Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 Former slave to run for S Sudan in marathon ATHLETICS LONDON: South Sudanese Olympic athlete Guor Marial may not be a hot medal tip for Sunday’s marathon, but the former slave’s road to Rio is one of the most astonishing stories of the games. As a teenager Marial was forced to run for his life during Sudan’s long civil war in which he lost 28 members of his family, was kidnapped twice and end- ed up in servitude. When he fled Sudan he never wanted to run again because of the traumatic memories, but after arriving in the United States as a refugee his talent was quickly spotted by his teachers. RIO DE JANEIRO: United States’ Carmelo Anthony (15) shoots in front of Argentina’s Andres Nocioni, right, during a quarterfinal round This month Marial made history when basketball game at the 2016 Summer Olympics. — AP he became the flag-bearer for South Sudan’s first ever Olympic team, leading his compatriots Margret Hassan and Santino Kenyi into Rio’s Maracana stadium during US routs Argentina 105-78, the opening ceremony. Rio is Marial’s sec- ond Olympics, but it is the first in which he can wear his national colors. In London four years ago he had to compete as an inde- moves into men’s semis pendent under the Olympic flag because South Sudan - which had only gained inde- pendence the year before - was unable to tional competition after the game, 12 years after 2008 final and 107-100 four years ago in London. send a team. Marial told the Thomson winning gold in Athens. “We had a chance to Reuters Foundation at the time how he grow up together and do some good things, win Building on success dreamed one day of representing his home- some games together. It was fun. It’s a lot of The loudest crowd yet for a US game, featur- land. “I will be wearing the Olympic uni- BASKETBALL years,” said Luis Scola, who is also 36 but plans to ing boxer Floyd Mayweather and NBA form, but inside I will be holding the South RIO DE JANEIRO: The nail-biters ended for the keep playing. “We formed part of something Commissioner Adam Silver, was treated to an Sudan flag in my heart,” he said. In a recent unique we did for our country and it’s going to explosive performance by the Americans, with BBC interview he described his excitement US Olympic men’s basketball team. So did a golden era of international basketball. be there. Sometimes we’re not going to win, like devastating crossovers by Durant and Kyrie at finally being able to run for his country. today, sometimes we won but we fought Irving that left defenders helpless and brought “To stand on the start line wearing a South Emphatically stopping a stretch of three straight close games, the Americans advanced to the together for many years.” teammates to their feet on the bench.They Sudan vest would be amazing,” he said. “A opened a 25-point lead in the first half and were lot of people lost their lives for the freedom semifinals by sprinting past Manu Ginobili and Final games in control from that point, the first time since of the country we have now. That’s what I Argentina, 105-78 on Wednesday night. In front run for and that’s the reason I want to go of a chanting, flag-waving crowd of Argentines Ginobili scored 14 points in his final game in their second game in Rio they had it easy. “We and represent the flag.” who came to throw a raucous farewell party for Argentina’s blue and white, tearing up after fed off wanting to play better than the last three their Golden Generation, the Americans deliv- receiving applause from his fans and warm wish- games,” Durant said. Slavery and freedom ered their most complete performance in Rio. es from his opponents. “They congratulated me Ginobili, Scola, Nocioni and Carlos Delfino, the South Sudan separated from Sudan in “What a remarkable run by Argentina and so we and I’m very proud of their words,” Ginobili said. remaining Golden Generation players, checked in 2011 following a 2005 peace deal that end- knew we had to match that energy tonight. I “They were very kind, very respectful and when together for a last run with about 4 1/2 minutes ed more than two decades of conflict thought we did,” US coach Mike Krzyzewski said. legends of the game showed their respect, it has left. Argentina fans danced, cheered and com- between the government in Khartoum and Turning a slow start into an early ending with an extra value.” The Americans have won 23 pletely ignored the crooked numbers on the rebels in the south. The 32-year-old a 27-2 run in the first half, the Americans put straight in the Olympics since Argentina beat scoreboard while saying one long goodbye. marathon runner was born in a village in away one old rival and set up a meeting with them in the 2004 semifinals, and this was how Ginobili was replaced a few minutes later, hug- the south at the start of the war, which another. They will play Spain on Friday in a they usually do it: too much firepower, too much ging teammates, coaches and after the game claimed eight of his siblings. When he was a defense, and way too much talent. Krzyzewski, before returning to the court after boy his parents sent him to live with an rematch of the last two gold-medal games. Australia meets Serbia in the other semifinal. It took a little while to get going, as Argentina the teams had headed to their locker rooms to be uncle in Khartoum because it was safer. But opened a 10-point lead. The Argentines made presented a game ball by an Olympic official. it took three years to get there. At one point Kevin Durant scored 27 points for the Americans, who had played three straight close games for nine of their first 10 shots inside the arc and led Even Argentina’s proud veterans didn’t con- he was abducted and forced into servitude 19-9 when Nocioni drilled a 3-pointer. But the sider themselves medal contenders, especially for a Sudanese soldier’s family. the first time under Krzyzewski, setting off a round of questions at home and in Rio de Americans finished the first period with a 16-2 after the Americans blew them out 111-74 in an Marial eventually fled Sudan in 1999 fol- run, getting the final six points from DeMarcus exhibition game last month in Las Vegas and lowing a night-time attack by Sudanese sol- Janeiro about what was wrong with them. Cousins, to take a 25-21 edge to the second. came to Rio as the overwhelming favorite. But diers on his uncle’s home. He was knocked The answer might be nothing. At least there unconscious when a soldier smashed his jaw wasn’t against Argentina. “We wanted to come Three-point plays by Cousins and Jimmy once play began, the US rarely played up to with a rifle. He escaped first to Egypt before out and our whole thing was dominating,” for- Butler around Durant’s 3-pointer in an 11-0 start those expectations, with one narrow victory moving to the United States in 2001 when he ward Carmelo Anthony said. The Americans to the second made it 36-21 before Facundo after another as the competition toughened. The was 16. In the lead-up to London, Olympic eliminated Argentina for the third straight Campazzo stopped the onslaught with a three- Americans held off Australia by 10, then pulled chiefs suggested Marial run for Sudan but he Olympics, this time ending not only a tourna- point play. Cousins, the normal starting center out three-point victories over Serbia and France. refused, saying it would be a betrayal of his ment run for the Argentines but also a couple playing as a reserve, finished with 15 points. They were finally in top form Wednesday. Now country, his family and everyone who fought careers. Ginobili, 39, and longtime 36-year-old Spain beat France 92-67 earlier Wednesday, its they have to stay there two more games. “We’ve for independence. — Reuters teammate Andres Nocioni retired from interna- fourth straight victory after two losses to open got to build on it,” Durant said, “but we’re not the Olympics. The US edged Spain 118-107 in the satisfied at all.”— AP .