Pogba ‘back home’ Chinese reeling after at Man Utd in loss of ‘precious’ world-record transfer gymnastics team crown WEDNESDAY, AUGUST17 10, 2016 19 US men’s basketball blasts Venezuela after slow start Page 18 RIO DE JANEIRO: USA’s Lilly King (L) celebrates with USA’s Katie Meili after she broke the Olympic record to win the Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. (Inset) Russia’s Yulia Efimova cries after she placed second in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final during the swimming event. — AFP King beats tainted Russian swimmer to gold ed, Efimova burst into tears after the race. Russia won the 200m freestyle on Monday, came under fierce Following the Richard McLaren report for the World sprang to her defense, with Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko attack from a furious Lacourt. Anti-Doping Agency, Efimova was suspended again. describing her as a “good girl”, according Moscow’s R- “Sun Yang, he pisses purple,” an enraged Lacourt who The report implicated the Russian government in dop- Sport news agency. The attacks were described as a “ter- came fifth in the 100m backstroke told French radio. ing. But another appeal to the CAS last week let SWIMMING rible ordeal.” “When I see the 200m podium I want to be sick.” Sun Efimova and six other Russian swimmers into Rio. The The red-faced International Olympic Committee has already been at the center of a verbal battle with United States and other western countries had wanted RIO DE JANEIRO: Doping tensions in Olympic swim- (IOC) sought to calm the choppy waters, saying the Australia’s Mack Horton who beat Sun in the 400m race. a complete ban on Russian athletes. ming erupted after American Lilly King beat tainted Games were about “respecting the right of others to The Sun-Horton dispute has turned into a social The row largely overshadowed a day that saw a first Russian rival Yulia Efimova and US superstar Michael compete.” media war. China’s state-controlled Global Times news- gold medal for the Brazilian hosts. It was won by judoka Phelps demanded life bans for swimmers with a drug But King was joined in the war of words by US leg- paper called Australia a former British “offshore prison” Rafaela Silva, who grew up in Rio’s notorious City of God record. Booing broke out in the swimming arena on end Phelps and Frenchman Camille Lacourt among because of Horton’s “drug cheat” remarks about Sun. slum. Silva upset world No. 1 Sumiya Dorjsuren in the Monday as Efimova-twice convicted of doping but others who lashed out at a Chinese winner. Phelps, 57kg final for a hugely welcome win for Brazil after apa- securing an Olympic place on a last-ditch appeal-lined who will attempt the astonishing feat of winning his THREE BANS thy and protests in the run-up to South America’s first up to challenge the women’s 100m breaststroke final. 20th Olympic gold medal later yesterday, launched a Efimova sought to defend her doping record. “I once Olympics. King narrowly beat her then slammed her rival, stoking broadside at drug abusers and encouraged others to made a mistake and served my ban,” she said, referring China got more medals in diving, where Chen Aisen the controversy over revelations of Russian stated-spon- speak out. to a 16-month suspension incurred after testing posi- and Lin Yue won the men’s 10m platform. China finished sored doping. Phelps said those punished for doping should face tive for a banned steroid in 2014. the day with five gold medals in total. Russia took gold “I think it just proved that you can compete clean permanent exile from the sport. “I think you’re going to She was given a provisional ban this year after test- and silver in the women’s sabre fencing as Yana Egorian and still come out on top,” King said of her win. She had see a lot of people speaking up more,” the all-time high- ing positive for meldonium but that was overturned in beat Sofiya Velikaya, who again suffered heartbreak also criticized Efimova before the race. Clearly devastat- est Olympic medal winner said. China’s Sun Yang, who May by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). after also losing the 2012 Olympic final. — AFP Australia clinch Iron Lady in ‘great shape’ as she snares second gold women’s sevens gold her first Olympic medal. “I have been rac- ing so much in the past four years that teams in the tournament, both New Zealand and Australia had come through scares at that was kind of my goal that when we the hands of the United States on Sunday to get to Rio it would kind of be second SWIMMING nature and it really feels that way. RUGBY stamp their authority on the semi-finals. After a tight and physical start to the “I know I’ve done the 400IM and the final, McAlister forced her way over in the RIO DE JANEIRO: Hungary’s Katinka 100 back a million times and now I’m fresh RIO DE JANEIRO: Australia became the first corner for her sixth try of the tournament to Hosszu said she felt in “great shape” on and in great shape,” she added. Hosszu Olympic champions in women’s rugby sev- give New Zealand an early lead before Monday as she powered to her second was sixth at the turn with world champion ens when they ran out convincing 24-17 Tonegato hit back with her seventh. gold medal of the Rio Olympics-and Emily Seebohm of Australia leading. She winners over trans-Tasman neighbours New Australia had started to find holes in the stayed on track for three more. Hosszu, roared home as Seebohm failed not only Zealand in the gold medal final at the New Zealand defence and when Woodman dubbed the “Iron Lady” for her renowned to improve on the silver she won in Deodoro Stadium in Rio on Monday. was sent off for two minutes, first Pelite then stamina, won the 100m backstroke in London but faded to finish a disappoint- The world series champions went behind speedster Green benefited from the extra 58.45sec, ahead of American Kathleen ing seventh. “I can’t believe I won the 100 early in the match but unanswered tries space to give the women in green and gold Baker, as Canadian Kylie Masse and back,” Hosszu said. “I dreamt about it, but I from Emma Tonegato, Evania Pelite, Ellia a 17-5 lead just after halftime. China’s Fu Yuanhui finished in a dead could have done eighth, it’s so close.” Green and Charlotte Caslick gave them a Charlotte Caslick then nipped over for Seebohm, swimming in unfavorable lead New Zealand were unable to overcome. heat for bronze. Hosszu, who returned another converted try to further extend lane seven after a lackluster semi-final New Zealand, who had two tries from the Australia’s lead and although McAlister little more than an hour later to book her performance, was left looking for outstanding Kayla McAlister and one at the grabbed her second try, two converted spot in Tuesday’s 200m medley final, said death from Portia Woodman, performed a scores for New Zealand in little more than a she wasn’t feeling any pressure from her answers after coming into the Games tearful haka in front of the crowd at the end minute was always going to be a big ask. heavy schedule, which also includes the with the top time of 2016. “I definitely of the match, their dreams of gold shattered. Woodman did finally weave her way over 200m backstroke and 200m butterfly. wanted to take it out (fast) and obviously It was the spell that Woodman, the top to score under the posts but the hooter had On Saturday, the 27-year-old shattered it hurt a bit on the back end,” she said. “I try scorer in the tournament with 10, spent sounded and Australia were already well RIO DE JANEIRO: New Zealand’s Sarah Goss, right, is the 400m individual medley world did a fantastic warm-up. I couldn’t have in the sin-bin for a deliberate knock down into their celebrations when Tyla Nathan- tackled by Australia’s Alicia Quirk during the women’s record for her first ever Olympic title. done anything differently. “My semi around halftime that probably ended Wong took the conversion. rugby sevens gold medal match against New Zealand “I was already very relaxed before the needed to be better so I could be in an those hopes. Canada earlier took the bronze with a 33- at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 400IM which was surprising for me,” said inside land and have someone to push Without question the best two of the 12 10 victory over Britain. — Reuters Monday. — AP Hosszu, who arrived in Rio in search of me,” she concluded. — AFP.