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SPORTS Wednesday 4 OctOber 2023
Japan edges rival China to win men’s world gymnastics title while

US claims first medal since 2014

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — ward by earning its first
Japan is back on top in bronze at a world champi-
men’s gymnastics. onships or Olympics since
The five-man group led by 2014. The five-man team
reigning world and Olym- of Asher Hong, Paul Juda,
pic champion Daiki Hashi- Khoi Young, Yul Moldauer
moto edged rival China in and Fred Richard finished
the team finals at the 2023 at 252.428.
world championships on The Americans avoided
Tuesday to earn Japan’s major mistakes early and
first major international then showed considerable
gold medal since 2015. growth late.
The Japanese posted Needing to put together a
a team total of 255.594 solid set on high bar in the
points, nearly two points final event, Young, Juda
clear of China at 253.794. and Richard came through
China, which finished with nervy performances.
eighth during a sloppy per- Richard, a 19-year-old
formance in qualifications sophomore at Michigan,
to barely make the final, celebrated when he stuck
bounced back with a med- his dismount while his team-
al on the line but couldn’t mates broke out in chants
quite catch Japan. Japan’s Kazuma Kaya reacts as he competes on the horizontal bar during the Men’s team final at of “USA!”q
The U.S. men’s program the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.
took a significant step for- (APPhoto/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

McLaren seeking at least $23 million in damages from IndyCar

champion Alex Palou in UK court

By Jenna Fryer mediation and a resolu- the management group
Associated Press tion was reached a year that brokered the deal with
(AP) - McLaren Racing is su- ago in which Palou would McLaren.
ing IndyCar champion Alex drive for Ganassi in 2023 The nearly $23 million in
Palou for at least $23 million but could do F1 work for damages McLaren is seek-
to recoup costs the team McLaren when it did not ing is broken down in future
says it lost when the driver interfere with IndyCar. He sponsorship tied to Palou
reneged on the contract was able to participate in a joining McLaren, the costs
he signed to join the team, practice session last season of using him as a reserve F1
Palou, a 26-year-old Span- for McLaren, tested for the driver, how much McLaren
iard, guaranteed that he F1 team both on track and spent developing Palou for
had “no outstanding obli- in a simulator, and was the F1 and a $400,000 advance
gation under any contract reserve driver for McLaren on his 2024 salary. McLaren
or agreement” that would at F1’s Miami Grand Prix in is not seeking repayment of
keep him from joining May. legal fees it says it covered
McLaren after the IndyCar However, McLaren Rac- for Palou in last year’s fight Alex Palou sits in his pit box during a practice session for the In-
season ended, according ing CEO Zak Brown was with Ganassi. dyCar Indianapolis GP auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speed-
to the Sept. 29 filing in the contacted Aug. 8 and told The filing states that after way, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, in Indianapolis.
High Court of Justice Busi- Palou would not be join- McLaren had already been (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
ness and Property Courts of ing McLaren. The filing says informed Palou was not
England and Wales Com- attorneys told Brown that honoring his contract with Palou has repeatedly de- Lando Norris and Oscar Pi-
mercial Court. The Associ- Palou had signed a three- the team, a second letter clined to comment on the astri signed through at least
ated Press viewed the 17- year extension with Ganas- from attorneys representing situation this year but at- 2025.
page filing Tuesday. si, where he won the 2021 Palou incorrectly claimed tempted to explain his si- “If you look at my inter-
The lawsuit is the latest twist and 2023 championships, he had been promised a lence last month at a me- views until 2021, I would
in an ugly spat involving through 2026. full-time seat in F1 and that dia event ahead of the say I was not focused on F1
the talented young driver Palou did not respond to a because he was only go- IndyCar season finale. at all, and that was totally
and two teams: McLaren, message left seeking com- ing to be a reserve driver “a He indicated he’d never true. But things changed
which in July 2022 said it ment Tuesday. He previ- complete severing of the expressed interest in F1 until when I won the champion-
had signed Palou and had ously confirmed to The As- relationship (was) in order.” after he’d won his 2021 In- ship,” Palou said last month.
him earmarked for an Indy- sociated Press last month McLaren held a hotel room dyCar title and an opportu- “I was 24. I had just won my
Car seat and a reserve driv- that he’s not had any con- in Singapore two weeks nity to at least try to make first big championship and
er role with its Formula One versation with Brown or ago for Palou in anticipa- it to the top racing series in what if I try something and
team, and Chip Ganassi McLaren representatives tion of him being the team’s the world presented itself. it goes sideways, then I can
Racing, which said it had since before the team was reserve driver that F1 week- But with only a reserve driv- come back when I’m 27
the contractual rights for informed he was not honor- end. Palou did not attend er role available, he said, and still super young and
Palou for the 2023 season. ing the McLaren contract. the race for McLaren. he would prefer to stay in can still do it for 10 or 15
Palou and Ganassi entered Palou also severed ties with Citing pending litigation, IndyCar. McLaren has both years. q