14 Tuesday, February 23, 2021 Sports Felix makes sensational return to indoor 200m Sprints to victory in 22.59secs in Fayetteville Tech Mahindra AGENCIES FAYETTEVILLE (US) launches Global WHEN Allyson Felix last raced over 200m indoors, she was a Chess League 17-year-old up-and-coming high school phenomenon. Eighteen years, 11 world titles and six Olympic gold To have eight medals later, the 35-year-old returned to the banked oval franchise-owned on Sunday (21) for the fourth teams from American Track League fix- ture in Fayetteville – a World across the world Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting – and, as she so often TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK has done during her glittering NEW DELHI career, emerged the winner. Drawn in lane five, Felix TECH Mahindra Ltd., one of didn’t get out of the blocks the fastest growing Global IT particularly well, but she hit companies and a leading pro- GM Viswanathan Anand, a five- top speed on the back straight vider of digital transformation, time world chess champion, is and made up the stagger on consulting and business re- the league’s mentora Advisor 15-year-old Shawnti Jack- engineering services and solu- and facilitator-in-chief. son, drawn in lane six. Puerto tions, on Monday announced Rico’s Jasmine Camacho- the launch of a first-of-its-kind eraged to explore innovative Quinn moved on to Felix’s phygital (physical and digital) ways of promoting the game shoulder on the final bend, but Global Chess League. through interactive platforms Felix edged ahead again on the It also announced that to engage a global audience. final stretch and pulled away Viswanathan Anand, five-time Tech Mahindra will act as to win in 22.59. World Chess Champion and the architect behind this con- Felix’s winning time Indian chess Grandmaster will cept and will provide necessary smashed her previous PB mentor, partner, advise and operational and technological (23.14) and moves her to 18th help shape the league. With his support to execute the vision. on the US indoor all-time list. motivational and inspirational Anand Mahindra, Chair- It’s also the fastest ever indoor stature across the world as an man, Mahindra Group, said, 200m by a masters (35+) ath- individual and a chess cham- “Chess still has an incipient lete; no one else that age has pion, Anand will help catalyse and largely untapped poten- ever bettered 23 seconds. the growth of chess, further tial across the globe. Recently, “It feels good to be running building the sport that has de- there has been a surge of in- again, it’s been a long time,” said fined his entire life as he joins terest post the online Chess Felix, who will be targeting the hands with the Tech Mahin- Olympiad and the enormous 200m at the US Olympic Trials dra Global Chess League and popularity of a TV series based later this year. “The 200m is one Allyson Felix in action during the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting 200m at the Randal Tyson Indoor Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, becomes its face for the global on the game. We hope that the of my favourite races, so I just US, on Sunday. Felix won in 22.59 secs. audience and his fans, a re- creation of a league will har- wanted to have some fun. We’re lease from the organisers said. ness this resurgence of interest still working hard; the big goal is Her winning time moves her eron Jones was the runner-up lievably sick on Friday night the US indoor all-time list. Current plans envision and bring about a renaissance much later this year.” to seventh on the US indoor in 1:46.23. and all through Saturday. I’m Jamaica’s 2015 world the League to engage players in the world of chess. I am par- Sprint hurdler Camacho- all-time list. A bout of food poisoning not exactly feeling great right champion Danielle Williams from all levels – professional ticularly excited about sharing Quinn, a former training part- Jamaica’s Chrisann Gordon put an end to Ryan Crouser’s now, but I just wanted to come finished strongly to win the or otherwise. my learnings from founding ner of Felix’s, finished second in was second in 52.06 and Mexi- streak of 22-metre-plus compe- out and compete.” women’s 60m hurdles, overtak- The League will have eight the Pro Kabaddi league with an indoor PB of 22.91. Jackson, co’s Paola Moran third in 52.78. titions, though it wasn’t enough There were big throws ing Tonea Marshall on her way franchise-owned teams from the team in order to replicate daughter of 2005 world 400m to prevent him winning. across the board in the wom- to an equal PB of 7.86. Marshall across the world. that success on a much larger hurdles champion Bershawn Saruni back to his best The Olympic champion en’s shot put. For the first time finished second in 7.89. The teams will comprise of and global platform.” Jackson, was third in 23.45. Kenya’s Michael Saruni, look- produced five valid throws ever in US women’s shot put- Michael Dickson, win- a mix of titled women and men Viswanathan Anand, Earlier in the programme, ing like he’s back in the form beyond 21.70m, all of which ting, the top three all threw ner of the men’s event, was players along with juniors and 5-time World Chess Champi- Felix had finished second in the that carried him to an African would have been enough to 19.50m or beyond. also rewarded with a PB. He wildcard entrants playing each on, said, “Chess is a game that 60m in 7.28 in a race won by indoor 800m record two years win. His best throw, 21.93m, Olympic finalistR aven clocked a best of 7.53 in the other in a Round Robin format. is played by millions around Britain’s Daryll Neita (7.24). ago, won his specialist event came in the fifth round. Pay- Saunders threw an indoor heats and then matched it in The teams qualifying for the the world. At this time, a On a good day for the in 1:45.34. ton Otterdahl was second with PB of 19.57m in the fourth the final to finish 0.13 ahead semifinals will enter the knock- unique opportunity exists to women’s long sprints, hurdles The 2018 NCAA indoor 21.40m. round to overtake all-round of Ruebin Walters of Trinidad out stage of the championship. popularize it further and dra- specialist Shamier Little domi- champion followed the pace- “I had one of my best prac- throws talent Maggie Ewen, and Tobago. We are actively looking at the matically enhance its visibility nated the 400m. maker through 400m in 50.48 tices ever on Friday in prepa- who had set a PB of 19.54m Elsewhere, 2016 world in- prospect of introducing inno- through a global league pow- The 2015 world 400m and held a slight lead over ration for this meet,” said in round two. Pan-American door champion Marquis Dendy vative scoring, board selection ered by technology. hurdles silver medallist sped Isaiah Harris at 600m. Saruni Crouser. “This meeting had Games bronze medallist Jes- won the long jump with a last- methods and a fantasy league to “I am personally happy through the first lap in 23.45, then kicked on the final lap been my big focus of the whole sica Ramsey set an outright PB round leap of 8.19m. Olivia maximize viewer engagement. to partner with a technology just 0.05 shy of her indoor PB and opened a big gap on the indoor season and everything of 19.50m to finish third. The Gruver won the pole vault with The final League structure and provider like Tech Mahindra, for 200m, but ran a controlled rest of the field, going on to was geared to throwing far this three women now sit at fourth, 4.70m, equalling her recent PB. team details will be announced whose endorsement and pro- second lap to finish in 50.57. win by almost a second. Kam- weekend. But then I got unbe- fifth and sixth respectively on (Worldathletics.org) in due course. motion will certainly elevate The league will mark a wa- the sport to a higher level and tershed moment as it aims to offer the right platform to pop- raise the profile of the sport, ularize chess across the globe. discover new generations of “There is a renewed in- chess champions, enhance the terest in the game of chess Fakhar, Hafeez star in Qalandars’ 9-wkt win fan base of the sport and take and through this unique the sport to new commercial global league format, we will AGENCIES Gayle, one of Quetta Gladia- heights. New-age technologies be able to keep the spirit of KARACHI Scores: Quetta Gladiators 178-6 (Chris Gayle 68, Sarfaraz tors’ platinum pick. such as 5G, artificial intelli- chess intact and ensure the Ahmed 40, Mohammad Nawaz 33 not out; Haris Rauf 3-38) The Gayle Storm well and gence, and virtual reality will right platform is provided to BLISTERING unbeaten half- lost to Lahore Qalandars 179-1, 18.2 overs (Fakhar Zaman 82 truly arrived in Karachi as be at the core and will be lev- upcoming talent.” centuries from Fakhar Zaman not out, Mohammad Hafeez 73 not out, Sohail Akhtar 21) by the most proficient T20 bats- and Mohammad Hafeez led nine wickets.