STAR of the DAY Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa
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ATHLETICS | Page 2 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 10 Bahrain’s Suarez strike Jebet takes gives Barca To Advertise here gold in edge over Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 steeplechase Sevilla Tuesday, August 16, 2016 Dhul-Qa’da 13, 1437 AH OLYMPICS Murray carves his place with the greats with second gold Page 7 FOCUS Record-breaking night for Bolt, Van Niekerk Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates after he won the men’s 100m final at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. (AFP) Jamaican star storms to third straight Olympic 100m title, South African breaks Michael Johnson’s 400m mark AFP STAR OF THE DAY Rio de Janeiro Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa sain Bolt stormed to an un- precedented third straight Today’s Star of the Day is South Africa’s Olympic 100m title as Wayde Wayde van Niekerk, who ran the fastest van Niekerk smashed Michael single lap in history to win the 400m gold UJohnson’s long-standing 400m record medal in 43.03 seconds and break a 17-year- in Rio on Sunday. old world record at the Olympic Games. On a night of high drama Sunday, Running in lane eight, the 24-year-old world Bolt galloped past drug-tainted US champion got off to a flier and was streaking rival Justin Gatlin to cross in 9.81sec clear on the back straight but he upped his and become the fi rst athlete to win the pace even further in the second half of the 100m three times in a row. race to better American Michael Johnson’s The victory set the Jamaican show- 1999 mark of 43.18 seconds. Van Niekerk man off on his quest to complete the crossed the line a good five metres ahead ‘triple triple’ — 100m, 200m and of 2012 champion Kirani James and held his 4x100m gold medals at three consecu- hands to his head in disbelief at his time be- tive Olympics. fore being embraced by the Grenadian, who “Somebody said I can become im- took silver in 43.76. “Oh my God! From lane mortal. Two more medals to go and I eight, a world record,” Johnson said on the can sign off . Immortal,” said Bolt. BBC. “He took it out so quick. I have never Minutes earlier, jaws dropped as van seen anything from 200 to 400 like that.” Niekerk timed a lightning 43.03sec in the 400m, breaking Johnson’s 17-year- old record set in 1999. Van Niekerk, running in the unfa- voured lane eight, blasted off the fi nal corner to time 0.15sec quicker than Johnson’s previous world best set in Seville in 1999, a record that had taken on mythical-like standing. “I believed I could get the world Wayde van Niekerk record,” the 24-year-old South African of South Africa said. “I’ve dreamed of this medal since celebrates his win forever. I am blessed.” in the men’s 400m Defending champion Kirani James of final on Sunday. Grenada took silver in 43.76sec, with (Reuters) American Lashawn Merritt bronze (43.85). Although way short of his 9.58sec rest after the semi-fi nals, it’s possi- “Congrats to Wayde on the new world world record, Bolt was happy with the ble,” Bolt said. “I’m going to leave it all record. I’m happy to be part of a race that performance but admitted he had been on the track and do the best I possibly made history. We have put this sport on a “shocked” at booing from the crowd can,” he added. pedestal,” James said, adding that 400m directed at Gatlin, who has twiced Bolt has repeatedly said he wants to runners normally have the habit of tying been banned for doping. be the fi rst man to dip under 19 seconds up as they hit the home stretch. “Usu- He started slowly but reeled in Gatlin for the 200m. That goal will probably ally that’s what happens, the guys slow within 70 metres and eased up, thump- remain elusive in Rio — Bolt’s fastest down a bit! But when you keep going like ing his chest as he crossed the line. Can- time for the 200m this year is 19.89sec, that, there’s going to be world records. It ada’s Andre de Grasse took bronze. set in London last month. shows that there’s always room for guys “I didn’t go so fast but I’m so happy I Four men have run quicker over the to improve. He just did that and exem- won,” he said. distance this season, with LaShawn plifi ed that.” Bolt, who is desperate to better his Merritt of the United States leading the “I have never seen anything like 2009 world best of 19.19sec, said a new times with a best of 19.74sec, set at the that,” Johnson told the BBC. “That was record could be on the cards as he geared US Olympic trials in Eugene on July 8. a massacre by Van Niekerk. This young up for today’s opening round of the 200. Gatlin is second fastest, clocking man has done something truly special.” “I think if I can get a good night’s 19.75 last month. Medals tally Country G S B T Country G S B T Country G S B T 1. United States 26 21 23 70 11. Hungary 5 3 4 12 21. Belgium 2 1 1 4 2. Great Britain 16 16 8 40 12. Netherlands 5 2 3 10 21. Thailand 2 1 1 4 3. China 15 14 17 46 13. Spain 3 0 2 5 23. Croatia 2 1 0 3 4. Russia 9 12 11 32 14. New Zealand 2 6 0 8 24. Greece 2 0 1 3 5. Germany 8 6 5 19 15. North Korea 2 3 2 7 24. Iran 2 0 1 3 6. Italy 7 9 6 22 16. Canada 2 2 9 13 24. Jamaica 2 0 1 3 7. France 7 8 7 22 17. Kazakhstan 2 2 4 8 27. South Africa 1 5 1 7 8. Japan 7 4 16 27 18. Colombia 2 2 0 4 28. Sweden 1 4 1 6 9. Australia 6 7 9 22 19. Poland 2 1 2 5 29. Brazil 1 3 4 8 10. South Korea 6 3 5 14 19. Switzerland 2 1 2 5 30. Denmark 1 3 3 7 Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, August 16, 2016 STEP CLOSER Qatar’s Barshim in tonight’s high jump fi nal atar’s Mutaz Barshim made from China, could go no higher than it to tonight’s high jump fi nal 2.22m and nor could his compatriot after a 2.29m eff ort in yester- Wang Yu, both men having cleared day’s qualifying competition. 2.33m this year. QAs many as 43 men started the high Recent European Championships jump qualifying competition with am- medallists, Chris Baker from Great bitions of either clearing the automatic Britain and Eike Onnen from Germany, qualifying height of 2.31m to make to- were also eliminated. Both men cleared night’s fi nal, or being among the top 12. 2.26m but had failures during the com- The critical height was 2.29m with petition. 12 men in each of the two groups still in An interested, and somewhat dis- contention. consolate spectator was Italy’s Gian- Only 11 cleared this height so there marco Tamberi, who had won the 2016 was no need to raise the bar further and world indoor and European titles, who the four men who were fl awless up to many a month ago would have consid- and including 2.26m also progressed to ered the gold medal favourite. the fi nal. He cleared an Italian record of 2.39m Four men had no failures in the quali- when winning at the IAAF Diamond fying competition: 2015 world cham- League in Monaco last month before pion Derek Drouin and his predecessor injuring himself while attempting Bogdan Bondarenko, Barshim and, per- 2.41m and subsequently being ruled haps surprisingly, Bulgaria’s Tikomir Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim competes during the preliminary round of the men’s high jump event on Sunday. (Reuters) out of Rio. Ivanov, who provided a delighted jig He was moved to tears of frustration Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi cries as he for the crowd upon clearing the height Nearly all the expected medal con- bly in such a large fi eld, there were a few IAAF World Championships Beijing on several occasions and had to be con- watches the preliminary round of the which equalled his personal best. tenders progressed but, almost inevita- notable casualties. 2015 silver medallist Zhang Guowei, soled by his girlfriend. (IAAF) high jump event on Sunday. (AFP) FOCUS SPOTLIGHT Felix runs Bahrain’s Jebet season’s leads from front for best to reach 400m fi nal Reuters of American Natasha Hastings, Rio de Janeiro whose time of 49.90 was also her steeplechase gold best of 2016. The United States and Jamaica llyson Felix sounded a also fi lled the automatic qualify- Jebet runs Asian record of 8min 59.75sec, narrowly missing out on world record warning to her 400 me- ing spots in the opening heat with tres rivals with a sea- American Phyllis Francis making AFP son’s best run of 49.67 up fi ve metres on Stephenie Ann Aseconds to reach the fi nal of the McPherson on the home straight Rio de Janeiro one-lap sprint at the Rio Olym- to win in 50.31.