ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 2021 SPORTS 14

Necessary measures to make Games a success Tokyo mass livestreaming of Olympics canceled

TOKYO, June 19, (AP): Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike Koike said the sites will instead be offered as vaccina- recommendation from advisers headed by Dr. Shige- says plans to hold mass public viewings of the Olym- tion sites. Suga expressed understanding, she added. ru Omi, handed to the government and Tokyo orga- pics at six sites have been canceled, as worries grow Some medical experts have expressed concern nizers Friday, said no fans would be safer. about the coronavirus pandemic amid one of the about holding the games, with tens of thousands of Only about 6% of people in Japan are fully vac- slowest vaccine rollouts in the developed world. athletes, offi cials and dignitaries entering the country. cinated. Companies, like automaker Toyota Motor “These are necessary measures to make the Tokyo Corp. and technology conglomerate SoftBank, start Olympics and Paralympics a success,” she told re- inoculating workers and their families with the Mod- porters after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister OLYMPICS erna vaccine in a massive drive starting Monday. Ja- Yoshihide Suga. pan now relies totally on imports, and the only other The sites had included Inokashira and Yoyogi Fans from abroad were banned several months vaccine in use here is Pfi zer. Various public opinion parks as well as a university in Tokyo to watch ago, and organizers are expected to announce Mon- polls show most Japanese are opposed to holding the livestreaming of the games, which open July 23. day whether some local fans will be allowed. The games

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, second right, inspects a COVID-19 vaccination center at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government office in Tokyo, on June 18. Blues beat Highlanders to claim (AP) Kincaid wins men’s 10,000 meters Super Rugby trans-Tasman title Crouser goes big, breaks Gibson seals win 31-yr-old shot put record EUGENE, Ore., June 19, (AP): The raised and the words “World Re- AUCKLAND, New Zea- record was older than he is. cord” highlighted in green on the When Ryan Crouser broke it, “it board next to his new record. land, June 19, (AP): The felt like it was a huge weight lifted.” Crouser, who was second to Ko- Auckland-based Blues The 28-year-old who built a train- vacs at world championships in captured their first Super ing pit at his home in Arkansas to Doha in 2019, didn’t miss a day of Rugby title in 18 years by stay on point during the coronavirus training in 2020, even with the coro- pandemic shattered a shot put world navirus pandemic shutting things beating the Dunedin-based record Friday night that was set 2 1/2 down across the globe. Highlanders 23-15 on Sat- years before he was born. He built a homemade shot-put urday in an all-New Zea- On Day 1 of U.S. Olympic Trials, ring that he constructed out of two he heaved the massive medal sphere sheets of plywood and screws from land final of this season’s 76 feet, 8 1/4 inches (23.37 meters) Home Depot. trans-Tasman tournament. to put his name in the record book The opening day of trials also fea- Blake Gibson’s try three minutes and punch his ticket Tokyo, where tured strong fi rst-round performanc- from the end clinched the win after he’ll have a chance to defend his es from world 800-meter cham- the Highlanders, trailing 13-6 at Olympic title next month. pion Donavan Brazier and sprinter halftime, rallied with three penal- Just like he always imagined. Sha’Carri Richardson, who chose ties in seven minutes to lead 15-13 “There were so many times that I orange as the hair color of the day after 66 minutes. was throwing a six-pound shot out and turned in the fastest 100-meter behind the middle school, throwing time (10.84 seconds). High jumper by myself, and let it go and be like, Vashti Cunningham - the daughter RUGBY ‘Oh, new world record!’” Crouser of former NFL quarterback Randall said. “I knew it’s been a possibility Cunningham - easily qualifi ed for A penalty to replacement flyhalf or potential to do it since 2017.” the fi nal and discus thrower Valarie Harry Plummer gave the Blues the Virtually everyone in this tightly Allman set a meet record with her lead again in the 70th minute and knit group of throwers knew the throw of 229- 8 (70.01) in qualify- Gibson’s try, after a break from No. 8 record of 75-10 1/4 (23.12) held by ing. Hoskins Sotutu, sealed the win when Ryan Crouser sets a new world record during the finals of men’s shot put at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Tri- Randy Barnes since May 20, 1990, In the night’s only other fi nal, Plummer’s conversion created an als, on June 18, in Eugene, Oregon. (AP) was in jeopardy. Earlier this year, Woody Kincaid sprinted the fi nal eight-point margin. Crouser topped Barnes’ indoor stretch to hold off Grant Fisher and Time ran out for a Highlanders’ record. Earlier on Friday, during win the 10,000 meters. Both run for comeback and the Blues celebrated qualifying, Crouser heaved 75-2 1/2 the Bowerman Track Club. Kincaid in front of a home crowd of 36,000 at Verstappen claims pole at French GPrix (22.92) to set the American Olympic fi nished in 27:53.62. Joe Klecker Auckland’s Eden Park. trials record. was third. “This is a weight off our shoulders,” LE CASTELLET, France, June 19, for Alpine. his tire failed while leading late at the All received second billing to the Blues’ All Blacks backrower Dal- (AP): Formula One championship Verstappen’s only other pole this Azerbaijan Grand Prix two weeks ago. leader Max Verstappen won his sec- season came in the opener at Bahrain, Verstappen had qualifi ed fourth in Crouser. ton Papalii said. “To be honest, we had ATHLETICS He’s hard to miss at a track a tough start in Super Rugby Aotearoa ond pole of the season and put his Red but he fi nished second to seven-time his both of his previous two races at Bull in front of Mercedes rival Lewis champion Hamilton. He’s since won Paul Ricard. meet. The 320-pounder takes but we had a second chance at a bit of down about 5,000 calories a day to silverware and to come away with a Hamilton for the start the French two races to take a four-point lead over “So far it’s been a really positive Even before the fourth of his six win like that ... it just goes to show we Grand Prix. Hamilton into Sunday’s race. weekend on the track,” Verstappen tries on a mild, sunshiny evening at keep weight on his 6-7 frame. His believed in ourselves. Verstappen set a time of 1 minute, His advantage might have been said. “Of course no points are scored Hayward Field had plunked into the diet consists of two big breakfast “When we had to dig deep, we trust- 29.990 seconds around the Paul Ricard larger but the Dutchman crashed when (qualifying), but for us great day and dirt, Crouser was lifting his arms to burritos in the morning, a pound of ed each other and we trusted the pro- circuit in southern France to grab the we have to fi nish it off and try to get 25 celebrate. When it landed, far be- ground beef for lunch and three of cess and we came out on top.” top starting spot before Hamilton and points that we lost in Baku.” yond where any other mark had been the four portions from a meal de- The Blues won Super Rugby in 1996, his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas Hamilton and Bottas swapped chassis made, a collective gasp came from livery service at night. rugby’s first year as a professional sport, crossed the line at the end of Satur- this weekend and Bottas said he’s off to the quarter-fi lled stands. So, what does a newly minted again the following year and for a third day’s qualifying session. a much better start than in Baku, where About a half-minute passed while world-record holder do for dinner? time in 2003. But the years since have he qualifi ed 10th and fi nished 12th. But offi cials checked the distance. When “I’ve got to get through media been lean for New Zealand’s largest and MOTOR RACING Hamilton said he’s been “generally un- the mark came up on the board, con- and get through drug testing then richest franchise, which has become a happy in the car all weekend” and the fi rming that he had broken one of the see what’s open,” Crouser said. “I’ll graveyard for coaches as it fruitlessly qualifying effort was a breakthrough. longest-standing records in the book, probably go for a big, old double- pursued a fourth crown. Bottas jumped to second when he “It’s been a really, really hard week- he was mobbed by his competitors double hamburger somewhere.” Each of the Blues’ four New Zealand crossed the line, but Hamilton com- end, mentally and not just talking physi- pleted his lap right behind Bottas and over near the circle. rivals has enjoyed Super Rugby success cally, but trying to get the car into a hap- “Finally timed that one up,” since 2003; the Crusaders six times, the bumped his teammate down a spot. py place,” Hamilton said. “You wouldn’t Sergio Perez was fourth for Red Bull believe how many changes I’ve made Crouser said. “I think I was celebrat- Chiefs twice, the Hurricanes once, and ing on that one almost before it left the Highlanders when they won the full as the top four qualifi ers all ran at the rear since practice one, going around and of the pack before completing their fi nal around kind of chasing our tail and ended my hand.” four-nation tournament in 2014. Among those congratulating The Blues again came up short of fl ying laps as the session expired. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen up coming back to something similar to Carlos Sainz was fi fth for Ferrari of the Netherlands poses after he where we started.” him were world champion Joe the final in this season’s New Zealand Kovacs, who finished second, and domestic tournament - Super Rugby and followed by Pierre Gasly for Al- clocked the fastest time during the Mick Schumacher made it through to Aotearoa. But they won all five match- phaTauri and Charles Leclerc in sev- qualifying session ahead of the Q2 for the fi rst time in his F1 career, but Payton Otterdahl, who earned the es against Australian opponents in the enth for Ferrari. McLaren teammates French Formula One Grand Prix only after his crash ended Q1 25 seconds third spot. regular season of the trans-Tasman Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo at the Paul Ricard racetrack in Le earlier. The rear of his Haas spun and “There are three or four guys capa- were eighth and 10th, respectively, Castellet, southern France, on Schumacher went backward across the ble of doing that,” Kovacs said. “In competition to reach the final which separated by Fernando Alonso in ninth June 19. (AP) they won by two tries to nil. runoff before hitting a barrier. Tokyo, there are going to be some “It’s a pretty surreal feeling to have fi reworks. Every year, we’re talking a full Eden Park like this. It brought us remembered among New Zealand’s collected Saturday will become a nov- landers only four. about the records being broken and I home,” Blues captain Patrick Tuipulo- better championship sides. The trans- elty in their trophy cabinet. The Blues had an overwhelming ad- think there’s more to come.” Woody Kincaid celebrates after tu said. “This is something we’ve been Tasman competition is likely to be a Most neutral fans supported the vantage of possession in the first half Several minutes later, Crouser winning the men’s 10000-meter run looking forward to for a long time and one-off, replaced next year by a 12- Highlanders in a David-and-Goliath but came away with just one try as the was proudly posing down on the at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field we’ve got to enjoy it.” team competition including two Pa- contest; the Blues had eight All Blacks Highlanders, playing with typical tenac- fi eld. The picture: Him standing next Trials, on June 18, in Eugene, Or- It’s unlikely this Blues team will be cific Island teams. The prize the Blues in their match-day squad, the High- ity, managed to just hang in the match. to the scoreboard with both thumbs egon. (AP)