ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 16 US team members celebrate after winning the wheelchair basketball men’s gold medal match against Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Paralympic closing marks end of Tokyo’s 8-year Olympic saga ‘A unifying moments for Japan’ TOKYO, Sept 5, (AP): The fi nal act of the delayed To- kyo Olympics and Para- lympics came Sunday, al- most eight years to the day after the Japanese capital was awarded the Games. The Paralympics ended a 13- day run in a colorful, circus-like ceremony at the National Stadium overseen by Crown Prince Akishi- no, the brother of Emperor Naruhi- to. The Olympics closed almost a month ago. These were unprecedented Olympics and Paralympics, postponed for a year and marked by footnotes and asterisks. No fans were allowed during the Olym- PARALYMPICS pics, except for a few thousand at out- lying venues away from Tokyo. A few thousand school children were allowed into some Paralympic venues. “There were many times when we thought these games could not happen,” Andrew Parsons, president of the Inter- national Paralympic Committee, said on Sunday. “There were many sleep- less nights.” The closing ceremony was entitled “Harmonious Cacophony” and Fireworks illuminate over National Stadium viewed from Shibuya Sky observation deck during the closing ceremony for the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. (AP) involved both able-bodied actors and others with disabilities. The theme was described by organizers as a “world in- spired by the Paralympics, one where Superb Max thrills home crowd to win Netherlands GP differences shine.” Like the Olympics, the Paralympics went ahead as Tokyo was under a state of emergency due to the pandemic. Like the Olympics, test- ing athletes frequently and isolating Verstappen reclaims lead from Hamilton them in a bubble kept the virus largely at bay, though cases surged among a ZANDVOORT, Netherlands, Sept were stamped as Verstappen turned Japanese population that is now almost 5, (AP): Max Verstappen thrilled his to the crowd with a clenched fi st after 50% fully vaccinated. home crowd by winning the Nether- a clinical drive. “I believe that we have reached lands Grand Prix in style Sunday to AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly the end of games without any major reclaim the Formula One champion- placed fourth ahead of Ferrari’s problems,” said Seiko Hashimoto, ship lead from Lewis Hamilton. Charles Leclerc and Alpine driver the president of the Tokyo organizing The Red Bull driver’s leading sev- Fernando Alonso. committee. enth win of the season and 17th of his Verstappen started from pole po- But there was fallout, however. Lots of it. career moved him three points ahead sition for a season-leading seventh Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide of the defending champion, who fi n- Suga announced Friday — two days ished second but softened the blow MOTOR RACING before the closing — that he would not Switzerland’s Marcel Hug is on the with a bonus point for fastest lap. continue in offi ce. Suga hoped to get a track as he nears the fi nish in the Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate re-election bump from the Olympics. He Men’s Marathon T54 fi nal which he Valtteri Bottas was third. time, and sixth in the past seven rac- won at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Verstappen’s winning margin of es, courtesy of a brilliant qualifying got the opposite as his approval rating Games in Tokyo. (AP) plummeted after a slow vaccine rollout in 21 seconds over Hamilton was exag- session. Japan, and a contentious decision to stage als. They also saw two athletes from gerated because the British driver had Hamilton and Bottas were just be- the Games during the pandemic. Afghanistan compete, both of whom to pit again to wrestle back the bo- hind. Verstappen made a great start Suga succeeded Shinzo Abe, who arrived several days late after fl eeing nus point from Bottas. A rare blip by to pull clear of them on the speedy resigned a year ago for health reasons. Kabul. Mercedes saw Bottas told to abort his 4.3-kilometer (2.7-mile) Zandvoort It was Abe who celebrated in the front “The Tokyo Games were a model of bid for fastest lap, but it was too late with its high-banking corners. row of a Buenos Aires hotel ballroom effi ciency and friendliness,” Olympic and forced Hamilton to retrieve it. “The start was very important, on Sept. 7, 2013, when then-IOC Pres- historian David Wallechinsky said in After the race a jubilant Verstap- I think we did that well,” he said. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands leads and followed by ident Jacques Rogge announced Tokyo an email to The Associated Press. “If pen grabbed a Dutch fl ag and lifted it “Mercedes tried to make it diffi cult Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain and Mercedes driver Valtteri Bot- as the 2020 host — ahead of Istanbul it hadn’t been for the COVID-related high toward his adoring fans as they for us, but we countered them all the tas of Finland during the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix, at the Zandvoort and Madrid. diffi culties, these would be right at or celebrated together. time really well. We can be pleased racetrack, Netherlands. (AP) In a sad coincidence, Rogge died near the top of the best-organized of “As you can hear, it is incredible with the whole team performance.” lead. work, as Red Bull’s slick stop one lap a week ago at 79 after being in poor the 19 Olympics — Summer and Win- Team principal Christian Horner because the expectations were high “It’s going to be critical to catch later put Verstappen 3 seconds ahead. health. ter — I have attended.” The costs also and it’s never easy to fulfi l that,” called Verstappen’s drive “epic” and “Now that Prime Minister Suga is set records. and pass (Bottas),” the Red Bull team “Doesn’t seem to be an advantage, Verstappen said. “But I’m so happy hugged team engineers and mechan- (Red Bull) called our bluff,” a frus- forced out, taking the blame for his A study by the University of Oxford to win here and to take the lead as ics in the paddock. told Verstappen on the radio. failure to combat the coronavirus, it found these to be the most expensive They roared when Verstappen trated Hamilton said. “They’re just so well in the championship. It’s just an With Red Bull having more pace, fast.” would be impossible to claim that Games on record. Japan offi cially spent amazing day with the whole crowd. Mercedes tried to exert pressure with overtook Bottas on Lap 31, with the Olympics and Paralympics were Hamilton disagreed with a team $15.4 billion to organize the Olympics strategy. Hamilton passing Bottas to move successful, a unifying moments for and Paralympics, double the original es- Incredible.” order on Lap 55 to preserve the tires Verstappen’s devoted home fans Hamilton changed tires on Lap 21, 1.5 seconds behind Verstappen at the Japan,” Koichi Nakano, a political sci- timate. Several government audits sug- rather than risk damaging them by created a brilliant atmosphere dur- with Red Bull covering that move by halfway point. entist at Sophia University, wrote in an gested the real costs are twice that. All chasing too hard. ing the race, turning the stands by the bringing Verstappen in straight away. Mercedes brought Hamilton in for email to The Associated Press. but $6.7 billion is public money. “What, and don’t race?” asked The Paralympics may leave a more The pandemic probably cost organ- seaside town into an orange sea of He came out about 2 seconds ahead a second tire change on Lap 40 in a bodies. Orange fl ares were lit and feet of Hamilton, leaving Bottas in the bid to undercut Red Bull. It didn’t Hamilton, who got the go-ahead to tangible legacy in Japan than the izers almost $800 million in lost ticket continue. Olympics, raising public awareness sales, a budget shortfall that will have But he couldn’t get close enough to about people with disabilities and the to be made up by more government Left-arm spinner Patel claims career-best 4-16 attack Verstappen, who coasted home provision of accessible public space. funds. In addition, local sponsors con- to rapturous celebrations from his Or- The Paralympics involved a record tributed more than $3 billion to the ange Army. number of athletes — 4,405 — and a operating budget, but got little return record number of countries won med- with few fans. Verstappen will look to carry his NZ hit back in series with win over Bangladesh momentum into the Italian GP at Monza next weekend, where Ham- DHAKA, Bangladesh, Sept 5, (AP): Left-arm spinner Ajaz chin Ravindra also perished to a big shot when he appeared ilton again seeks a record-extending Patel claimed a career-best 4-16 as New Zealand kept alive set to fl ourish with a 20-ball 20. 100th win after being thwarted for their Twenty20 series against Bangladesh with a thumping Bangladesh pacer Mohammad Saifuddin (2-28) struck three races since winning the British 52-run victory in the third game on Sunday. twice in an over, dismissing Will Young (20) and Colin de GP. Offspinner Cole McConchie (3-15) and left-arm spinner Grandhome (0). The seven-time F1 champion was Rachin Ravindra (1-13) also played their part in dismissing A big blow for New Zealand came when offspinner Ma- gracious, despite losing the overall Bangladesh for only 76 in 19.4 overs after New Zealand had hedi Hasan got rid of skipper Tom Latham (5) with a return lead.