ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 SPORTS 14

Elliott loses crew chief to NASCAR penalties Larson wins at Watkins Glen, eyes regular-season title WATKINS GLEN, N.Y., Aug. 9, mistakes to win,” Elliott said. “It was to wind down as Elliott continued to Brad Keselowski, who fi nished (AP): Kyle Larson took another step too late in the race to recover from it. charge. The grandstands were sold second three straight times at The toward a regular-season NASCAR That’s what cost us.” out and cheers for Elliott grew as he Glen nearly a decade ago, is still Cup title. Chase Elliott lamented a Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, and continued his surge. He passed Truex looking for his fi rst road course win race that he let get away. Denny Hamlin rounded out the top for second at the top of the esses with and had perhaps his best shot at a Larson gained the lead from Mar- fi ve. eight laps to go and set his sights on breakthrough came when he landed tin Truex Jr. during green fl ag pit Larson also held off Elliott in his teammate just over fi ve seconds in the pole for the race. He led the fi rst stops in the fi nal stage Sunday, built overtime to win on the road course at front with lapped traffi c ahead. nine laps ahead of Team Penske a big lead and kept his hard-charging Sonoma in June and leaves Watkins Elliott’s surge fi zzled over the fi - teammate Joey Logano before his Hendrick Motorsports teammate at Glen tied with Denny Hamlin with nal fi ve laps and Larson negotiated a day began to unravel. He spun out bay over the fi nal laps to win at Wat- 917 points for the series lead. gaggle of four lapped cars, overcom- on his own heading to the competi- kins Glen International. “It’s fun racing him,” Larson said ing a mistake in the fi rst turn, and tion caution, fl at-spotted all four tires “I knew my car was good and the after his series-leading fi fth victory cruised to the fi nish. and was forced to pit again because strategy worked out,” said Larson, of the season. “I look forward to the Elliott had surged hard in the fi rst he was struggling with rear grip. who was constantly reminded by next few weeks and even into the stage but fl at-spotted his tires in turn Keselowski fi nished 35th, two laps his crew that his lead was quickly playoffs;. There’s still a lot of rac- 1 and dropped to 36th near the end down. shrinking over Elliott in the No. 9 ing left. It’s going to be fun. I’m glad of the second stage before rallying. Six-time NBA champion Mi- Chevrolet. “We were able to main- there’s a fun little points battle. I feel Truex, Christopher Bell, and Lar- chael Jordan, partners with driver tain that gap for a while and even- like in years past it’s kind of been a son were in a three-car breakaway Denny Hamlin in 23XI Racing, was tually start to pull away. Good thing blowout.” early on the 50-lap fi nal stage. Chris- watching his driver from the pits. the nine wasn’t close enough. He It was the fi rst Cup race after topher Bell challenged Truex for Wallace matched his number, fi n- was really, really fast. He’s the guy a two-week break for the Tokyo the lead with Larson on lap 48 but ishing 23rd. to judge off of. I was defi nitely wor- Olympics and there was no practice couldn’t make it stick and backed off. WGI president Michael Printup ried about him all day. He was so Kyle Larson celebrates winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Wat- or qualifying. Eight laps later, Larson took out said before the race that the grand- fast.” kins Glen, N.Y., on Aug. 8. (AP) Larson and Truex were together Bell entering the fi rst turn, a down- stands were sold out for the sixth Elliott was seeking his eighth road at the front of the fi eld with 20 laps hill 90-degree right-hander, drop- time in seven years and camping course victory and third in a row at Elliott was relegated to the back of won from 34th on the starting grid, to go in the 90-lap race around sev- ping Bell to eighth as Elliott contin- sold out for the fi rst time. NASCAR The Glen, which would have tied the fi eld before the race when his No. Elliott made a gallant charge but en-turn, the 2.45-mile layout. Kyle ued to make a strong comeback from did not race at The Glen last year be- Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin for 9 Chevrolet failed inspection twice couldn’t overcome Larson’s big lead Busch in third was nearly 10 seconds last. Bell, whose No. 20 Joe Gibbs cause of the pandemic. the Cup record at the historic road and crew chief Alan Gustafson was and crossed the fi nish line 2.45 sec- behind and just ahead of Elliott. Racing team was hit with the same The Cup series heads to the road course in upstate New York’s Finger ejected. But just as he did at Road onds behind. Larson had a lead of nearly three penalty as Elliott, rallied to fi nish course at Indianapolis Motor Speed- Lakes. America a month earlier when he “I just hate it. I made too many seconds on Truex as the laps began seventh. way next Sunday.

Medal count fall by 6% Ancer survives WGC playoff, Fewer medals, more heart for US at most unusual Olympics TOKYO, Aug 9, (AP): Kara abuse cases, then as a resource to Winger is the American record- help athletes cope with a yearlong captures fi rst PGA Tour title holder in the javelin throw who delay and the COVID pandemic. just wrapped up her fourth Their offices stayed busy over Olympics. She has never finished the 17 days in Tokyo. higher than sixth place. In the end, COVID-19 knocked When she got the call over the out only four of the 600-plus ath- weekend telling her she would be letes officially named to the team, carrying the flag Sunday for the a remarkable logistical challenge United States at the closing cere- in a pandemic that came with its mony of the Tokyo Games, her share of stumbles and critiques. first reaction was “shock.” Some athletes who worked all “I expected tweets with people their lives to get to this point were saying ‘What has she done?’” bitter that they couldn’t share the Winger said. trip with friends, family or fans. Turns out, an awful lot over a That was largely a decision by career that has spanned two local organizers that left the decades. That the American ath- USOPC with limited options. letes chose her as flagbearer is a Still, Hirshland and the rest of fitting lens through which to view the federation leaders are bound to the US accomplishments at these hear their fair share of critiques - if Games. not about Tokyo, then about what The Americans won 113 med- lies ahead. als, which, for the fifth straight The Beijing Games start a scant Summer Games, was double-dig- 180 days from Sunday’s closing its more than the nearest competi- act in tion. It was, however, eight fewer Tokyo. than what they won five years ago Much as the in a Rio de Janeiro Olympics with USOPC fewer events. was forced into playing a lead role OLYMPICS in changing the outlook When the athletes voted for on the Winger to represent them, they IOC’s rule tapped into the core message reso- banning nating inside a fractured, fractious Winger demonstra- US Olympic family over the last tions, it will few years: The medals shouldn’t be pressed by some to boycott matter more than the athletes who those Games as a sign of protest of win them. Or sometimes not mat- China’s much-criticized human- ter at all. rights record. The federation “We spent a ton of energy on almost certainly won’t go down creating an environment where that road, but the questions will people could be heard, and feel persist. safe to be heard,” said Sarah So will doubts about its effec- Abraham Ancer holds the trophy after winning the World Golf Championship-FedEx St. Jude Invitational tournament, on Aug 8, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP) Hirshland, who came on as the tiveness in putting athletes first. A CEO of the US Olympic and snapshot: One program designed Paralympic Committee in 2018. to funnel more money into ath- South Africa’s Van Rooyen wins Barracuda Championship She was tasked with repairing letes’ pockets through sponsorship the damage from sexual-abuse deals has been lauded by some, cases that led athletes to wonder if but criticized by others in the MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug Championship for his first PGA World Golf Championship - the at 21 under after a 68. they were valued for more than tightly knit world of agents who 9, (AP): Abraham Ancer Tour title, finishing with 50 points FedEx St. Jude Invitational in In Farmington. Utah, Joshua simply what they won. deal with Olympic clients. in the modified Stableford scoring Memphis, Tennessee. Creel won the the Utah If Winger as flagbearer is one And the USOPC is still involved of Mexico won the FedEx system. Putnam won the 2018 event for Championship for his first Korn sign that the USOPC has made in a number of lawsuits stemming St. Jude Invitational for Van Rooyen, the 31-year-old for- his lone PGA Tour title. Ferry Tour title. some headway, then Simone Biles from abuse cases - so expect more his fi rst PGA Tour title, mer University of Minnesota player In Harrison, N.Y., Kentucky Creel made a 30-foot birdie putt gets credit for making sure the negative headlines about the orga- beating Masters champion from South Africa, eagled the par-4 junior Jensen Castle won the U.S. on the par-4 18th for a 7-under 64 message stayed front-and-center nization for months and years to eighth and closed with a birdie on Women’s Amateur, beating Arizona and 24-under 260 total at Oakridge despite the hectic, pandemic-taint- come. Hideki Matsuyama and the par-4 18th for a five-point vic- junior Hou Yu-chiang of Taiwan 2 Country Club. He jumped from ed run-up to an Olympics. The federation also must fig- Sam Burns with a 6-foot tory over Andrew Putnam at Tahoe and 1 in the 36-hole final at 64th to 32nd in the season stand- The willingness of the highest- ure out how to keep its NCAA Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood profile athlete at the Games to step pipeline rolling, and determine birdie putt on the second Westchester Country Club. ings with the top 25 after the regu- away because it didn’t feel right, whether new rules that allow col- playoff hole of a playoff. Course. Castle, from West Columbia, lar-season finale next week in and to place her personal welfare lege athletes to make money off Ancer won the World Golf Players receive eight points for an South Carolina, won after opening Omaha, Nebraska, earning PGA over victory for herself and coun- their names and likenesses will Championships event at TPC albatross, five for eagle, two for with a 7-over 79 on Monday in the Tour cards. try, was startling at first. hurt or help the Olympic opera- Southland after Burns’ 5 1/2-foot birdie and zero for par. A point is first round of and sur- Hayden Buckley (61), Taylor Much more than costing med- tion. putt - on the same line as Ancer - subtracted for a bogey, and three viving a 12-for-2 playoff late Montgomery (67) and als, what Biles did was re-center And, like it or not, the medal lipped out. points are taken away for a double Tuesday to get into the 64-player (67) tied for second, two strokes the focus. As the Olympics moved count did fall by 6%, even though bogey or worse. field for . She’s the third back. into their second week, all but the there were more sports and more Ancer, the 30-year-old former most cynical observers started cel- medals to be won. If it happens University of Oklahoma player who Van Rooyen had a 16-point final No. 63 seed to win a USGA title, Other Tours: Mexico’s Fernanda round, making the eagle, six birdies following Clay Ogden in the 2005 Lira won the FireKeepers Casino ebrating athletes for winning again three years from now in was born in McAllen, Texas, closed bronze - or nothing - even if they Paris, with the Los Angeles with a 2-under 68 to match and a bogey. U.S. Amateur Public Links and Hotel Championship in Battle Van Rooyen jumped from 139th were picked to win gold. Olympics on deck, it stands to Matsuyama and Burns at 16-under Steven Fox in the 2012 U.S. Creek, Michigan, for her first “These are not the USOPC’s reason not everyone will be so 264. Matsuyama shot a 63 and to 78th in the FedEx Cup standings, Amateur. Symetra Tour title. She birdied five with the top 125 after the Wyndham medals, these are the athletes’ sanguine. Burns had a 64. After Hou won the 30th and 31st of the last six holes for a 10-under medals,” Hirshland explained as And yet, there’s a reason Ancer became the fourth Mexican Championship next week earning with birdies to pull within one, 62 and a six-stroke victory. She the Biles decision was still rever- Winger got the nod to carry the winner on the PGA Tour, following spots in the playoff opener at Castle took the par-4 33rd with a finished at 19-under 197. ... berating. flag Sunday night. , and Liberty National. He earned a spot par, lost the par-3 34th to Hou’s Denmark’s Marcus Helligkilde won That was part of what Hirshland Her fellow Olympians appreci- , and the seventh player in the PGA Championship next birdie and finished off the match the Vierumaki Finnish Challenge, pitched as a new outlook for the ated the story of an athlete who year but not the Masters because with a birdie on the par-4 35th. leading wire-to-wire for his first USOPC. devoted her life to throwing the the event is being played opposite a Ranked 248th in the world ama- European Challenge Tour title. He Leading up to the Games, the javelin - “A lot of us are in weird GOLF teur ranking, Castle wrapped up an closed with a 71 for a 23-under 265 USOPC introduced new mental- sports,” Winger acknowledged - automatic spot on the U.S. Curtis total. He shot a 61 in the first round. health offerings and created a new knowing the rewards wouldn’t all Cup team this month in Wales. She athlete-service division - first as a be hanging from her neck in the to win a WGC event for his first tour Sweden’s Jesper Svensson was two nod to the fallout from the sex- end. victory. He’s projected to jump to also earned spots in the Women’s strokes back after a 68. 10th in the world ranking. British Open at Carnoustie in two Harris English, the 2013 champi- weeks, and the 2022 ANA on at TPC Southwind, was a stroke Inspiration, U.S. Women’s Open, back after a 73 after leading after Evian Championship and Augusta Baumann resigns as Swimming Australia CEO each of the first three days. National Women’s Amateur. On the first extra hole, Ancer, In St. Andrews, Scotland, SYDNEY, Aug. 9, (AP): Two-time No other details of his illness were dis- only to the 11 golds and 30 medals Burns and Matsuyama, coming off a Scotland’s Grant Forrest held off Canadian Olympic gold medalist Alex closed. overall won by the United States. bronze-medal playoff loss in the England’s James Morrison in the Baumann will leave his role as chief ex- Baumann won gold medals in the Swimming Australia president Kieren Tokyo Olympics, made decent runs Hero Open for his first European ecutive offi cer of Swimming Australia 200- and 400-meter individual medley Perkins, a 1,500-meter gold medalist at at birdies. Matsuyama had the short- Tour title. for health reasons. for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, said its Forrest birdied the last two holes at Swimming Australia made the an- Games. board of directors will appoint an interim est attempt - from 20 feet - and it nouncement on Monday. The 57-year- Baumann had been performing a CEO and begin a recruitment process. nearly went in the cup before lip- Fairmont St Andrews for a 6-under old Baumann was only appointed to the review of Swimming Australia’s op- “We’re sad to see Alex go. This is ping out. 66 and 24-under 264 total. Morrison position in April and began his new du- erations amid controversy that fl ared a great loss for our sport, but we un- Bryson DeChambeau, two strokes was a stroke back after a 63. ties a month later. during the lead-in to the Tokyo Games. derstand his reasons for leaving and The 28-year-old Forrest is the behind English after a third-round Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, hits “As a two-time cancer survivor, I ap- SA formed an independent panel to in- thank him for everything he has done 63, had a 74 to tie for eighth at 12 to the fi rst hole during the fi nal first home winner in Scotland on the preciate how important health and fam- vestigate claims of bullying and abuse at Swimming Australia,” Perkins said. under. He missed the Olympics after round in the World Golf Cham- European Tour since Paul Lawrie in ily are ... I recognize the timing is diffi - of swimmers. “We understand health is more impor- testing positive for COVID-19. pionship-FedEx St. Jude Invita- the 2012 Johnnie Walker cult but I know I must take this time for The news comes after Australia’s tant than anything else. We wish him In Truckee, Calif., Erik van tional tournament, on Aug. 8, in Championship at Gleneagles. myself and my family now,” Baumann swim team won 20 medals at Tokyo, and his family all the best for the fu- Rooyen won the Barracuda Memphis, Tennessee (AP) Spain’s Santiago Tarrio was third was quoted as saying in a statement. nine of them gold. That was second ture.”