44 Friday Sports Friday, April 13, 2018 Gold medal mountain biker Sam Gaze apologises after criticising team mate ‘I’ve got the utmost respect for the guy, still, even with that move’ GOLD COAST: Sam Gaze’s elation at winning one.” Cooper said that he initially had no idea the Commonwealth Games’ mountain biking gold why Gaze had temporarily stopped. “I saw him medal yesterday quickly turned sour after he pull into the tech zone so I was aware that some- criticised New Zealand team mate and silver thing had happened but I had no idea what,” he medallist Anton Cooper of poor sportsmanship. told Radio New Zealand. He later issued an apology for his comments. “I thought it was odd because we followed Gaze, who finished second behind Cooper at him down the last downhill and through the start- Glasgow four years ago, reversed the result on finish area and his tire looked fine. “I heard he had the Nerang mountain bike trails despite having a flat or something but I thought I’m not going to to stop and have a puncture fixed on the final lap. sit around and ask questions why. Cooper, however, continued to race and tried “If you have a puncture in a mountain bike to pull away from the 22-year-old Gaze, who race it’s a personal error. That’s the part of moun- still managed to catch his compatriot and South tain bike racing, it’s not road racing. We get back Africa’s Alan Hatherly on the final lap of the on and just crack on.” 32.2-kilometre circuit and win by about two Gaze later issued an apology for his com- bike lengths. ments and said he realised they had taken the Gaze was not impressed by the fact Cooper gloss off the second 1-2 finish for the duo at the had exploited his misfortune. In road cycling Commonwealth Games. typically the peleton will slow if the leader has “I have caught up with Anton and apologised suffered mechanical difficulties. “There is good personally,” Gaze said in a statement later. “I sportsmanship and there’s not, and I feel like acted in the heat of the moment... and want to that wasn’t there today,” Gaze said of Cooper’s apologise for my words and my actions. decision to ride away. “It’s a bit of a shame re- “I am really embarrassed for how I acted ally, I’ve got the utmost respect for the guy, still, and how the impact of how special of a day it even with that move. was for New Zealand Cycling was tainted by Sam Gaze “That’s racing, you can’t get along with every- my actions.” — Reuters Manyonga eyes long jump Gatlin, Coleman world record form elite relay team GOLD COAST: South African long jumper GOLD COAST: World champions Justin Gatlin and Christian Luvo Manyonga said he aimed to go an- Coleman have formed their own relay team and will learn to- other season unbeaten and set his sights morrow how fast they can run. on the world record after snatching a bril- The idea originated with Gatlin and one of his sponsors. liant victory at the Commonwealth Games. “They wanted to see some fast guys work together,” the 100 The former crystal meth addict, who metres world champion told Reuters in a telephone interview. shook off his problems to claim Olympic So Gatlin talked to Coleman, the world indoor 60 metres silver in 2016, underlined his growing sta- record holder and champion, and they recruited indoor tus with a final leap of 8.41m to set a new Games record and grab gold from Aus- world bronze medallist Baker and longtime sprinter Rodgers. GOLD COAST: South Africa’s Luvo Manyonga (gold) poses with his medal after tralia’s Henry Frayne. The result: The top four ranked U.S. 100 metres runners the athletics men’s long jump during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Manyonga said that with more time to for 2017 will be trying to beat the clock in a 4x100 metres Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast. — AFP relay at the Tennessee Relays at Knoxville where Gatlin and acclimatise he could have challenged Mike Coleman were collegiate champions. Powell’s world record of 8.95m set in 1991 The team has no name nor coach, and in a break with tra- — the year he was born. “If I could get Olympics approaching. Powell set the existing world record in his dition, the four men, rather than a coach, will determine the some more time, I could give it a try,” he “It was on my bucket list of the major famous duel with Carl Lewis. A year ago, order in which they run. “Athletes, we know what we are said of the damp and slippery Gold Coast competitions and now I’ve ticked off the he leapt 8.65m in South Africa’s Potchef- good at,” said Gatlin. track. “Anything can happen. I just have to Commonwealth Games. I’m looking for the stroom-the longest jump recorded since And in another move that is out of the norm for early sea- focus on the run-up and technique, the rest Intercontinental (Cup) and there’s still American Dwight Phillips soared 8.74m in son relays, there is a nice pay check, thanks to the sponsor, will do itself.” more to tick,” he said. 2009. Even after his latest victory, Many- Pro Form Sports. “The guys are getting paid more than they Such confidence underlines the heady “It’s a medal in the bag, I’m just going onga had a word of advice for drug-users would get paid for a relay,” Renaldo Nehemiah, Gatlin’s rise of Manyonga, who was banned after to go home and start working again,” in Australia, which has the world’s highest agent, told Reuters. testing positive for methamphetamine in added Munyonga. “It’s the same as a nor- per capita consumption of crystal meth. Tennessee organisers are billing the race as an attempt 2012 and struggled with addiction before mal person going to the office: you just “I just want to tell everyone who’s at the American record of 37.38 seconds, but Gatlin, who his triumphant return. tick the box and go back home.” struggling with drug addiction or what- ran on the two US teams that share the record (with Now, a first Commonwealth Games title Manyonga set what was then his per- ever, it doesn’t matter what addiction they Rodgers on one of them), would settle for at least the fastest is all in a day’s work for the 27-year-old as sonal best in winning Olympic silver in have, just accept that you’re powerless time of the year. — Reuters he targets staying unbeaten for a second 2016, and he will be looking for another over it, you have a problem. And ask for straight season, with the 2020 Tokyo breakthrough in 2020 in Tokyo-where help,” he said. — AFP.