SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2015

BEIJING: (L-R) Bahamas’s silver medallist Shaunae Miller, USA’s gold medallist Allyson Felix and ’s bronze medallist Shericka Jackson pose with their medals on the podium during the victory ceremony for the women’s 400 metres athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium in . (Centre) Men’s 200m gold medalist Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, centre, stands with silver medalist United States’ Justin Gatlin,left, and bronze medalist South Africa’s Anaso Jobodwana on the podium following the medal ceremony. (Right) Poland’s Maria Andrejczyk competes in women’s javelin throw qualification at the Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing.— AFP/AP photos Bolt’s scooter assailant says sorry with bracelet

BEIJING: The cameraman who sent Usain Bolt Jamaican from behind. returning to his duties at the Bird’s Nest stadium ring to the iconic venue for the 2008 Olympics. flying at the world athletics championships pre- Bolt, the six-times Olympic champion, in Beijing. The bizarre mishap is set to become Some Internet users remarked that the unlucky sented him with a red bracelet yesterday to escaped serious injury in the accident which an enduring image of the Beijing world champi- cameraman was the only man capable of taking apologise after footage of the incident went happened as he celebrated sealing the world onships after it trended on social media and fea- down Bolt, who has won all but one world and viral. A red-faced Song Tao of China’s CCTV sprint double with an emphatic 200m win on tured prominently in TV news bulletins. Olympic individual sprint title since 2008. placed the good-luck charm on Bolt’s wrist by Thursday. “The important thing is that he is CCTV 5, in a posting on its Twitter-style “The only guy in the world who can defeat way of apology after he lost control of the elec- okay. I’m fine and ready to get back to work,” Weibo account, said the bracelet “will bring luck Bolt,” wrote a user with the handle “Sehun” on tric scooter he was riding and clattered the Song told the Guardian via a translator, before to Bolt” and “made the nest full of love”, refer- his Chinese Weibo account. — AFP Russian walker Shubenkov dashes Merritt’s out of worlds due to doping dreams before kidney op

MOSCOW: Russian walker Alexander BEIJING: Russian Yargunkin will not compete in the world stormed to the world title championships following reports that he yesterday to shatter Olympic champion Aries has failed a drugs test, a Russian anti- Merritt’s hopes of an emotional gold days doping agency (RUSADA) official said before he undergoes a kidney transplant. yesterday. Shubenkov, the two-times European The 33-year-old Yargunkin has given a champion, clocked a national record of 12.98 positive test for the banned substance seconds, with American Merritt, who will leave for his surgery directly from Beijing, tak- Erythropoietin, Russian media reported. ing the bronze in a season’s best 13.04. “I “Yargunkin definitely won’t compete at can’t describe what I’m feeling now,” said the world championships in Beijing. The Shubenkov after winning ’s first world sportsman has been temporarily sus- gold in the event. “I don’t remember any- pended from competition while an inves- thing about the race. I heard the starting gun tigation takes place,” Nikita Kamaev, the and then I opened my eyes and it was fin- executive director of RUSADA, told the R- ished. It’s not every day a hurdler from Russia Sport news agency. wins gold.” Jamaican fin- This will be the first world champi- ished in 13.03 to pip Merritt for silver, but the onships in which no Russian walkers will American said merely reaching the podium take part. “This news really was a shock ranked higher than winning the Olympic title. for me,” Yargunkin told the Sport-Express “This bronze medal means more to me newspaper. “I received a phone call say- than my Olympic gold,” the 30-year-old told ing they had found EPO. Of course I did reporters. “In 2013 when they told me I’d not take Erythropoietin. I was the only never run again that pretty much ended my Russian walker who could have gone to life-it mentally destroyed me. Beijing. I was tested all the time. For all “If I was a normal human being we might the years I have trained, there has never have seen a record, who knows? But the reali- been a problem,” Yargunkin added. ty is I’m not a human. I’m under 20 percent The world championship 50km walk kidney function so it’s very tough. I’m just a fighter.” Merritt, who ended 2012 with an in Beijing takes place today. RUSADA Olympic title and a world best time of 12.80 announced in January that three before being diagnosed with a rare kidney Olympic walking champions, Olga disease the following year, insisted he would BEIJING: Gold medallist Russia’s Sergey Shubenkov celebrates winning the final of the men’s Kaniskina, Valery Borchin, Sergei try to try to return for next year’s Rio 110 metres hurdles athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the “Bird’s Kirdyapkin, as well as the 2011 world Olympics. “The trip home is definitely going Nest” National Stadium in Beijing yesterday. — AFP champion Sergei Bakulin and 2011 world to be a little depressing because I’m going to silver medallist Vladimir Kanaykin had have surgery, not to hang out with my joy after timing his dip at the line to perfec- smiles after his silver, crediting superstar been suspended for doping infringe- friends,” he said. “I’m going to fight on and tion. “I’m super-proud of myself,” said the 24- countryman Usain Bolt for inspiring the ments. All these athletes were trained by I’m very optimistic that I’ll be able to recover year-old, who took bronze in two Jamaican team. Russian coach Viktor Chegin. and hopefully make the Olympic team. years ago. “It was a hard three days and every “Usain is one of the people who all the The Russian Athletics Federation sus- “To persevere through everything gives race was tough but our hard work all these athletes look up to, to always try to pended Chegin in July and said they me a mental toughness that I don’t think my years was not wasted.” Defending champion achieve the best we can,” said the would not be sending walkers to interna- competitors have. I’m just so happy to win a trudged away from the track at Olympic bronze medallist. “I can just tional events. — Reuters medal in a season’s best when it mattered Bird’s Nest after only managing seventh place imagine how happy my mum is feeling most.” Shubenkov whooped and danced for in a time of 13.33, but Parchment was all back home now.” — AFP