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Bolt Eclipses Speed Threshold
Bhupathi-Knowles win Rogers Cup
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Viru threatens to quit Delhi
Yang tames Tiger Woods
India end with draw against Holland
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Bolt Eclipses Speed Threshold
Berlin, August 17 “For me, as an athlete I train all year round to run the 100 metres, it’s what I do,” said Bolt after running 9.58sec, smashing his own record of 9.69sec from Beijing. “So when I get in the blocks, I know what I have to do. It means I can have all the fun I want before the race, but when the starters say ‘on your marks’, I just refocus and it’s time to go and I know what I have to do and there are no worries.” Bolt, who took the Beijing Games by storm last summer, winning all three Olympic sprint golds and in world record times, had overcome a nervy semi-final in which he false started for the first time in his career. But it was business as usual once the race got under way as the Jamaican dominated from start to finish. His world record performance is all the more remarkable as the 22-year-old was involved in a car crash in Jamaica last April when his car overturned in a ditch off a highway. Bolt had a small operation on his left foot, but his lightning strides showed nothing wrong with his feet now. “During the early part of the season, I was just trying to get back into shape and get everything right,” he said before paying tribute to silver medalist Tyson Gay. “I didn’t think I was really in good shape, I was taking it slow and working my way up and taking my time. I knew I would be ready by the time of the competition, I love competing against these guys. Tyson is a great athlete, he pushes me to a high level and I know that next season it’s going to be on.” With Olympic and world championship gold medals now in his possession, Bolt said he was tempted to complete the set of major championship medals by running at the CWG in New Delhi in October, 2010.`“I think I will be going to the Commonwealth Games, my coach will decide. I think it’s going to be at the end of the season, so it depends on how long I race next season.”
— AFP |
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Bhupathi-Knowles win Rogers Cup
Montreal, August 17 Bhupathi and Knowles played a solid service game and didn’t face a single break point in the match that lasted one hour 12 minutes. The Indo-Bahamian duo had earned a place in the final by ousting defending champions Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic in the semifinals. Bhupathi, the Open Era doubles title leader at the Rogers Cup, collected his fifth Canadian title with a fourth different partner. The 35-year-old had earlier lifted the doubles trophy in 1997 (with Leander Paes), 2003 (with Mirnyi), 2004 (with Paes) and 2007 (Pavel Vizner). “I was joking with my coach that now I should probably buy a flat here since it is my fifth title in Canada!” Bhupathi said after the win. The 37-year-old Knowles returned to the winner’s circle in Canada for the first time since capturing his maiden ATP World Tour title on his tournament debut 16 years ago (with Jim Courier). He had finished runner-up in 1996 and 2002 with long-time partner Nestor. “This is a very special tournament for me because this is where I won my first ATP title with Jim Courier...in 1993, just a couple of years ago,” said Knowles. “Mahesh has had so much success here in the past and has carried me to the title,” he added. Bhupathi and Knowles, who became a regular pair last season, improved to a 4-6 record in tour-level finals with their team's first title since last October in Basel. They were finalists at the Australian Open and at the Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell earlier this year. Bhupathi has now won at least one ATP World Tour title every year since 1997, with a total of 45 titles to his name. — PTI
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New Delhi, August 17 The explosive right-hander has threatened to leave the team for Haryana, saying that he is frustrated with the interference in selection matters. The DDCA’s Sports Secretary Sunil Dev said he has not received any communication from Sehwag nor has he approached him for a No Objection Certificate to play for some other state. But a top DDCA source said Sehwag’s threat to quit was just a “pressure tactic” to bring in a couple of his players in the Ranji squad. “He wants to bring Mayank Tehlan and Pradeep Sangwan into the team. But since the Delhi team is well set, it is not possible. That is the reason why he is making such threats,” the source said. HCA rolls out red carpet
With a sulking Virender Sehwag toying with the idea of deserting Delhi, Haryana Cricket Association (HCA) today rolled out a red carpet, saying they would be glad to have the star opener in their Ranji Trophy squad. HCA spokesman Anirudh Chaudhary said that he had sounded Sehwag last year as well but the right-hander then turned down the request to move out of Delhi. “I had an informal word with him last year about representing Haryana but he said he had lot of respect for (Delhi and District Cricket Association president) Arun Jaitley and was committed to the DDCA. Now I hear he has some issues with them. It’s completely DDCA’s internal matter but in case he wants to move to Haryana, we would gladly welcome him,” he said. Chaudhary said Sehwag joining Haryana Ranji team would be a great news for the game in the state and having someone like him in their middle would do a world of good to the young cricketers of Haryana.
— PTI |
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Yang tames Tiger Woods
Jeev Milkha Singh carded a poor six over 78 to finish tied 67 at 11 over 299 as 37-year-old Y.E. Yang of Korea created history on US soil becoming the first Asian to clinch a Major title defeating world number one Tiger Woods by a margin of three strokes in the US PGA Championship on the Hazeltine National greens at Chaska in Minnesota (USA) on Sunday. The Korean who had tamed the Tiger at the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai, was determined to repeat the feat on US soil once the leaders teed off with Yang a clear two strokes behind the world number one. While carving out this sensational victory he also became the first man to overturn a Tiger Woods 54-hole lead in a Major Championship. Pitted against two great professionals, Tiger Woods and the defending champion Padraig Harrington, the Korean held his nerve down the stretch to seal victory at seven under par 280 with a two-under final card of 70. While not undermining the Korean’s triumph it was certainly not the world number one in action. Woods could muster a three over par 75 card with his putter uncharacteristically letted him down. The two-time Asian Tour winner trailed overnight leader and world number one Tiger Woods by two shots going into the final round. Yang upped the ante with a birdie on the third. And then on the very next hole Tiger bogeyed to become joint leaders with Yang. By the turn, the two were joint leaders with a three-shot lead over the field. Woods bogeyed the par-3 17th. And the Korean went into the 72nd hole still with a one shot lead. Yang clinched the win when he drained a 10-foot birdie putt on the closing 18th having set the stage with a brilliant 202-yard approach shot that sailed over a tree and rolled onto the green. Yang said, “It wasn’t as nerve wracking as I thought it might be. When I saw the pairings the night before I was really happy to be in the final group of a Major. My heart was pounding and nearly exploded. I had a rough night but as soon as I got to the first tee I became myself. It is what I have always sort of envisioned.” It was a disappointing day for Jeev, who lost a stroke each on the fourth, fifth and ninth and double bogeyed the eighth to be three over par 39 at the turn. He added another five bogeys on the back nine against two birdies to be six over par 78 for the day. Meanwhile, Asian Tour honorary member and Fijian of Indian origin Vijay Singh posted a 73 for a 289 to take a share of 16th place while K J Choi took tied-24th place on 291. Current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand closed in tied-36th after signing off with a 293 while Korea’s Charlie Wi took a share of 56th place on 296.
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India end with draw against Holland
Amsteelven, August 17 India, trailing 1-2 at half-time, made a gallant turnaround to deny the the world number four Dutch their second straight win ahead of the Euro-Nations Cup starting here next Saturday. The goal scorers for India were Gurvinder Chandi (4th) and captain Sandeep Singh (59th and 68th), while Rogier Hofman (14th), Teun de Nooijer (16th) and Ronald Brouwer (39th minute) netted for Holland. India began aggressively and earned their first penalty corner when Rajpal Singh was obstructed by Robert van der Horst. Gurvinder Chandi slotted home in the fourth minute from a rebound offered by Dutch goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann.
— PTI |
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August 16, 2009 Montréal, Canada Bhupathi-Knowles Max Mirnyi-Andy Ram 6–4, 6–3.
Reverse Swing: