Page 32 - bon-dia-aruba-20210802

A32 sports
Dialuna 2 augustus 2021

Texas-born Italian sprints from unknown to Bolt’s successor

leader in 2021 and the favorite to win in Rio and bronze in London - agreed
the gold, Trayvon Bromell, didn’t to call it a tie for first.
make it out of the semifinals.
Bedlam ensued.
Bolt, who has commandeered the Barshim ran up to the stands to cel-
Olympic and every other sprint stage ebrate. Tamberi covered his face with
since 2008, is retired. his hands and rolled on the ground.
“I was in ecstasy,” he said. He was
He was a sure thing in all nine Olym- clearly a man looking for someone to
pic sprints he ran from the Beijing hug.
Games — a stretch of dominance that
redefined track and field, but also left He found just the person a few min-
a gaping hole in the sport when he utes later when Jacobs crossed the
called it a career. line first. Tamberi leaped into the
broad-chested sprinter’s arms and
“He changed athletics forever,” Ja- curled his own arm around Jacobs’
cobs said. “I’m the one who won the bald head.
Olympics after him. That’s unbe-
(AP) — The 100 meters at the Pietro Mennea won the 200 at the lievable. But drawing comparisons, I “My heart was exploding,” Tamberi
Olympics is the event that turns 1980 Olympics in Moscow and Livio don’t think it’s the time now.” said.
sprinters into kings: Jesse Owens, Berruti won that race at the 1960
Carl Lewis, Usain Bolt. Games in Rome. Bolt’s world record is 9.58. Only a night before, they’d been
sitting in Jacobs’ tiny room in the
On one of the most unusual nights Even in a contest with no clear favor- Before Sunday, Jacobs’ personal best Olympic village playing video games.
the sport has ever seen, fans, experts, ites — American Ronnie Baker was was 9.95.
and even the racers themselves need- a candidate and China’s Su Bingtian “And we said, ’Can you imagine if we
ed a lineup card. ran a shocking 9.83 in the semis — “I mean, 9.8 from the Italian guy?” win?”” Jacobs said. “(We said) ’No,
Jacobs came from nowhere. DeGrasse said. “I didn’t expect that. I no, no. It’s impossible. Don’t think
The race that has long defined Olym- thought my main competition would this.’”
pic royalty went to a Texas-born Ital- He topped America’s Fred Kerley, a be the Americans.”
ian who hadn’t cracked 10 seconds 400-meter runner who moved down Not long after the two golds were se-
until this year. He’s a 26-year-old in distance because he saw a medal Nope. The Italians. cure, Italy’s premier, Mario Draghi,
whose best days before this came in chance, and Canada’s Andre De- Perhaps the only person at the track stated the obvious — “You’re honor-
the long jump. He’s a man even the Grasse, who adds another 100-meter who really knew the new champ ing Italy,” he said — and announced
runner in the next lane didn’t really bronze to the one he won Rio. was the man who hugged him after he’d be inviting the athletes to his of-
know. he crossed the finish line. That was fice, the Chigi Palace, when they re-
Kerley finished second in 9.84 and Gianmarco Tamberi, the Italian high turn home.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Marcell Ja- DeGrasse was next at 9.89. jumper who tied Qatari’s Mutaz Essa
cobs is The World’s Fastest Man. Barshim for gold. Theirs was one of many beautiful
“I really don’t know anything about moments on a most unusual Day 3
“I think I need four or five years to him,” Kerley said of the new gold Tamberi and Barshim ended their of the Olympic track meet. Another
realize and understand what’s hap- medalist. “He did a fantastic job.” evening-long jump-fest in a dead highlight came from Venezuelan Yu-
pening,” Jacobs said. heat — a rare result that appeared limar Rojas’ toppling of a 26-year-old
Jacobs’ path was made that much headed for a jump-off to decide gold world record in the triple jump. Her
The Italian crossed the line in 9.8 sec- clearer because of who wasn’t in the and sliver. But after huddling with an new mark is 51 feet, 5 inches (15.67
onds Sunday night to capture the first race. The reigning world champion, official who told them two gold med- meters).
100-meter medal ever for the country Christian Coleman, is serving a ban als were possible, Barshim -- the two- Other vignettes didn’t involve med-
better known for its soccer prowess. for missed doping tests. The world time world champion who won silver als.

Rojas sets world record to win Olympic women's triple jump

(AP) — Yulimar Rojas “I knew. I already knew. I kicked off when, after her Rojas was a silver medalist
didn’t even need to look knew from the run. I knew initial reluctance to look, she at the 2016 Olympics in Rio “When I woke up this morn-
for validation. I couldn’t miss that one. I confirmed the record with a de Janeiro and won back-to- ing, I already knew today was
knew it was right there,” she glance at the stadium screen. back world championships in going to be a good day,” Ro-
The runway, the take off, the said of her last jump. “I didn’t She later posed for the oblig- 2017 and ’19. jas said. “I had a very positive
way she hit the sand — it all even have to look. My head, atory photo beside an in-field vibe — I knew today things
felt so good she somehow my heart, my body.” board that registered the A first Olympic gold for a could be great, today I was
knew she’d sealed her Olym- event, her name, and the of- Venezuelan female athlete going to write history.
pic gold medal in the wom- In an almost empty stadium, ficial distance with WR be- was due.
en’s triple jump with a world there were also auditory side it.
record. clues.
Patricia Mamona of Portugal
Rojas broke the Olympic “I was also listening: people took silver with a national
record in the first round of went ‘wow.’ I could hear my record of 15.01 meters. Ana
Sunday’s final at the Tokyo friend screaming,” she said. Peleteiro, who trains with
Games, signaling her intent. “My coach was screaming, Rojas, set a Spanish record of
was yelling.” 14.87 to win the bronze.
She went through four more
rounds before putting it all Rojas already had the gold “I train with her every day
together perfectly with a medal assured — with that and suffer with her every
mark of 15.67 meters on her Games record of 15.39 — day,” Peleteiro said. “I knew
last attempt, improving on when she took the last of she was capable of doing it.
the old mark of 15.50 that In- her six attempts, giving her a I didn’t have doubts that she
essa Kravets of Ukraine set in feeling of freedom. was going to get,” the world
1995. record.
The celebrations really