Dafne Schippers scorches Beijing, Aries Merritt misses golden send-off

August 29, 2015

Beijing, Aug 29: Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers ran into the history books after scorching to world 200m glory on Friday, but there was no golden send-off for Aries Merritt before next week`s kidney transplant.

Aries Merritt

Schippers, the 100m silver-medallist, clocked an electrifying 21.63sec, the fourth fastest time in history, as she lunged at the line to beat Jamaica`s Elaine Thompson, who timed a personal best of 21.66sec -- the fifth fastest time ever.

It was a remarkable win for Schippers, 23, who eclipsed the European record of 21.71sec set by Marita Koch in 1979 and matched by fellow East German Heike Drechsler in 1986.

Only Americans Marion Jones and world record-holder Florence Griffith-Joyner have run the 200m faster than Schippers, who won hepathlon bronze at the Moscow worlds two years ago.

But Schippers was quick to distance herself from doping allegations that plagued Koch, Drechsler, Jones and "Flo-jo".

"I know I`m clean and I work very hard for it," said Schippers. "I do all the dope controls and I don`t want to say more than that."

The Dutchwoman added: "I`m very happy with my time and the European record. I hoped coming here for the gold medal and a time under 22 seconds.

"I did it but I can`t believe it."However, there was no golden send-off for Merritt in the men`s 110m hurdles, his final race before returning Saturday to the United States for a kidney transplant.

The Olympic champion and world record holder won bronze behind two-time European champion Sergey Shubenkov of Russia and Jamaican Hansle Parchment.

"It means the world to me to be back here and to get a medal," said Merritt, who will receive a kidney from his sister on Tuesday after being diagnosed with a rare disease in the wake of the 2013 worlds in Moscow.

"I am looking forward to my kidney transplant. My sister will give me one and this is why she did not come to Beijing -- she didn`t want to endanger the transplantation."

The evening`s two other medal events were shared between Jamaica and the US, Danielle Williams winning the 100m hurdles for the former and Tianna Bartoletta crowned long jump world champion thanks to a final effort of 7.14 metres.

The first gold medal of the day broke a win drought for hosts China as Liu Hong led Lu Xiuzhi to a one-two in the women`s 20 kilometres walk.

Liu timed 1:27.45 for gold with Lu on her shoulder. Ukraine`s Lyudmyla Olyanovska took bronze at 28sec.

Elsewhere American Ashton Eaton sat in pole position of the gruelling multi-discipline decathlon.

The world record-holder and defending champion, also reigning Olympic and two-time world indoor champion, timed 10.23sec in the opening 100m before leaping a best of 7.88m in the long jump, both leading performances.

Eaton, whose Canadian wife Brianne Theisen Eaton claimed silver behind Jessica Ennis-Hill in the women`s heptathlon, then managed a best of 14.53m in the shot put, 2.01m in the high jump and a scintillating 45sec dead for the 400m to leave him on 4,703 points overnight.

Canadian Damian Warner sat in second with 4,530 points, with Germany`s Rico Freimuth third (4,406), with Saturday`s second day of action comprising the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and final strength-sapping 1500m.

"I was just trying to have fun!" said Eaton. "It`s all about having fun."

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News Network
May 14,2020

May 14: Veteran South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis has proposed a two-week isolation period for players before and after the T20 World Cup as a way to stage the event as per schedule later this year.

Like other sports, cricketing action too has come to a complete halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November is shrouded in uncertainty.

Talking to Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said travel was going to be an issue despite Australia being less affected by the deadly contagion.

"I am not sure... reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said.

"But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former captain.

Several countries across the globe, including South Africa, Australia and India, have travel restrictions in place and the veteran Proteas batsman joked travelling by boat is not an option.

"But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said.

In March, South Africa's ODI series against India was called off after the first match in view of the pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths.

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Agencies
January 11,2020

London, Jan 11: Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's famous lap around the Wankhede Stadium after the World Cup 2011 win has been nominated in Laureas's list for the most inspiring sporting event in the last twenty years.

The moment featuring Tendulkar has been described as "Carried on the shoulders by a nation".

On his sixth attempt at the World Cup and with India not having won the competition since 1983, Tendulkar finally became a part of the team that lifted the coveted trophy. Carried on the shoulders of the Indian team, he made a lap of honour, shedding tears of joy after the victory was sealed in his home city.

The 2011 World Cup was also the first time, in which a host nation ended up winning the trophy.

Apart from Tendulkar, England's Andrew Flintoff is the only other cricketer to feature in the list. In 2005, England managed to defeat Australia in an Ashes Test, but Flintoff chose to first shake hands with Brett Lee rather than celebrate with his side.

Matthias Steiner (weightlifting), Natalie du Toit (swimming), Sky Brown (skateboarding), Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee (triathlon), Xia Boyu (mountaineering) have been nominated in the list.

Female tennis stars also feature in the list for coming up with an equal play, equal pay campaign. After pressure from Venus Williams and others, Wimbledon announced that female tennis players would receive prize money equal to the men's.

German international footballer Miroslav Klose was playing for Lazio in Italy's Serie A in 2012 against Napoli when he rose for a ball in the early moments of the game.

The ball came spiraling off his hand and skirted into the back of the net and a goal was awarded. While most players would carry on as if nothing had happened, Klose was honest with the referee and admitted that he handled the ball.

As a result, he also finds a place on the list.

The Laureus Sporting Moment Award celebrates the moments where the sport has unified people in the most extraordinary way.

This campaign has shortlisted 20 sporting stories from the last 20 years that have left their mark on the world.

The winner will be decided on the basis of public voting. It has already started, and the final date to cast the vote is February 16.

Finally, the result will be declared on February 17.
With three knock-out rounds, the top-20 moments will be whittled down to ten then five, with the top-five moments going head-to-head.

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News Network
June 23,2020

Karachi, Jun 23: Pakistan cricketers Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and rookie Haider Ali on Monday tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed three players - Haider Ali, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan - have tested positive for Covid-19," said the PCB in a statement.

"The players had shown no symptoms until they were tested in Rawalpindi on Sunday ahead of the Pakistan men's national cricket team's tour to England."

The infected players will go into self-isolation.

"The PCB medical panel is in contact with the three who have been advised to immediately go into self-isolation," the statement said.

Earlier this month, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was tested positive for the deadly virus.

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