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A32 sports
Diaranson 24 augustus 2022

Symbolism, empty seats: soccer returns to Ukraine amid war

allowed in — saw two teams Wednesday due to fears of Players raised a Ukrainian
from the war-torn east of the potential Russian bombard- flag at the stadium that once
country, Shakhtar Donetsk ment. belonged to Danylo Myhal,
and Metalist 1925, play out a a Canadian of Ukrainian
0-0 draw. The result, though, Police stood guard in front of descent. At the Montreal
was always going to be an af- the turnstiles, where weeds Olympics in 1976, Myhal ran
terthought. have grown after stadiums onto the field carrying the
were closed six months ago, flag during a match between
It was the first top-level soc- but no fans showed up to the the Soviet Union and East
cer match played in the coun- arena. Three more league Germany. Wearing an em-
try since Russia's invasion in games were scheduled for broidered shirt, he danced a
February, and the decision to later Tuesday. Ukrainian folk dance before
restart the league has been being detained.
hailed as a defiant sign that Players from the two teams
Ukrainians are ready to re- entered the field with blue "(Myhal) always dreamed of
store some sense of normal and yellow Ukrainian na- bringing his flag to Ukraine
life. Although this game felt tional flags draped over their and today it's finally hap-
(AP) — With two teams poignant ceremony pay- far from normal. shoulders and observed a pened," President Volodymyr
playing in an empty sta- ing tribute to those fight- minute of silence while the Zelenskyy said in a televised
dium hundreds of miles ing in the war with Russia. Ukraine remains under names of Ukrainian cities address before kickoff. "It's
away from their home- martial law and large public where people had died in the being raised today at the
towns, the Ukrainian soc- The opening match at Kyiv's gatherings have been banned war were displayed on a large opening of the Ukrainian
cer league started its new 65,500-seat Olympic stadium in the capital ahead of the screen. soccer championship."
season Tuesday after a — where spectators were not Independence Day holiday

Primoz Roglic takes the lead as Vuelta returns to Spain

(AP) — The Spanish Vuel- the uphill climb into Laguar-
ta was back in Spain. And dia in the Basque Country. Roglic enjoyed his 10th stage
defending champion Pri- win overall at the Vuelta. His
moz Roglic was back in The Jumbo-Visma rider preparations for this edition
the lead. opened a 13-second gap in were not ideal — because of
the general classification to injuries sustained in a fall at
Roglic showed he is in great American teammate Sepp the Tour de France — and his
form and in position to retain Kuss. Roglic was 26 seconds participation confirmed only
his Vuelta title with a domi- in front of Ethan Hayter of a few days before the race
nant win in the fourth stage Ineos Grenadiers. started.
on Tuesday as the Grand
Tour race returned to Span- The Slovenian crossed the Ineos rider Richard Carapaz
ish territory after three open- line in front of Mads Peder- was 33 seconds off the lead,
ing stages in the Netherlands. sen of Trek-Segafredo and and Simon Yates of Bikeex-
Movistar's Enric Mas. It was change-Jayco fell 51 seconds
Trying to win an unprece- the third-straight second- back overall.
dented fourth straight Vuelta place finish for Pedersen,
title, Roglic took the leader's who was beaten by Sam Ben- The first three stages had tak- to start there in 2020 were Riders will face five moun-
red jersey after launching his nett in the second and third en place in the Netherlands hindered by the coronavirus tain passes in Wednesday's
attack in the final meters of stages. for the first time after plans pandemic. fifth stage finishing in Bilbao.

NCAA tennis champ Ben Shelton leaves Florida to turn pro

(AP) — NCAA tennis champion Ben Shelton is
leaving the University of Florida to turn pro.
The 19-year-old Shelton, who was born in Atlanta,
announced his decision Tuesday on Twitter.

He received a wild-card invitation for the U.S. Open,
which begins in New York on Monday.
Shelton won the 2022 college singles championship as a
sophomore for Florida. His father, former professional
tennis player Bryan, coaches the Gators.

Shelton is ranked 171st this week. He is a left-hander who
is listed at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds on the ATP website.

Shelton made his ATP debut at Atlanta last month and
won his first match there, before losing to 2018 Wimble-
don semifinalist John Isner in a third-set tiebreaker.

Last week at Cincinnati, Shelton beat No. 5 Casper
Ruud, this year's French Open runner-up, by a 6-3, 6-3
score, making Shelton the youngest U.S. man to defeat
an opponent ranked in the top five since Andy Roddick
in 2001.

Roddick was the last American man to win a Grand Slam
title, doing so at the 2003 U.S. Open.