MONDAY, JUNE 29 2015 SPORTS McLeod upsets Parchment in 110m hurdles in Jamaica KINGSTON: Omar McLeod upset ahead of Beijing after foregoing the Olympic bronze medallist and national remainder of his collegiate eligibility and record holder Hansle Parchment in the 110 turning professional. metres hurdles at the Jamaican world Defending world silver medallist Warren championships trials on Saturday, clocking Weir remained on course for a spot to a world leading time of 12.97 seconds. Beijing in the 200m after placing third in The American collegiate champion led his semi-final in 20.26, behind Julian Forte from the first flight and sped away from a who registered a personal best of 20.04. fast-finishing Parchment, who clocked a Nickel Ashmeade, who placed third in season best 13.08. Friday’s 100m final easily won the other champion Andrew Riley was third in semi-final in 20.23. With world champion 13.35.McLeod become only the second Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce opting out of the Jamaican to run under 13 seconds for the women’s equivalent, her training partner event. Elaine Thompson laid down the marker for “At the NCAA it was not the perfect time Sunday’s final with 22.56. Beijing Olympics but I knew with the perfect wind I could 100m silver medallist Sherone Simpson, run that 12 (seconds) ... so it’s just a scintil- who was fourth in the 100 on Friday, won lating feeling,” McLeod told Reuters. her 200 semi-final in 22.62 ahead of two “This is just an extra boost somewhat, time world and Olympic champion I’m really happy, I’m elated and ready for Veronica Campbell-Brown with 22.75. Beijing,” he added in reference to the Aug. Jamaica will have two representatives in 22-30 world championships in the Chinese the women’s 800m for the first time after capital. Natoya Goule and Semoya Campbell both McLeod also said he would compete in secured career best marks, by breaking the Diamond League meetings in Europe two-minute barrier.—Reuters Gatlin cruises in heats, Felix claims 400m title

EUGENE: Justin Gatlin moved closer to a Felix tried the double under a more world sprint double and Allyson Felix favourable schedule at the 2011 world broke through to win a stirring women’s championships, finishing second in the 400 metres at the US trials for the world 400m and third in the 200m. championships on Saturday. Asked if she had unfinished business Gatlin cruised through the 200 metres in the 400m, Felix replied: “I feel like I still preliminaries in 19.92 seconds to move haven’t reached my potential there. I feel into Sunday’s semi-finals and finals and a like I could challenge myself there. AZERBAIJAN: Russia’s Yury Krasheninnikov (left) Dmitrii Shishin (right) and Artur Paporotnyi (right, in front) vie with Portugal’s Nuno Belchior chance to face world record holder Usain “But I still love the 200.” Dawn Harper- during their men’s beach soccer semifinal match at the 2015 . —AFP Bolt of Jamaica in both the 200 and 100 Nelson, the London Olympic silver at the worlds in Beijing in August. He has medallist, beat a high quality field in the a bye for Beijing in the 100 and did not women’s 100m hurdles, running 12.55 run the event in Eugene. But talk quickly seconds to nip collegian Keni Harrison by Baku looks to future after Games turned to that race, where the U.S. will a hundredth of a second. send a team of Gatlin, Tyson Gay, Trayvon “I’m a gamer,” Harper-Nelson said. “I BAKU: Pop diva Lady Gaga’s rendition of year-old skeet markswoman, unemployed 43- government as to whether to bid or not,” Bromell and Mike Rodgers to the world love to go out there and compete. I knew ‘Imagine’ at the European Games opening cer- year-old Cuban defector Ivan Trevejo, who added Rahimov, who revealed all the sports championships. these ladies were ready and I said ‘Dawn, emony lit the touchpaper that put human won fencing gold for France 19 years after he venues from the Games will be available to “It is going to be hard to beat those you have to be on your A-game today in rights issues on the backburner and ushered took Olympic silver in Atlanta, and super the public and free of charge. guys,” Gatlin said, knowing Bolt has not order to make that team.’” in a dream fortnight for both controversial boxing champion Joe Joyce, For Hickey, whose 70th birthday arrived been at his best this year. Olympic 200m Sharika Nelvis, who had run the year’s hosts Azerbaijan and Pat Hickey, president of who lives with his blind mum and has a fine during the Games, the Azerbaijanis delivered champion Felix has a decision to make top time of 12.34 in Friday’s heats, the European Olympic Committees. arts degree, were just some who shone. big time and allowed his brainchild to gain after running down Nastasha Hastings to claimed the final spot for Beijing in 12.59. Major concerns over the rights record of Azerbaijan gave a good account of them- currency, so much so that apart from the four win the U.S. 400 title in 50.19 seconds. Former world champion Tianna President Ilham Aliyev’s government, with selves and had Aliyev and his 20 strong already in the running for 2019 two cities Hastings took second 50.25 and Bartoletta added another season’s best in Hickey targeted for allowing the Games to be motorcade-bringing the rest of the traffic to approached him during the event to declare Phyllis Francis third in 50.67. Francena the women’s long jump, leaping 7.12 held there, and belief the inaugural Games an obedient standstill speeding from venue to an interest in hosting it. McCorory, the year’s fastest in the event, metres to outdistance Olympic champi- themselves would be a collector’s item bedev- venue so he could present the medals. The Irishman also has the crucial support finished fourth in 50.88 and will miss the on Brittney Reese (6.97m). illed the lead-up. The success of the Games, though, is not of International Olympic Committee president team unless Felix decides to run the 200 David Verburg edged world champion The Games-labelled by one newspaper as going to propel them impetuously into Thomas Bach. “He (Bach) believes in these at the world championships. LaShawn Merritt for the men’s 400m title. ‘The Games of Shame’-end, however, with launching a third bid for Baku to host the continental Games for two reasons: each city Felix has a bye to Beijing in the shorter Verburg clocked 44.63 seconds with arguably Azerbaijan having successfully pre- Olympics-they failed to make the short list on who hosts these Games is a potential candi- event and after her victory on Saturday is Merritt running 44.66. sented a far more positive image to the world, the previous two occasions. date for the Olympics,” Hickey told AFP. eligible to run either the 200 or 400 In a battle of training partners, albeit at a cost of several billion dollars, and “Any country or city that bids for the “The other reason is that these Games can there. A 400-200 double would be nearly Bershawn Jackson beat Johnny Dutch for the European Games brand assured as six Olympics comes after a thorough review,” said act as qualifiers for the Olympics. “If you take impossible because of the schedule. the 400m hurdles win in 48.29. Third cities are vying for the 2019 edition. Azerbaijani Sports Minister Azad Rahimov. judo, an athlete has to travel the world at “I’ll go down and sit with Bobby went to Kerron Clement, like Jackson a On the sporting front the three Olympic “The city is ready for the Olympics. The great expense to gain points towards qualify- (Kersee),” Felix said of the upcoming deci- former world champion. The trials end divas of Jade Jones in taekwondo, and boxing deadline (for the 2024 Olympics) is ing for the Olympics when it would be simpler sion. “I’m not sure what his time frame is late yesterday with the top three finish- duo Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor added September 15 so we still have a certain and cheaper for them to do that at one but I’m sure we’ll probably do it quickly. ers in each event qualifying for the world European Games gold to their London tri- amount of time to decide.”We have to look at Games.” Ultimately, it’s up to Bobby.” championships. —Reuters umphs. how much infrastructure we need to build. Hickey even got his wish to present Taylor The absence of the track and field and “We will do deep research on how many with her gold medal after earning a hug from swimming stars also allowed others to gain a sports complexes we have to construct. I think Aliyev up in the stands. “I’ve known Pat deserved place in the spotlight and they we’ll have enough time for consultancy (Hickey) for years now it’s great to have an delighted in it. process. Irishman so high up and put that medal round British starlet Amber Hill, a self-assured 17- “We will submit a detailed report to the your neck,” said Taylor.—AFP Choi grabs Arkansas lead

ROGERS: Choi Na-Yeon rolled in a 45-foot eagle putt on 18 to cap an eight-under par 63 for a two-shot lead after the second round of the NW Arkansas Championship on Saturday. The 27-year-old Choi heads into Sunday’s final round with a slight cushion over South Korean compatriot and first-round leader Hur Mi-Jung and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist. Choi finished two rounds at 13- under 129 which broke the tour- nament’s 36-hole scoring record. She carded seven birdies, an eagle and a bogey on the third hole. “I feel pretty confident with this tournament,” said Choi, who has won seven times on the LPGA Tour. “I just tried to be more inde- pendent out there and after 18 holes I got the score I wanted.” She also got some help from the wind on number 18 at the Pinnacle Country Club course. “I got the three wood out then changed to a pitching wedge then back to the three wood because there was a small gap to the right side of the green,” she EUGENE: Allyson Felix waves from the podium after winning the Women’s 400 said of her eagle. meter dash final during day three of the 2015 USA Outdoor Track & Field “The wind helped me a lot. I Championships. —AFP just hit the three wood. I felt good about my swing.” Choi won the 2012 US Women’s Open and start- ed off 2015 by claiming the Langer, Watson take lead Coates Championship. Hur, who led when the first round was com- SACRAMENTO: Late stumbles from co- board at Del Paso Country Club in pleted earlier Saturday, carded a leaders Bernhard Langer and Jeff Maggert Sacramento, California. Langer (68) and three-under 68 and was joined in gave extra hope to their pursuers, includ- Maggert (70) are at five-under 205. second place at 11-under by ing history-chasing Tom Watson, after the Watson struggled on the front nine with ShopRite LPGA Classic winner third round at the US Senior Open on a two-over 38, but closed with a tidy back Nordqvist (66). Saturday. German Langer and American nine for a one-over 71. “It’s like a horse Defending champion Stacy Maggert bogeyed the final hole to fall back race,” Watson said. “Right now I’m a length Lewis moved into a share of to a one-stroke lead over a group of eight, behind. Let’s see what we can do in the fourth place at nine-under 133 including Watson, who at age 65 is trying stretch.” Maggert, who fired an even-par 70, after a second-round 65. She to become the oldest major winner in won the season’s first senior major, The stands alongside Amy Yang (68), Champions Tour history. Defending cham- Tradition. Mika Miyazato (67) and Brittany pion Colin Montgomerie is also one stroke Langer, who won the Senior Players Lincicome (68), who beat Lewis in behind, while Spaniard Miguel Angel Championship only two weeks ago, is try- a playoff at the ANA Inspiration. Jimenez is among another large group two ing to win for the fourth time in the last Angela Stanford (66), Chie back. Nobody will be planning a victory seven senior majors. “It’s too bad I finished Arimura (67), Austin Ernst (65) and speech, not with 16 players within two with a bogey,” Langer said. “I didn’t mean Lee Min-Jee (66) are tied for ROGERS: Na Yeon Choi of South Korea hits out of the sand on No. 9 during the second round of the NW shots of the lead on a jam-packed leader- to.” —Reuters eighth place at eight under.—AFP Arkansas Championship LPGA golf tournament. —AP