SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2016 SPORTS Dream over for Richards-Ross, Felix through EUGENE: Sanya Richards-Ross’s dream string grab at me. It just wasn’t worth it.” FELIX DREAM ALIVE fluency and later did not speak to racing for the first time since sports of a fairytale Olympic swansong ended Richards-Ross admitted she had been Elsewhere Friday, 2012 200m champi- reporters. Felix is likely to face stiff com- goods giant Nike dropped a threatened in tears here Friday as the 2012 400 determined to make the Olympics on Allyson Felix kept her dream of a rare petition this weekend, with Courtney lawsuit against him. The 23-year-old meters champion limped out of the US despite being troubled by toe and ham- 400-200 double in Rio alive to emerge Okolo, Francena McCorory and Phyllis California-based middle distance runner trials. The 31-year-old star, who has string problems. from her heat. Felix, winner of the 400m Francis all more than second quicker on was all smiles on Friday after coasting to been struggling with injuries in recent “No Rio. That’s the toughest part for at the World Championships last year, Friday. In the men’s 400m, 2008 Beijing victory in his heat in a time of 1 minute years, had been hoping to force her way me,” she said. “As an athlete you always finished second behind Quanera Hayes Olympics champion LaShawn Merritt 46.03 seconds. into the US team for Rio before heading want to go to the Olympics no matter in a time of 51.96 seconds. The 30-year- eased into the semi-finals with a com- “It’s nice to get that weight off my into retirement. However the veteran how banged up you are, you still think old from Los Angeles is aiming to fortable win in his heat. Merritt clocked shoulders. I didn’t realize how much it never looked comfortable almost from there’s a chance. become only the third woman after 45.54sec to reach the semi-finals fourth was bothering me until it was settled,” the start of her heat at Eugene’s “I just thought at the end of the race Valerie Brisco-Hooks of the U.S. in 1984 fastest. Berian told reporters. “I just relaxed Hayward Field and pulled up on the final ‘Man-this is the end of it for me’ and that and Marie-Jose Perec of France in 1996 In the men’s 800m, world indoor today and it was a good feeling.” In the bend in obvious discomfort. was the toughest part.” Asked to reflect to have won the 200m and 400m in the champion Boris Berian drew a line under men’s 10,000m, London 2012 silver “It was tough to keep running,” on her career, Richards-Ross choked same games. But Felix, who has been his recent legal problems to cruise into medalist Galen Rupp booked his ticket Richards-Ross said afterwards, confirm- back tears. hampered by an ankle injury after an the semi-finals. Berian, who blasted to to Rio with a gutsy victory in 27:55.04, ing her career was over. “When I tried to “I learned a lot and I’ll forever love accident in training earlier this year, did victory at the indoor world champi- coming home ahead of Shadrack move on the curve I really felt my ham- this sport. Thank you,” she said. not appear to be moving with her usual onships in Portland earlier this year, was Kipchirchir and Leonard Korir. —AFP In Ali’s hometown Louisville, heirs to a boxing legacy LOUISVILLE: In a nondescript con- Ali’s credo as her own. “Be yourself crete building in Louisville, Kentucky, and don’t let anybody dictate who the smell of sweat hangs in the air as you are, your drive, your determina- two teens in protective helmets and tion,” she says, summing up what she boxing gloves trade blows at light- said is the crux of Ali’s message. ning speed, propelled by shouts of Malone came to boxing relatively late, encouragement. but has established herself as one of Sunshine streams in from a skylight the most gifted fighters at TKO-bob- overhead to illuminate the action at bing, weaving and jabbing with the the center of TKO club, where the best of them, fearlessly taking on a heirs to Muhammad Ali’s storied lega- more solidly built opponent who she cy are determined to do him proud. subdues against the ropes. The young Louisville is the hometown and woman said Ali remains for her an final resting place of the legendary endless source of inspiration. “I love fighter, who was buried here on June the way he fought, his head move- 10 in a send-off befitting the three- ment, like, ‘I am going to hit you, but time heavyweight champion. you’re not going to hit me’,” said At TKO, teens train in the hopes Malone, a youth counselor by training. they might be the next Cassius Clay. She described the boxing legend as On any given day, about 80 youths not just a master tactician, but a mes- can be found training here, buoyed by merizing talent in the ring. “His foot- the same quest for greatness that work was just incredible, it was like he spurred Ali-even if they know that was dancing, like he had a radio inside BEIJING: In this Aug. 29, 2015, file photo, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt anchors the Jamaican team to the finish line as Jamaica wins the men’s 4x100 boxing legends like him are rare. his head all the time,” she said. meter relay final at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing. Jamaican officials say Bolt has withdrawn from his country’stional Na Senior “Nobody is close to Muhammad Championships, citing an unspecified injury. — AP Ali-he is way above everybody else,” ‘SEVEN OR EIGHT NATIONAL said 17-year-old Jeffrey Clancy, a CHAMPIONS’ strapping youth naked from the waist Malone’s young cousin Keilan also Bolt has injured hamstring, up, with a well-defined physique. trains at TKO, which takes its name “He was so much ahead of his time, from the boxing term technical knock- it was ridiculous-nobody had really out. “I didn’t want to hang on the status for Rio in doubt seen fast feet like that in the heavy- streets and stuff and hang with the weight division,” the teenager said. wrong people,” he explains, “so I KINGSTON: Usain Bolt withdrew from the Jeffrey began boxing 60 years after a decided to box to keep me off the Jamaican Olympic Trials on Friday with what the young Cassius Clay took up the sport. street.” reigning Olympic champ described as a mildly The young Louisville upstart came Nearby, another youngster, Leslye torn left hamstring, an injury that could keep Tyson Gay readies for one to be known for his way with words, Harbin, describes the physical cathar- him from defending triple gold at the Rio but first he learned to let his fists do sis that he gets when he laces up his Games. Bolt-seeking his third consecutive more run at the Olympics the talking in the boxing ring. gloves. “Boxing will help me with my Olympic titles in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay- anger,” he says. “Like, I will take it out likely must now prove his fitness at a Diamond EUGENE: Sprinter Tyson Gay has a new in the past and showing people you can ‘IT WAS LIKE HE WAS DANCING’ on a bag instead of a person.” League meet July 22 in London to have a hope coach and a longer beard to go with a new always persevere, especially when you make Clay started his training in 1954 at TKO founder James Dixon is an of running in Rio. “After feeling discomfort in my attitude: He doesn’t really care what people mistakes in life,” said Gay, who is the second- the age of 12 — about the same age African American man with tattooed hamstring after the first round last night and think about him. fastest man in history, thanks to his 9.69-sec- as many of the kids at TKO-training at arms who first played the role of spar- then again in the semi-final tonight, I was exam- Behind that tough exterior, though, masks ond 100 at a 2009 meet in Shanghai (Bolt’s a nearby gym that is now part of ring partner for his son and a handful ined by the Chief Doctor of the National the pain of having to hand back his only world record is 9.58 and Yohan Blake tied Spalding University, at a time when of other kids in his garage. Championships and diagnosed with a Grade 1 Olympic medal. A doping violation cost him Gay’s mark in 2012). “I don’t get a lot of hate Louisville was a segregated city at the Louisville, a city with a storied box- tear,” Bolt said in a statement. and all his relay teammates the silver medal mail, or any of that type of thing. (Fans) allow crossroads of the Midwest and the ing legacy thanks largely to Ali, had “I have submitted a medical exemption to be from the 2012 London Games. me to forget about it for the most part.” Deep South. become “the laughing stock of the excused from the 100m final and the remainder A career full of missed chances, close calls, Bolt called him out, though, intimating He changed his name to country” at boxing competitions, he of the National Championships.” untimely injuries and that stripped-away Gay should’ve been suspended for life.