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sports Diahuebs 29 Juli 2021

British swimmers make relay history; US doesn’t even medal

(AP) — For the first time “We were so close to the know, in my opinion, he’s
in more than a century, world record in the end,” probably the best 200 freesty-
Britain claimed a relay Scott said. “If anything, I’m a ler in the world. He can prob-
gold at the Olympic pool. bit gutted.” ably put up one of the best
times that we’ve seen. Leav-
The United States, shock- Imagine how the Americans ing him off that relay, to me, I
ingly, didn’t even make the must’ve been feeling. think makes it a lot harder to
podium. win the gold medal.”
For the first time in its proud
A dynamic quartet carried the swimming history, the U.S. Dressel swam a single 200
British to a dominating victo- failed to win a relay medal free race at the U.S. Olym-
ry in the men’s 4x200-meter when entering an event. pic trials, then withdrew
freestyle relay Wednesday. from the event. His Tokyo
Kieran Smith, Drew Kibler, program includes three in-
Tom Dean, the 200 free gold Zach Apple and Townley dividual events — including
medalist led off and 200 silver Haas finished in 7:03.24, not the semifinals of the 100 free
medalist Duncan Scott swam only far behind Britain but Wednesday — and three oth-
the anchor leg. James Guy — also trailing Russia and Aus- er relays. Otherwise, the U.S. had been They had the Americans in
now a three-time Olympic tralia, which claimed the sil- 94 of 94 in the relays — not their sights ever since taking
medalist — and 18-year-old ver and bronze respectively. While known primarily as a all of them wins, of course, silver in the 4x200 at the Rio
Matthew Richards took the sprinter, Dressel has turned but medals at least. Games five years ago.
middle legs. The result outraged Michael in plenty of fast times over
Phelps, who was part of so 200 meters. Make it 94 of 95. Now, with Phelps retired,
“This has been years in the many winning relay teams longtime stalwart Ryan
making,” Dean said. “We’ve during his career and is now Without him, the American The British made their own Lochte failing to make the
been getting stronger and at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre not only didn’t win gold, they bit of history. Olympic team and Dressel
stronger.” as a television commentator. were shut out altogether. focusing on other events, the
It was their first relay gold British finally made it to the
The British just missed the Phelps criticized the Ameri- The only other times that since that aforementioned top.
world record with a winning can coaches for not including happened were at 1912 women’s 4x100 free in 1912,
time of 6 minutes, 58.58 sec- Caeleb Dressel on the relay, Stockholm Games, when with their only victory com- “These four lads here, we’re
onds. even though it’s not clear if the Americans didn’t en- ing in the men’s 4x200 free the best freestylers in the
he had any desire to add an- ter a team in the women’s relay at the first London world,” Guy said. “It’s just
The Americans set the record other event to his already 4x100 free relay, and the 1980 Games in 1908. amazing the way things have
at 6:58.55 in rubberized suits busy schedule. Moscow Games, when they progressed. Racing Michael
at the 2009 world champion- didn’t show up at all because But they hardly came out of Phelps, Ryan Lochte in Rio,
ships in Rome. “It’s shocking,” Phelps said in the Soviet invasion of Af- nowhere. and now we are the Olympic
an interview on NBC. “You ghanistan. champions.”

Cunningham headlines list of top prospects in NBA draft

(AP) - Cade Cunningham lottery for the top pick after a
spent years honing his Only time will tell how deep ESPN basketball analyst Jay second straight 20-win sea- Then there’s Golden State.
game for a shot at becom- the class really is. Bilas said depth at the top of son, and they haven’t fin- The Warriors, expected to
ing the No. 1 overall pick this draft was the best since ished better than .500 for five have Klay Thompson back
in the NBA draft. But Cunningham won’t be 2003, which produced peren- straight years. General man- from injuries alongside NBA
have to wait long Thursday nial All-Stars LeBron James, ager Troy Weaver wouldn’t scoring leader Stephen Cur-
The Oklahoma State one- night. His is expected to be Carmelo Anthony, Chris reveal plans for Thursday, ry, have the No. 7 and No.
and-done star could accom- the first name called when Bosh and Dwyane Wade in noting: “Everybody’s made 14 picks to help fuel what
plish that goal Thursday the Detroit Pistons open the the first five picks. the pick but us.” could be a quick return to
night as the headliner of a draft in New York, while the prominence after three world
class that includes scorers, rest of the top tier comes “Look, having LeBron in a “I don’t see Shaq or LeBron championships from 2015-
playmakers and potentially from Cunningham’s same draft was certainly better,” but I see some high-level 18.
elite defenders at the top. 2020 high school recruiting said Bilas, a former Duke guys,” Weaver said.
class. player. “Zion (Williamson in Names to watch include
“I’ve been saying for a long 2019) made it more interest- Cleveland has its only pick i nternational first-round
time,” Cunningham said, There’s Southern Califor- ing that year. But none of the at No. 3 for a roster in flux prospects in Australian teen-
“we have one of the best nia big man Evan Mobley, drafts that I can remember since James left after the 2018 ager Josh Giddey, and big
classes in a long time. And the draft’s top big man who since 2003 have combined season. The Cavaliers have men Alperen Sengun from
I’m really appreciative of the helped the Trojans make power at the top and depth of one of the league’s youngest Turkey and Usman Garuba
fact that we’ve all been push- their deepest NCAA Tourna- really good talent like this.” teams with promising guards from Spain. There’s also Ten-
ing each other throughout us ment push in two decades. Collin Sexton and Darius nessee freshman guard Keon
coming through high school Gonzaga point guard Jalen It starts with Cunningham, Garland, who along with for- Johnson, a lottery prospect
and things like that.” Suggs helped the Bulldogs mentioned as candidate to go ward Isaac Okoro and center who set an NBA combine
carry an unbeaten record No. 1 before ever playing for Jarrett Allen comprise the record with a 48-inch vertical
into the national-title game. the Cowboys. The 6-foot-8 team’s “core four.” leap.
Florida State’s Scottie Barnes point guard and first-team
is a playmaking forward capa- Associated Press All-Amer- Toronto sits at No. 4 fol- The draft is later than its
ble of locking down smaller ican averaged 20.1 points lowed by Orlando – which traditional late-June slot for
guards. while working as an effective also owns the No. 8 pick – the second straight year due
playmaker. and Oklahoma City to round to the COVID-19 pandemic
And there are preps-to-pros out the top tier’s potential that interrupted the 2019-
prospects in guard Jalen Detroit and the other teams landing spots. The Thunder, 20 season. Last year’s draft
Green and forward Jonathan atop the draft certainly could also in rebuilding mode, join took place in November with
Kuminga, with each bypass- use that kind of help, too. the Rockets with three first- the season beginning in De-
ing college basketball to play round selections, all in the cember and the NBA Finals
in the G League. The Pistons won last month’s top 18. wrapping up last week.