that all personnel who work in physical prox- Greece and Egypt and is thought to physical impairments, and Ciobanu, imity to players or referees during games must be be one of the oldest sports played who competes in the unassisted cat- TOKYO: Brazil’s Maciel Santos (center) competes with South Korea’s Lee Yong- jin (not pictured) in the boccia individual BC2 class during the Tokyo 2020 fully vaccinated against COVID-19. ESPN, citing a by humans. egory and throws conventionally memo sent by the NBA to teams on Friday, said the Paralympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo on Saturday. —AFP But this is no game played by old from his hand, is in awe of some of directive specifically includes coaches, front-office men on dusty Italian or French town his fellow boccia athletes and the members and trainers but stops short of requiring squares, this is gripping — and accuracy with which they can deliver Paralympic gold. Unmistakable with “Games can be won and lost by all players to be vaccinated.” League-wide vacci- addictive to watch. Designed so ath- each shot. his striking blue and red mohawk- little details, so yeah I’ll take all the nation of players is subject to negotiations with the letes with cerebral palsy, muscular “It’s incredibly impressive when like hairstyle, Smith identified one luck I can get, to be honest,” said National Basketball Players Association. According dystrophy or any kind of neurological you see these people with their other attribute you need in boccia, Smith who holds a “triple crown” of to ESPN, the league set an October 1 deadline for impairment that impacts motor func- physical limits,” he said. “It’s a pre- and it’s one you can’t control. major tournament titles — 2016 team personnel to be fully vaccinated. tion can take part, boccia has been cise sport. “It’s a sport that involves a “I had to dig in a bit and get a lit- Paralympics, 2018 World Broadcasters, photographers and security person- part of the Paralympics since 1984. lot of passion, a lot of concentration tle bit of luck,” said Smith after Championships and 2019 European nel who operate near the court are included in the Players in use throws and a lot of strategy, like a game of squeezing past Argentina’s Mauricio Championships. Individual medals in directive, along with locker-room attendants, medical from hands, feet or helped by assis- chess. You need to play with a lot of Ibarbure 4-3 in a titanic pool tussle. the four classes of competition, staff, equipment managers, and food and beverage tive devices such as ramps and confidence and always think two or “Sometimes it’s all about the run of which are all open for men and handlers and providers. The regular season tips off on pointers, to deliver the leather balls three bowls ahead.” the ball on this floor,” added Smith women, will be decided in finals on October 19, when the reigning champion Milwaukee which are filled with plastic granules One of the flamboyant stars of the who won the silver at London 2012 Wednesday, followed by pairs and Bucks host the Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State so they do not bounce and are easy sport is Britain’s David Smith, who is and is chasing a third straight team competitions which conclude Warriors will take on the Los Angeles Lakers in a to grip. aiming for a second straight BC1 Paralympics Games medal. on Saturday. — AFP blockbuster opening-night double-header.— AFP