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SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2016 SPORTS Marques aiming to be Brazil’s Bond girl in modern pentathlon RIO DE JANEIRO: There are few sports up in 2003, becoming national champi- same since London 2012, but with the “To be able to compete together Olympic history took place in modern that owe their origins to the ancient on just a year later. addition of a fencing bonus round, with your sister, there is nothing more pentathlon during the 1976 Games in equivalent of a Bond movie - but mod- But a series of titles, including gold which sees the athletes compete in a special,” Margaux said. “I think this could Montreal. ern pentathlon is one of them. It was at the 2007 Pan American Games and one-on-one format on a single piste be the most special Olympics just in Soviet athlete Boris Onischenko was created by French baron Pierre de becoming the first Olympic medal win- after the traditional round robin in a bid that respect.” There could also be sib- one of the stars of the discipline. He Coubertin, the founder of the modern ner in modern pentathlon in the entire to up their score. ling rivalry on the men’s team. Nathan had helped his country win the team Olympic movement, and combines all Southern Hemisphere has made the The combined event has also been Schrimsher was the first American ath- event in 1972, where he was also an of the aspects of traditional combat. country sit up and take note. slightly altered to involve four 800m lete in any sport to qualify for the Rio individual silver-medallist, and he won The basic premise is of a soldier Marques also won gold at the 2015 laps of running, instead of 1000m, each Games and younger brother Lucas is his the world championship three times. trapped in a castle on a lake. He must Pan American Games and silver at the still prefaced by laser shooting at five reserve teammate. At the age of 38, Onischenko was fence his way out before swimming to 2013 world championships, where she targets, with the intention of restoring Sydney siblings Max and Chloe expected to bow out of his last the shore, riding an unfamiliar horse lost out to Olympic gold medalist Laura more weight to the shooting element. Esposito will also both be competing in Olympics with a medal. out of the village and running through Asadauskaite. The introduction of the combined the modern pentathlon and the family However, during the fencing section a wood shooting at enemies. “There are advantages: knowing the event was one of two dramatic changes link doesn’t stop there. it was discovered that he had wired his Modern pentathlon was first held at facilities, having a huge crowd behind between Beijing Right alongside them will be their epee so that he could trigger the elec- the 1912 Olympic Games and an event me, my family being able to see me 2008 and London, with the other father and coach, Daniel Esposito, who tronic scoring system with his hand and for women was added in 2000. It con- race,” the 32-year-old Marques said. being the replacement of air pistols represented Australia in the sport in the register a hit at will. Onishchenko was sists of fencing, swimming, show jump- “Aside from all this though, there is a with laser ones, for safety reasons. 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and also disqualified and escorted from the ath- ing, shooting and running. very great pressure.” qualified for the 1988 Seoul Olympics letes’ village by Soviet officials that very The 32-year-old again faces stiff FAMILY AFFAIRS but had to pull out due to injury. night. ONE TO WATCH competition, with the top seven from For the first time in modern pen- Chloe, 23, finished a surprise seventh Two months later it was reported Cheered on by a home crowd, London all returning. Asadauskaite of tathlon history, two sisters will compete in London and is now targeting a first that Onischenko had been called Brazilian Yane Marques will be bidding Lithuania will be favorite, along with in the same Games. It will be a third medal in modern pentathlon for before Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev to improve on the bronze medal she Germany’s Lena Schoneborn, the 2008 successive Olympics for 24-year-old Australia. It is 18-year-old Max’s first for a personal scolding, dismissed won four years ago. Modern pentathlon Olympic champion and 2015 World American Margaux Isaksen, who was Olympic Games. from the Red Army, fined 5,000 was a little known discipline in Brazil champion. fourth in London, just two seconds rubles, stripped of all his sporting when Marques, who was born in a small RULE CHANGES away from a medal, and a first for SKULDUGGERY honors, and was working as a taxi town in the Brazilian northeast, took it The core sport remains largely the younger sister Isabella, 22. One of the biggest scandals in driver in Kiev. — AP In-form Ali boosts Pakistan LONDON: Azhar Ali’s fine form with the bat two-wicket blast that saw them reduced to gave Pakistan the perfect boost ahead of 49-2. But a third wicket stand of 125 the first Test with England next week as he between Ali and Younis turned the match stroked his second successive century in back in Pakistan’s favour until Younis fell on their tour match with Sussex on Friday. 59 to a catch by Ajmal Shahzad off the Ali, who made an unbeaten 101 in the bowling of Danny Briggs. Misbah quickly second innings of their game with replaced his team-mate and kept Pakistan Somerset earlier this week, hit a fine 145 — on track, reaching 221 for three at tea, admittedly against an under-strength sec- before he became another victim of Archer ond-division county side attack-as the when he trapped him lbw on 68. Ali too tourists finished the first day on 363 for five. was to fall before stumps, Archer having Veterans Younis Khan and Misbah-ul- him caught by Ben Brown. Haq made half centuries with Sussex thank- Score summary after first day of Pakistan ful that debutant pace bowler Jofra Archer tour match with Sussex. didn’t suffer from nerves as he returned At Hove impressive figures of four for 49. Pakistan 363-5 (Azhar Ali 145, Misbah- Indeed the 21-year-old West Indian had ul-Haq 68, Younis Khan 59, J C Archer 4-49) the Pakistanis in trouble early on with a v Sussex. — AFP High-jumper Inika McPherson stands out with look, talent EUGENE: Calling Inika McPherson the most the US team for 2011 worlds, US indoor unlikely of Olympians wouldn’t be much of runner-up in 2012, outdoor runner-up in a stretch. She’s 5-foot-4 and competes in ‘13 and outdoor champion in ‘14. Then, she the high jump - a discipline usually domi- tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a nated by taller women. McPherson is also metabolite of cocaine. only a few months removed from a 21- “It was more, ‘what’s going to happen month suspension after testing positive for now?’” she said. McPherson worked at a cocaine. And yet, the 29-year-old will be on temp agency and frequently drew assign- the US team in Rio de Janeiro - and sure to ments at the George R. Brown Convention stand out, thanks to her blue-striped hair, a Center in downtown Houston as a dish pair of red lips tattooed on the side of her washer. Sometimes, people who didn’t Aries Merritt face and a made-for-the-movies story that know her would ask: What do you want to included washing dishes to make ends do one day? meet while she was waiting for the drug Her answer never wavered, even if it ban to elapse. drew some raised eyebrows: Make the Aries Merritt tries to make “I think everyone should march to their Olympic team. “I never took my eye off the own beat, just really live life. But I came to focus or the dream of what I wanted to the point where I was harming myself and accomplish,” McPherson said. Olympic team with new kidney my dreams,” said McPherson, who finished It was hard for her and her coach, Patrick third at track and field trials by leaping 6-4 - Pyle, to always find a training facility. So EUGENE: Hurdler Aries Merritt captured a 2013. For years, it turns out, his kidneys had to hit that part of my scar repeatedly. My body is or one foot higher than she stands. they improvised in a gym at 24-Hour bronze medal at worlds last August with his kid- been faltering, to the point where he ran the used to my trail leg. Everything should be fine.” That positive test was jarring - to her Fitness, simulating the high jump by run- neys operating at barely 10 percent. No wonder final at worlds on Aug. 28 at about eight pounds Maybe so, but then there’s this - concern over and her family. Her life at that point was ning up to the basketball rim and trying to he’s beaming at the prospect of competing at under his normal weight and with his kidneys the mosquito-borne Zika virus should he be on moving “too fast,” she explained. grab it. Turns out, McPherson has such full health again. barely functioning. the team for Rio. He’s more susceptible to infec- McPherson tested positive after an in- hops she can actually dunk a tennis ball.