Reds Break Record Slump, Beat Cardinals 1-0 In
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Sports FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014 Bekele says in shape for marathon debut in Paris ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopian running legend “I can’t sit, I can’t sleep... it’s the race.” tances, the 31 year-old is hoping to follow race, but Bekele has opted not to go head Kenenisa Bekele says he is in shape and Bekele said his training volume peaked at in the footsteps of Ethiopian “emperor” to head with him in the London marathon, hopeful for a win ahead of his hotly-await- 240 kilometers (150 miles) a week, all of it Haile Gebreselassie, who made a success- where the competition is likely to be far ed marathon debut on the streets of Paris at high altitude at his training base in the ful leap from the track to the marathon. more intense because of the presence of a tomorrow. hills outside Addis Ababa. He admitted Bekele has made a stunning comeback strong Kenyan contingent. The double world recorder holder in though that he found the higher volume from a debilitating calf injury which kept While Bekele said he is not putting too 5,000 and 10,000m will be the star draw at of training for a marathon was at times him out of competition for nearly three much pressure on himself, he is aiming for the Paris marathon, and although not con- “boring”. years. In September, he defeated winning results in Paris this weekend. “It’s sidered a world record course like Berlin, Now tapering his training for the big Gebreselassie and his track rival Mo Farah very special,” he said. “It’s great if I will win Chicago, or London, all eyes will be on day, he said he was just running easy and in his comeback race at the Great North in my first marathon, it’s amazing, it’s a Bekele to see how he manages the leap to mixing in some shorter track sessions. “I’m run-his half marathon debut-outkicking great thing you know if I really achieve it.” track superstardom to the ultimate dis- just minimising, decreasing the kilome- Farah in the dramatic final stretch of the Bekele’s toughest competition will come tance. “I have a good chance to win tres... that’s very important now, just easy 21.1 kilometre (13.1 mile) race. from a pack of seasoned fellow Ethiopians because I prepared well. I will run to win, I training,” he said. Farah will be making his own marathon that include Abdullah Shami, who has a cannot expect myself to lose,” he told AFP. After an illustrious career in shorter dis- debut in London a week after the Paris personal best of 2:05.42. — AFP Wiggins, Cancellara to race in Flanders, PARIS: Britain’s former Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins will race the Tour of Flanders yesterday for the first time since 2005, his Sky team have confirmed. The 33-year-old, who became the first British rider to win the fabled Tour de France in 2012 will also use the race to prepare for the Paris-Roubaix, the following weekend, one of his principle ear- ly season objectives. In his only participation to date, he finished 81st nine years ago. Compatriot Geraint Thomas, who finished third in the GP E3 last Friday, before a crash two days later in the Gent-Wevelgem, is also included although current Tour de France champion Chris Froome will miss the event. British team Sky, will also line up with Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen, who came home third in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad behind Sky’s triumphant Ian Stannard, at the beginning of March. Stannard is not included in Sky’s eight man team. Elsewhere, American team BMC announced former world champion Philippe Gilbert will not, as expected, race the one-day classic on Sunday. The Belgian rider, who won the world title in 2012 and finished third in the Belgian race in 2009 and 2010, has opened the way for compatriot and teammate Greg Van Avermaet to lead the team in his absence. Van Avermaet finished 4th in 2012 on the race, which starts in Bruges on April 6 and runs over 259.2km to Audenarde, as well as coming home seventh in last year’s rendition. BMC will also look to Norwegian veteran Thor Hushovd, Italian Manuel Quinziato and Swiss youngster Silvain Dillier, 23, to challenge for honours. Defending champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland will also be on the start line as part of a strong Trek team that also includes double winner Stijn Devolder of Belgium. Cancellara, 33, won the race by a comfortable 1min 27secs last year, and also crossed the line first in 2010 while Devolder picked up his victories in 2008 and 2009. Nicknamed “Spartacus”, Cancellara has won eight stages on PHOENIX: Paul Goldschmidt #44 of the Arizona Diamondbacks swings at a pitch by Tim Hudson #17 of the San Francisco the Tour de France and worn the leader’s yellow jersey on numer- Giants during an MLB game at Chase Field on Wednesday in Phoenix, Arizona. — AFP ous occasions, as well as being a former Olympic and world cham- pion time-trialist. The Berne native has also won the Paris-Roubaix in 2006, 2010 and 2013, a title he is set to defend the following Reds break record slump, weekend. — AFP beat Cardinals 1-0 in 9th CINCINNATI : Chris Heisey’s single in the bottom of the ninth the fireworks were shot off as the grounds crew removed the inning ended Cincinnati’s record scoreless streak to open a tarp and prepared the field for the first pitch. season and sent the Reds to a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Neither starter had a problem because of the delay. Left- Cardinals on Wednesday night following a long rain delay. hander Tony Cingrani gave up a pair of singles and two walks The Reds set a modern franchise record by failing to score in seven innings. He spent the offseason working on his sec- in the first 17 innings of the season. Their previous worst was ondary pitches. Last year, he threw his fastball 81.7 percent of 13 scoreless innings in 1909 and 1934.Ryan Ludwick and Todd the time, the second-most by a starter in the majors, accord- Frazier opened the ninth with singles off Carlos Martinez (0-1). ing to STATS LLC. After a sacrifice, Brayan Pena was walked to load the bases Michael Wacha allowed three hits in 6 2-3 innings. He got and the pinch-hitting Heisey singled up the middle. The Reds shortstop Zack Cozart to ground into a forceout with the were the last team in the majors to score a run this season. bases loaded in the fourth.Cozart saved a run with a diving Heisey’s hit broke an 0 for 11 slump with runners in scoring catch in center field in the eighth, grabbing Matt Carpenter’s position.J.J. Hoover (1-0) pitched out of a threat in the ninth, sinking liner with a runner in scoring position. getting Matt Adams on a called third strike with two runners The defending National League champions opened the DE PANNE: The Netherlands’ Niki Terpstra of team Omega aboard. The NL Central rivals waited 2 hours, 40 minutes to get season with a 1-0 win on Monday, when Yadier Molina’s sev- Pharma - Quick Step and Belgium’s Gert Steegmans of started. They wanted to get the game in because heavy rain enth-inning homer made the difference. It was the first time team Omega Pharma - Quick Step ride during the first part was forecast for today afternoon when they conclude their since 1953 that the Reds were shut out on opening day. of the third and last stage of the “Three days of De Panne - series. The Reds promoted it as opening night, complete with St. Louis hasn’t started a season with back-to-back shutouts Koksijde” cycling race, ran from and to De Panne, yester- pregame player introductions and postgame fireworks. The since 1963, when the Cardinals posted three consecutive day in De Panne. — AFP introductions were cancelled because of the long delay, and shutouts. — AP.