A8 • Adirondack Daily Enterprise • adirondackdailyenterprise.com • Wednesday, June 17, 2020 Want to see your sports news and photos in the Enterprise? Contact the sports department at 891-2600 ext. 26 Sports or [email protected] 19 students earn black belts as local school closes By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer SARANAC LAKE — Grand Master Jon O’Kelly’s final day of being a Taekwondo instructor was one of his most memorable ones. After a 35-year career of teaching the martial art, O’Kelly has retired. A Saranac Lake resident, O’Kelly opened the Northeast Taekwondo school in this village in Sept. 2016. On Saturday, he performed his final duty as the head of the school, pro - moting 19 local students to black belts during an outdoor ceremony held on the North Country Commu - nity College soccer field. O’Kelly said all 19 who were promoted were original students of the Saranac Lake-based school when it opened nearly four years ago, and the youngest new black belt earner was 9-year-old Cole Davide. The ceremony was held on a chilly, damp day with plenty of space between the students, who all wore matching black facemasks that included an image of a martial artist. The day began with testing and ended with the handing out of black belts and certificates. O’Kelly said Easton Crary is presented his black belt by Northeast Taek - he was especially impressed with wondo school instructor Grand Master Jon O’Kelly. the display by his students because the school has been shut down for itself.” he said. three months due to the coronavirus Although O’Kelly has retired “Right now, I have plenty of pandemic. from teaching and the Northeast work with reopening in D.C. That’s “This black belt test was unlike Taekwondo school in Saranac Lake the big thing on the plate right now, any that I have ever seen, and I’ve is now closed, his school in Wash - but I’m not going anywhere. Sophie Baker receives her black belt from Grand Master see hundreds of them,” O’Kelly ington D.C will continue and plans Saranac Lake is our home. I have Jon O’Kelly Saturday afternoon at the North Country said. “There are a few that stick in to reopen once guidelines regarding lots to do at my house and the list the pandemic allow that to happen. keeps getting longer. I’m not look - Community College soccer field. your mind, and this was certainly (Enteprise photos — Lou Reuter) one of them. We did it on that huge O’Kelly said he won’t be teaching ing to start another career. I’m look - field outside, and the students’ per - in D.C. anymore either but will con - ing to take care of my house, my program. Saranac Lake was great. miss you,’ and I am going to miss formances were just amazing. tinue administrative duties there. wife, my dog.” Northeast Taekwondo came here the students, too. I will miss teach - “I told them that the measure of O’Kelly lamented it’s unfortunate O’Kelly said he’s really enjoyed and was embraced by the students. ing students. I always make sure their success was the fact that they that the school closest to Saranac teaching and has been fortunate to They worked hard and they were they understand that they are the were just there on a cold, rainy Lake is currently in Glens Falls, and have such a great group of students. dedicated.” future, they are the change that’s morning in June after not having a hoped the students will continue “I’ve been 35 years teaching, and O’Kelly said he’s been over - going to happen, they are the leaders school for three months. The per - their studies. it was time,” he said. “I have pro - whelmed by the well wishes from who are going to take others along formance was exceptional. Promot - “Some of them right now are moted hundreds of black belts and local parents and students. with them. For the students, it’s all ing 19 students was pretty special in enjoying Zoom classes from D.C.,” thousands have come through the “Everybody said ‘We are going to about building character.” Cuomo approves fan-free US Open WTO ruling: Saudis By HOWARD housed hundreds of hospital singles players a chance to shortly after Cuomo’s facilitated sports piracy FENDRICH beds at the height of New earn a spot — and extra announcement, “and we will AP Tennis Writer York’s coronavirus crisis. money — in the U.S. Open do so in the safest manner By ROB HARRIS Saudi Arabia failed to take New York Gov. Andrew Others expressed an field. The USTA is getting possible, mitigating all AP Global Soccer Writer action to stop beoutQ’s oper - Cuomo gave the go-ahead eagerness to return to rid of qualifying and instead potential risks.” Saudi Arabia facilitated ations and protect the intel - Tuesday for the U.S. Open action: Both the ATP and moving the Cincinnati hard- With international TV sports broadcasting piracy by lectual property of rights tennis tournament to be held WTA tours have been sus - court tournament that it contracts — including an blocking moves to shut it holders, the WTO dispute in his state starting in late pended since early March owns to New York ahead of annual average of $70 mil - down, the World Trade panel concluded. The panel August — but without spec - because of the virus. The the start of the U.S. Open. lion from ESPN alone — Organization said in a ruling highlighted how beIN was tators — as part of the U.S. Open normally is the Another reduction for helping offset the loss of Tuesday that throws new prevented from hiring reopening from shutdowns fourth and final Grand Slam 2020: The men’s and money from ticket sales and doubts on the kingdom’s lawyers in Saudi Arabia to caused by the coronavirus tournament of each season women’s doubles draws for other onsite revenue, and takeover of English Premier take action in the courts pandemic. but would be the second the U.S. Open each will facing a recession that League club Newcastle. against the piracy. “You can watch it on TV, major of 2020, following have 32 teams instead of already led to the elimina - The WTO’s findings is the “Qatar has established that and I’ll take that,” Cuomo the Australian Open, which 64. Overall player compen - tion of more than 100 jobs latest salvo in a long-running Saudi Arabia has not provid - said at his daily briefing in concluded in early Febru - sation for the U.S. Open and at the USTA, the associa - dispute over the bootlegging ed for criminal procedures Albany. ary. Cincinnati tournament, tion’s board decided to go by Saudi Arabia-based and penalties to be applied to Now that the U.S. Tennis The start of the clay-court which includes prize money forward with the U.S. Open. beoutQ of broadcasting beoutQ despite the evidence Association’s proposal to French Open was postponed and hotel costs and $6.6 “We can showcase tennis rights owned by Qatar’s establishing prima facie that hold its marquee event has from May and currently is million to compensate play - as the ideal social distancing beIN Sports. beoutQ is operated by indi - been accepted — including scheduled to begin a week ers who would have been in sport,” Dowse said. The beIN network, which viduals or entities under the a “bubble” setup with desig - after the U.S. Open ends. qualifying in Flushing Cuomo opened Tuesday’s is banned from operating in jurisdiction of Saudi Ara - nated hotels, limited player Wimbledon was canceled Meadows, will be $60 mil - news conference by touting Saudi Arabia, airs some of bia,” the WTO said. entourages and a facility altogether for the first time lion; that’s about $7 million “good news on the numbers, the world’s biggest sports The Premier League was closed to the hundreds of since World War II in 1945. less than in 2019. good news on the facts” in competitions across the Mid - among sports competitions thousands of people who “Well done @usta for The tours are expected to New York, which he said dle East — including the to lodge protests with the usually attend the U.S. Open being so forward thinking in reveal the restructured 2020 has its lowest number of World Cup and the Premier American government which — the key question getting this done. A great tennis calendar within the coronavirus-related hospi - League — thanks to broad - led in April to Saudi Arabia becomes: Who actually will achievement. Players and week. More than 40 tourna - talizations since the out - casting rights worth billions remaining on a “Priority end up competing on the fans alike are thrilled with ments at the sport’s highest break began. of dollars. Watch List” as one of the blue hard courts in Flushing this development,” tweeted levels have been scrapped Last week, Djokovic said The WTO decision on “notorious markets for coun - Meadows from Aug. 31 to John Isner, the top U.S. man so far and there likely will the restrictions that would Tuesday provides a further terfeiting and piracy.” Sept. 13? in the rankings at No. 21. not be any sanctioned play be in place for the U.S. complication for the Premier It is a stumbling block to Some of the sport’s top “Time to get back on the until early August, although Open because of the virus League, which is having to the Premier League approv - names, including defending courts !” various exhibition matches would be “extreme.” decide whether to approve a ing the Saudi Public Invest - U.S.