SPORTS Thursday, August 6, 2015 29 ‘RIO’S WATERS WILL BE FINE’ Rio de Janeiro that pollution is much worse in the io’s polluted waters where nearby Bay of Guanabara where ‘Pollution and Olympic sailing will take place Olympic sailing and windsurfing will nextR year will be in good shape by the be held. Huge amounts of raw sewage garbage have turned time the Games start, IOC President from the Rio urban area currently Rio’s Guanabara Bay, Thomas Bach said Tuesday. pour into the bay, along with large “What is important is that we’ll have quantities of floating garbage. where sailing and good conditions for the athletes where Officials say they will not be able to windsurfing contests the competition is taking place,” Bach meet their original goal of stopping will take place, into said in Rio de Janeiro, where he is 80 percent of the pollution by the marking the 12-month countdown to Olympics. the world’s prettiest the world’s biggest sporting event. “It has to be monitored closely,” garbage dump’ Bach said that an Olympic warm- Bach said. “In one year from now I up triathlon held over the weekend, think we’ll have a great competition.” with competitors swimming off Bach said that preparations for the will continue in this dynamic way,” he Rio’s Copacabana beach, showed huge event were going well. said. “In one year from tomorrow that “everything is going in the right “I have no special worries because we’ll all be overwhelmed by the direction.” I’m very confident the organizing wonderful opening ceremony and the However, environmentalists say committee and all levels of government hospitality.” Dead fish float in Guanabara Bay at Rio de Janeiro (file photo) Aussie sets mark Uneven Man U look for winners bolstering his midfield with the powerhouse of United’s the additions of Bastian midfield and that should hold Schweinsteiger and Morgan us in good stead over the Schneiderlin, to take his season.” spending since succeeding United fans raised on the David Moyes last year to all-action displays of players around £230m. like Robson and Roy Keane STOSUR WINS With Robin van Persie and have long lamented the Radamel Falcao having left lack of oomph in the team’s and Javier Hernandez out midfield, but if anything, of favour, it leaves Wayne the club now have too many Rooney shouldering a heavy midfielders on their hands. burden up front, but former United, who finished 500 MATCHES captain Bryan Robson believes fourth last season, deployed the midfield reinforcements a 4-2-3-1 formation in pre- can provide the platform for a season, but van Gaal has Louis van Gaal (file photo) first sustained title assault since pledged to revert to the 4-3-3 London Alex Ferguson’s departure in system that belatedly brought fter returning to the 2013. the team success in the latter Premier League’s top four, “The manager has built part of the 2014-15 campaign. ManchesterA United have once the midfield area to a point It means that again recruited extensively, but where we look strong enough Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, there are concerns about the to dictate the tempo of games,” Michael Carrick, Ander balance of their squad ahead of said Robson, now a club Herrera and Marouane the new season. ambassador. Fellaini (who is suspended Manager Louis van Gaal “Schweinsteiger and for the first three league has spent around £77 million Schneiderlin look really good games) will be competing for ($120m, 110m euros), notably signings. They are going to be only three starting berths. Di Maria ‘delighted’ with PSG move Samantha Stosur (file photo) Paris Washington women’s match win list is Evonne Francesca Schiavone and after rgentina winger Angel Di Maria ustralia’s Samantha Stosur, Goolagong Cawley with 695. Stosur had recovered from Lyme said he is “delighted” to be joining the 2011 US Open champion, In pondering her all-time top disease, which sidelined her AFrench champions Paris-Saint Germain wonA her 500th career singles triumphs, Stosur went directly to for parts of the 2007 and 2008 in an interview screened on BeIn Sports match victory Tuesday, defeating her Grand Slam title run, which campaigns. yesterday. France’s Kristina Mladenovic she won by defeating current “A few matches I lost have been The 27-year-old has yet to officially sign 6-2, 6-2 at the WTA and ATP world number one and 21-time memorable,” she said. “There for the Qatari-backed Parisians ahead of a Washington Open. Grand Slam champion Serena have been a lot of great moments. move from Manchester United. The 31-year-old second seed Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the final four I’ve had those highs along the way But in an interview with BeIn Sports, from Brisbane needed only 64 years ago at Flushing Meadows. and lows as well.” who are owned by the same Qatari Sports Di Maria (file photo) minutes to improve to 4-0 against But also drawing her attention Stosur, ranked 21st, is coming Investments group that includes PSG in Champions League quarter-finals.” PSG Mladenovic and book a second- was a three-set US Open semi-final off her second title of the year, its portfolio, Di Maria spoke of his joy at have been knocked out in the Champions round date with American Irina win over Germany’s Angelique and the eighth of her career, on securing a move to the big-spending outfit. League quarter-finals the last three years Falconi. Kerber, a three-set thriller over the Austrian clay at Bad Gastein. “I’m delighted to sign for PSG because (twice by Barcelona and once by Chelsea) “My serve set me up. There Russian Maria Kirilenko in the “It’s a nice feeling to play the club has done everything to bring me and their best result in Europe’s premier weren’t a lot of long rallies. Bing. round of 16 and a third-rounder well in those moments, in the here,” said Di Maria, who passed a medical club competition remains a semi-final Bang. It was over,” said Stosur, over Nadia Petrova she took 7-5 finals,” Stosur said. “Winning in Doha on Tuesday. appearance in 1995. who had no clue about the in the third after splitting two tournaments, wherever they are, “I’ll try to do my best, I’ll work hard to Di Maria’s arrival will be PSG’s biggest landmark win total until well after tie-breakers. gives you a boost.” give my utmost and if everything goes well, in the current off-season following those the victory. “Obviously the US Open has She also won on clay at we’ll win a lot of trophies.” of German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp from “Now that I know, (feels) really been the highlight, not just the Strasbourg in May but makes The former Real Madrid star said his goal Eintracht Frankfurt and French midfielder good,” Stosur said of her milestone final -- a couple matches in there her first visit to the US capital was to bring more than just domestic glory Benjamin Stambouli from Tottenham. triumph. “Five hundred is a lot of were really tight,” Stosur said. event to start her US Open to last year’s French treble-winners. The Argentine spent just one season at matches. Nice to make that and “And maybe the first time I won preparations. “Paris won all the trophies in France and Manchester United, who have agreed a know you have had a pretty big a final back in Osaka. “I’m feeling good,” Stosur that’s important for such a big club. £44.3 million (63m euros; $68.9m dollars) career.” That Osaka title came in 2009 said. “It’s nice to get back on the “My aim is to help Paris get past the fee with PSG. The top Aussie on the all-time with a finals win over Italy’s hardcourts again.”