Nigerian Okagbare suspended for doping

Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare was in the 100 heats on the opening day of track provisionally suspended for doping Satur- competition at the Olympic Stadium in To- Alise Willoughby of the day, hours before she was due to run in the kyo, the AIU said. United States, (center), semifi nals of the women’s 100 meters at the She won her heat in 11.05 seconds. and Sae Hatakeyama of Olympics. The AIU informed Okagbare of her sus- , (left), compete in Okagbare tested positive for human pension on Saturday morning, it said. Under the women’s BMX Racing quarterfi nals at the 2020 growth hormone in an out-of-competition doping regulations, she is now allowed to re- Summer Olympics, on test on July 19, the Athletics Integrity Unit quest that a “B” sample - or backup sample July 29, in , Japan. said, prompting a mandatory provisional - is tested to double-check the results. (AP) suspension. The 32-year-old Okagbare won a silver The results of that test were only received medal in the long jump at the 2008 Beijing by track and fi eld’s anti-doping body late Olympics and the 2013 world champion- Friday and after Okagbare had already run ships. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2021

Page 15

French, Australia advance US rout Czechs to Djokovic leaves Tokyo empty-handed, clinch playoff spot Bencic captures women’s singles gold , Japan, July 31, (AP): The U.S. lost its fi rst two exhibition games of the summer in Las Vegas, dropped its opening game at these Olympics and had a diffi cult time shaking free of the Czech Republic in their group-play fi nale. Pigossi, Stefani win bronze medal for Brazil None of that matters now. The Americans are headed to the quarterfi nals at the To- TOKYO, July 31, (AP): kyo Games - with a shot of being good as gold once again. Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Kevin Durant added 23 Novak Djokovic came to and set a pair of USA Basketball men’s Olympic records, the Tokyo Olympics aim- and the U.S. defeated the Czechs 119-84 on Saturday to ing for a Golden Slam. clinch a berth in the knockout stage. Zach LaVine scored 13 points, Jrue Holiday had 11 and He’ll leave without a medal JaVale McGee fi nished with 10 points for the U.S. The and will need some time to Americans shot 7 for 20 in the fi rst quarter - then made 33 recover from a draining of 44 shots over the next 26 minutes, including a stagger- ing 21-for-25 start to the second half. performance in extreme The U.S. (2-1) fi nished second behind France in Group conditions that didn’t meet A, but will join the French, Australia and the winner of expectations. Sunday’s game between Slovenia and Spain as a top-four The top-ranked Djokovic lost his seed for Tuesday’s quarterfi nals based on FIBA’s tie- cool and abused his racket several breaker system that includes point differential. Pablo Carreno Busta, of Spain, re- times during a 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss Those quarterfi nal matchups will be decided in a draw acts after defeating Novak Djoko- on Sunday night, but the U.S. has now assured itself of not vic, of Serbia, in the bronze medal to Pablo Carreño Busta of Spain in having to face any of the three group winners until at least match of the tennis competition at the bronze-medal match of the ten- the semifi nals. the 2020 Summer Olympics, on nis tournament on Saturday. Blake Schilb scored 17 for the Czech Republic (1-2), July 31, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP) It was Djokovic’s third defeat in two which led by 10 early and was still within 60-54 midway days and it came less than 24 hours af- through the third quarter. ter he was beaten by Alexander Zverev In a fl ash, the Czech hope of a stunner ended there. of Germany in the singles semifi nals. Durant - who passed Carmelo Anthony as both the U.S. That ended his bid for a Golden Slam, Olympic men’s all-time points and all-time fi eld goals which is winning all four Grand Slam leader during the game - hit a 3-pointer to end the third titles and Olympic gold in the same quarter, capping a 22-6 run that put the Americans up by year. 22 going into the fi nal quarter. “I just didn’t deliver yesterday and today. The level of tennis dropped. Also due to exhaustion - mentally and BASKETBALL physically,” Djokovic said. “I gave it all, whatever I had left in the tank, The outcome was not in doubt again, and Durant said which was not so much.” the scoring record was “special” to him on a night where the Americans engineered a 48-point turnaround from be- TENNIS ing down 10 to leading by as many as 38. United States’s Jayson Tatum (10) Ondrej Balvin scored 15, Jan Vesely had 13 and To- grabs a rebound over Czech Repub- mas Satoransky added 12 points for the Czechs, who were Djokovic’s frustration was evident lic’s Jan Vesely (24) during a men’s in his on-court behavior as the match eliminated. The U.S., France, Australia, Spain, Slovenia, basketball preliminary round game Germany, Italy and the winner of Sunday’s game between Belinda Bencic of Switzerland poses with the gold medal in the women’s singles of the tennis wore on. at the 2020 Summer Olympics, on Having saved a match point in the Argentina and host Japan will be playing on Tuesday, their July 31, in Saitama, Japan. (AP) competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, on Aug. 1, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP) medal hopes still intact. second-set tiebreaker, Djokovic threw Once in the quarters, it is win-or-else time. And the his racket into the empty stands - up quarterfi nals were the round where it all went awry for the and over fi ve rows of seats - after he U.S. at the last major international competition, the Bas- Schauffele clings to lead, 3 medals up for grabs couldn’t get to a stop-volley winner from Carreño Busta to conclude a long ketball World Cup in China two years ago. The Americans KAWAGOE, Japan, July 31, (AP): Just over was a three-way tie among Schauffele, Matsuy- par-3 16th hole and made triple bogey. lost to France, ending all hope of a medal and eventually rally in the opening game of the third. three weeks ago, Hideki Matsuyama was in iso- ama and Carlos Ortiz of Mexico going down Thomas Bach, the International Olympic A couple of games later, when Car- fi nished seventh. lation for COVID-19 and desperate to record a the 18th when the American made birdie. Committee president, joined PGA Tour Com- Here, it’s all about the medal - that is, one medal, and reño Busta had broken his serve to negative test to have any chance of competing That left Schauffele 18 holes away from an missioner Jay Monahan under a tent next to the take control of the decisive set, Djoko- one medal only. in his home Olympics. Olympic gold medal, and the podium still felt fi rst tee to watch the fi nal group start. Even with This U.S. team - which lost to France to open the Olym- vic again lost his cool and slammed Even when he cleared that hurdle, it was a like it was miles away. no spectators, Matsuyama still attracted some his racket into the net post during a pics before posting a 54-point win over Iran and a 35-point matter of building endurance for stifl ing heat He was at 14-under 199. 250 people, most of them volunteers, all of win on Saturday - hasn’t looked much like that World Cup change of ends. He then picked up the and shedding rust from not having played a full Schauffele has been trying to treat this as any them hanging on every shot by Matsuyama. Ac- mangled racket and tossed it into the team did two years ago, though it needed some time to fi nd tournament since the U.S. Open six weeks ago. other tournament, and it felt like one Saturday. tion came from every corner of Kasumigaseki. its best stride against the Czechs. photographers’ pit. And on Sunday, he steps onto the tee in the Joining them in the fi nal group is Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, indifferent about the Olym- “It’s part of, I guess, who I am,” The Czechs led by as many as 10 in the fi rst quarter, fi nal group, one shot behind Xander Schauffele, who shot a 66 in his bid to keep the Olympic pics until he arrived in Tokyo and already look- shooting 65% to the Americans’ 35% in the opening 10 Djokovic said. “I don’t like doing a gold medal within his reach for a country with gold medal in golf with Britain. He was two ing forward to in 2024, made an early these things. I’m sorry for sending this minutes. With a roster featuring just one current NBA high hopes for its Masters champion. shots behind along with Ortiz, who made bogey move until he was slowed by a poor pitch that player - Satoransky - they did not look the least bit intimi- kind of message but we’re all human “I defi nitely could not have believed it,” from the bunker on the 18th hole. kept him from birdie on the par-5 14th and a beings and sometimes it’s diffi cult to dated by the U.S. Matsuyama said after a full Saturday that began three-putt bogey on the 16th hole. He bounced Durant gave the U.S. its fi rst lead midway through the control your emotions.” with him capping off a 7-under 64 in the rain- GOLF back with a birdie and fi nished with a 67. Djokovic received a verbal warning second quarter, a 3-pointer putting the Americans up 34- delayed second round and then posting a 67. McIlroy was three shots behind, along with 33. The lead eventually got to as much as seven, before the for the net-post incident, but Carreño “To be honest, the endurance part of my game Sebastian Munoz of Colombia (66), Mito Perei- Busta appeared to question the chair U.S. settled for a 47-43 edge at halftime. Justin Rose won the gold in Rio de Janeiro, has been struggling a little bit,” he said. “Thank- ra of Chile (68) and Sepp Straka of Austria (68). umpire as to why it wasn’t a point pen- And that left some in the crowd - hundreds of people fully, it’s held up the last few days. Hopefully, marking golf’s return to the Olympic program All were very much in the mix for gold. Oth- were in the lower bowl of the arena, even though no tickets it’s going to hold up tomorrow, as well.” after a 112-year absence. It came down to Rose ers were still hopeful of any medal, a list that alty since it was the second instance were being sold - more than a bit anxious. Among them: Adding to the test was a medal round at Ka- and Henrik Stenson in Rio. This time, eight suddenly includes Sungjae Im. The 23-year-old of racket abuse. The umpire, however, Members of the German team; their hopes of qualifying sumigaseki Country Club that was wide open. players were separated by three shots. South Korean needs an Olympic medal to earn hadn’t warned Djokovic for the fi rst as one of the top third-place teams hinged on the outcome Schauffele, the 27-year-old American whose It’s particularly enormous for Matsuyama, an exemption from mandatory military service, incident. of this game. mother was raised in Japan, didn’t have a lot go who raised Japan’s expectations when he won though this isn’t his last chance. Djokovic, who also lost with Ser- By the start of the fourth, the Germans could relax. So his way Saturday until he fi nished on a strong the Masters in April. Im was 12 shots out of the lead and was the bian partner Nina Stojanovic in the could the Americans, who are “extremely” confi dent head- note, fi ring a 9-iron to within 3 feet for a birdie He played with Schauffele in the fi nal round third player this week to match the Olympic mixed doubles semifi nals on Friday, ing into the quarterfi nals, McGee said. After some time to- and a 68 to keep his one-shot lead. at Augusta National, starting out with a four- record with a 63. He was still seven behind, played a total of 16 sets over seven gether, some adversity together, the world’s No. 1-ranked So wild was the third round that fi ve players shot lead and sweating it out at the end until though another big round could keep him in matches in four days. team looks like the one to catch yet again. had a share of the lead at one point and there Schauffele hit his tee shot into the water on the bronze range. He was due back on court later Sat- urday for one fi nal match in Tokyo. He and Stojanovic were scheduled to Mexico oust South Korea face the Australian duo of Ash Barty Olympic Medalists and John Peers for the bronze medal in mixed doubles. But Djokovic with- drew from that match citing a left Spain, Brazil reach semifi nals shoulder injury - handing the bronze ARCHERY nou, Margaux Pinot, Axel Clerget, Ro- Fernandez) medal to Australia. Men’s Individual mane Dicko, Alexandre Iddir, Guillaume SILVER: San Marino (Alessandra Per- Chaine, Sarah Leonie Cysique, Aman- illi, Gian Marco Berti) “I’m sorry to Nina for not being GOLD: Mete Gazoz, Turkey SAITAMA, Japan, July 31, (AP): Mikel The gold medalist on home soil in able to play but my body just gave SILVER: Mauro Nespoli, Italy dine Buchard, Teddy Riner) BRONZE: United States (Madelynn Ann Oyarzabal helped Spain into a second 2016, Brazil continued its title defense BRONZE: Takaharu Furukawa, Japan SILVER: Japan (Shori Hamada, Miku Bernau, Brian Burrows) up,” Djokovic said, adding that he Tashiro, Chizuru Arai, Takanori Nagase, SWIMMING semifi nal in a month. Brazil remains on with a 1-0 victory over Egypt secured has “several” injuries. “I played under ATHLETICS Uta Abe, Tsukasa Yoshida, Akira Sone, track for a quick return to another fi nal. by Matheus Cunha’s low strike in the Men’s Discus Throw Men’s 100m Butterfl y medicines, unbelievable pain and ex- Shohei Ono, Aaron Wolf, Shoichiro Mu- GOLD: Caeleb Dressel, United States With youthful squads, Olympic 37th minute. GOLD: Daniel Stahl, haustion.” kai, Hifumi Abe, Hisayoshi Harasawa) SILVER: Kristof Milak, men’s soccer lacks the status of the Eu- The goal was set up by Richarli- SILVER: Simon Pettersson, Sweden BRONZE: Germany (Giovanna Scoc- As it’s been virtually all week at the BRONZE: Lukas Weisshaidinger, Austria BRONZE: Noe Ponti, Switzerland ropean Championship or Copa America. son, who has been allowed by Premier cimarro, Igor Wandtke, Dominic Res- Women’s 200m Backstroke Ariake Tennis Park, heat was a major Women’s 100m sel, Johannes Frey, Eduard Trippel, The Tokyo Games still offer the chance League club Everton to do double-duty GOLD: Elaine Thompson-Herah, Ja- GOLD: Kaylee McKeown, Australia factor, with the temperature soaring to Karl-Richard Frey, Anna-Maria Wag- SILVER: Kylie Masse, Canada for the countries to collect trophies this in the offseason, having already been maica ner, Martyna Trajdos, Katharina Menz, 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) and sti- SILVER: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Ja- BRONZE: Emily Seebohm, Australia year. in the side that lost to Argentina in the Jasmin Grabowski, Sebastian Seidl, Women’s 800m Freestyle fl ing humidity making it feel like 100 maica Theresa Stoll, Li Kochman, Inbar Lanir, The Spanish were taken by Ivory Copa America fi nal three weeks ago. BRONZE: Shericka Jackson, Jamaica GOLD: Kathleen Ledecky, United States degrees F (38 degrees C). , , , SILVER: Ariarne Titmus, Australia Coast to extra time before winning 5-2 Egypt wasn’t allowed to bring players 4 x 400m Relay Mixed Timna Nelson Levy, Shira Rishony, Or on Saturday with the go-ahead goal Both Djokovic and Carreño Busta GOLD: Poland (Dariusz Kowaluk, BRONZE: Simona Quadarella, Italy from England’s top league like Brazil - Sasson, Baruch Shmailov, Tohar But- Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay scored from a penalty by Oyarzabal, put ice bags on their necks during Karol Zalewski, Natalia Kaczmarek, Iga bul, Gili Sharir) particularly Liverpool striker Mohamed Baumgart-Witan, Justyna Swiety-Erset- GOLD: Britain (Kathleen Dawson, who also netted the winning spotkick Salah as one of the three players over changeovers. Djokovic also grabbed a ic, Malgorzata Holub-Kowalik, Kajetan Adam Peaty, James Guy, Freya Ander- rubber tube blowing cool air and stuck Women son, Anna Hopkin) in a shootout in the Euro 2020 quarter- the age of 24 permitted in the men’s Duszynski) fi nals. The continental semifi nal was it up his shirt. SILVER: Dominican Republic (Lidio GOLD: New Zealand (, Risi SILVER: China (Jiayu Xu, Zibei Yan, competition. Andres Feliz, Marileidy Paulino, Anabel Pouri-Lane, Stacey Fluhler, Shiray Yufei Zhang, Junxuan Yang) lost to Italy. Now a more youthful Spain In the women’s tournament, Belinda BRONZE: Australia (Isaac Cooper, For Brazil, standing in the way of Medina Ventura, Luguelin Santos, Alex- Kaka, , , squad will be hoping to fi nd a way past reaching another fi nal on Tuesday is Bencic won gold in singles and could ander Ogando) Tyla Nathan-Wong, , Gayle Izaac Stubblety-Cook, Brianna Thros- sell, Bronte Campbell, Kaylee McKeown, Japan, which was taken to penalties Mexico, which ousted South Korea 6-3 add another in doubles. BRONZE: United States (Trevor Stew- Broughton, , Portia by New Zealand before winning the The 12th-ranked Bencic beat Mar- art, Elija Godwin, Kendall Ellis, Lynna Woodman, Alena Saili, Tenika Willison) Matthew Temple, Emma McKeon) with a pair of goals from Henry Martín. Irby, Kaylin Whitney, Taylor Manson, SILVER: France (Seraphine Okemba, TENNIS shootout 4-2. keta Vondrousova of the Czech Re- Bryce Deadmon, Vernon Norwood) Anne-Cecile Ciofani, Chloe Pelle, Chloe Women’s Singles public 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 for the fi rst major Jacquet, Jade Ulutule, Fanny Horta, GOLD: Belinda Bencic, Switzerland SOCCER title of her career. BADMINTON Coralie Bertrand, Camille Grassineau, SILVER: Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Men’s Doubles Carla Neisen, Caroline Drouin, Shan- Republic Bencic and Swiss partner Viktori- GOLD: Taiwan (Yang Lee, Chi-Lin non Izar, Lina Guerin) BRONZE: Elina Svitolina, Ukraine The favorite for the title will be Spain ja Golubic will face the top-seeded Wang) BRONZE: Fiji (Vasiti Solikoviti, Sesenieli Czech team of Barbora Krejcikova and SILVER: China (Jun Hui Li, Yu Chen Liu) Donu, Raijieli Daveua, Rusila Nagasau, TRIATHLON given the high calibre squad chasing its BRONZE: Malaysia (Aaron Chia, Wooi Ana Roqica, Reapi Ulunisau, Lavena Mixed Relay fi rst Olympic soccer gold since 1992. Katerina Siniakova in the doubles fi nal Yik Soh) Cavuru, Laisana Likuceva, Viniana Ri- GOLD: Britain (Jessica Learmonth, Jon- on Sunday. athan Brownlee, Taylor-Brown, This is the furthest it has reached in wai, Alowesi Nakoci, Ana Maria Naimasi, the competition since losing the fi nal in Elina Svitolina of Ukraine won the Roela Radiniyavuni, Lavenia Tinai) Alex Yee) Women’s Team SILVER: United States (Katie Zaferes, bronze by rallying past Elena Rybaki- GOLD: ROC (, Sofi a 2000 to Cameroon. SAILING Kevin McDowell, Taylor Knibb, Morgan The Spanish came close to being elim- na of Kazakhstan 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4. It’s Pozdniakova, Olga Nikitina) Men’s Windsurfer - RS:X Pearson) SILVER: France (Sara Balzer, Cecilia GOLD: Kiran Badloe, BRONZE: France (Leonie Periault, inated after Oyarzabal missed a chance been a memorable month for Svitolina, Berder, Manon Brunet, Charlotte Lem- SILVER: Thomas Goyard, France Dorian Coninx, Cassandre Beaugrand, to put them ahead just before Max-Alain who got married to French player Gael bach) BRONZE: Kun Bi, China Vincent Luis) BRONZE: South Korea (Jiyeon Kim, Gradel put Ivory Coast in front in the fi rst Monfi ls two weeks ago. Women’s Windsurfer - RS:X Also, Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefa- Jisu Yoon, Jiyeon Seo, Sooyeon Choi) GOLD: Yunxiu Lu, China WEIGHTLIFTING minute of stoppage time. Men’s 81kg But Rafa Mir salvaged an equalizer ni of Brazil beat Russian pair Veronika GYMNASTICS SILVER: Charline Picon, France GOLD: Xiaojun Lyu, China Men’s Trampoline BRONZE: Emma Wilson, Britain SILVER: Zacarias Bonnat Michel, Do- for the Spanish two minutes later, hav- Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina for GOLD: Ivan Litvinovich, Belarus SHOOTING minican Republic ing only just come off the bench. In ex- bronze in women’s doubles. SILVER: Dong Dong, China Women’s 50m Rifl e BRONZE: Antonino Pizzolato, Italy BRONZE: , New Zealand Brazil’s Richarlison, (right), and tra time, Eric Bailly’s handball won the Carreño Busta will have to wait until GOLD: Nina Christen, Switzerland Men’s 96kg Egypt’s Akram Tawfi k battle for penalty that Oyarzabal converted. And Sunday to be awarded his bronze med- SILVER: Yulia Zykova, ROC GOLD: Fares Ibrahim E H Elbakh, Qatar Mixed Team BRONZE: Yulia Karimova, ROC SILVER: Keydomar Giovanni Vallenilla the ball during a men’s quarterfi nal it was a far smoother conclusion thanks al, after Zverev takes on Russian player GOLD: France (Kilian le Blouch, Trap Mixed Team Sanchez, Venezuela soccer match at the 2020 Summer to two more goals from Mir to complete Karen Khachanov in the men’s fi nal. Madeleine Malonga, Clarisse Agbegne- GOLD: Spain (Fatima Galvez, Alberto BRONZE: Anton Pliesnoi, Georgia Olympics, on July 31, in Saitama, a hat trick for the Wolverhampton for- That, of course, was the match that Japan. (AP) ward. Djokovic came expecting to play in.