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HEALTHThursday 1 September 2016

3 Olympic champions head women’s 200 lineup in Zurich

GRAHAM DUNBAR Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson, right, wins the women’s 200-meter final ahead of second placed Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers, left,
AP Sports Writer
ZURICH (AP) — Get ready during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug.
for “something crazy” in
the women’s 200 meters 17, 2016. Associated Press
on Thursday in Zurich.
Olympic champion Elaine “I’m excited about get- outside of championships, is not running in Zurich. champion Caster Seme-
Thompson and silver med- ting back to my favorite Schippers is eager for the Thompson kept her Rio form nya of South Africa.
alist Dafne Schippers will event,” she said. “It’s such challenge at a track she by running the 100 in 10.78 Meet organizers want a
be in the Diamond League a stacked field. Usually knows well. The former hep- at the Diamond League first-lap pace of no more
final field alongside former when you have got such a tathlete announced herself meet in nearby Lausanne than 55.5 for Semenya,
gold medalists Allyson Felix group of athletes together, as a top-tier sprinter when last week. whose personal record is
and Veronica Campbell- you get a very fast time.” Zurich hosted the 2014 Eu- “Adrenalin alone will push exactly two seconds out-
Brown on a balmy Swiss The fastest of the four is ropean Championships. you to a very fast time,” the side the 1 minute, 53.28
evening. Schippers. The Netherlands “I love to compete,” Schip- veteran Campbell-Brown seconds mark set 33 years
All four have times among star sped to third on the pers said. “That’s the most said, adding that a stel- ago by Jarmila Kratoch-
the 15 fastest ever over all-time 200 list by clocking fun part of my job and it’s lar lineup “lends itself to a vilova, then of Czechoslo-
200, and have combined 21.63 to win the 2015 worlds very nice to compete with great performance.” vakia. Two women who
to win four Olympic titles title in Beijing. Thompson’s Elaine, we’re the same age Still, the world record of recently set world records
and five world champion- 21.66 was good for silver and it’s very cool.” 21.34 — set in the 1988 are also in action: Ken-
ships in the event. and fifth all-time. The 24-year-olds, born two Olympic final by Florence dra Harrison of the U.S. ran
“I know that we’re going Felix’s lifetime best is 21.69 weeks apart in June 1992, Griffith Joyner of the U.S. — 12.20 in the 110 hurdles in
to have something crazy and Campbell-Brown, the have a rivalry that shapes looks out of reach for some London last month and
happening out there.” 2004 and 2008 Olympic as one of track’s best be- time yet. Olympic 3,000 steeple-
Campbell-Brown, the 2004 champion, has run 21.74. yond Usain Bolt’s expected The long-standing women’s chase champion Ruth Je-
and 2008 Olympic cham- While top sprinters often exit from the sport after the 800 record will be aimed at bet of Bahrain ran 8:52.78
pion from Jamaica, said avoid racing each other 2017 worlds in London. Bolt Thursday by new Olympic in Paris on Saturday.q
Wednesday. “The track is
fast and the curves are big
and wide.”
Thompson, the new Jamai-
ca star, starts as the favor-
ite at the Weltklasse meet
after winning gold in Rio de
Janeiro in a world-leading
21.78 seconds.
Still, she believes the Zurich
race has something that
was lacking in her Rio tri-
umph.
“To me there was a person
missing (in Rio), and that
would be Allyson Felix,”
Thompson said at a news
conference, sitting along-
side the record-setting
American, who now has
six Olympic gold medals
from individual and relay
events. “(Thursday) will be
exciting for me”
Felix did not qualify to de-
fend her 200 title through
the United States trials.

Froome edges Quintana on summit to win 11th Vuelta stage

PENA CABARGA, Spain six seconds behind, drop- ing contests on the Tour, ride starting in Colunga end.
(AP) — Chris Froome won ping to third overall and tested one another on the near the Atlantic coast in “We arrived together, but
a thrilling uphill duel against 1:05 behind Quintana. category-one ascent, trad- 3 hours, 44 minutes, 47 sec- (Froome) was faster at the
climbing rival Nairo Quin- Froome, who clinched his ing attacks before Froome onds. The stage’s dramatic end,” Quintana said. “He is
tana by a bike length to third Tour de France title in edged the Colombian at finish promises another two strong and we can’t drop
win the 11th stage of the July, got his first stage win at the line. “I have some spe- weeks of Quintana and our guard. There are many
Spanish Vuelta on Wednes- a major race on this same cial memories from 2011 Froome going head-to- hard stages ahead and
day. Quintana defended Pena Cabarga peak in here, but today, to add to head for the title. they will be a war.”
his race lead and is now 54 2011 — the year the British that, is just an incredible Quintana, who has twice Esteban Chaves trails by
seconds ahead of Froome, rider finished as the Vuelta feeling,” Froome said. finished runner-up at the 2:34 in fourth place after
who overtook Alejandro runner-up. Froome and Froome pumped his fist in Tour behind Froome, said he faded near the end of
Valverde to move second Quintana, who have had the air after completing the he expects to fight a “war” the stage’s 5.6-kilometer
overall. Valverde finished some memorable climb- 168.6-kilometer (104.7-mile) with the Sky leader until the (3.5.mile) ascent.q