Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY 29August2015

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sportsSaturday 29 August 2015

No way he’d quit: Kidney disease can’t stop U.S. hurdler

EDDIE PELLS ritt’s sister, LaToya Hubbard,
who will join Merritt on the
AP National Writer operating table Tuesday to
donate her kidney.
BEIJING (AP) — When the “It could’ve been totally
different,” Hubbard told
doctors hooked Aries Mer- The Associated Press in a
phone interview. “To see all
ritt onto the dialysis ma- he’s gone through — the
pain, the hurt, barely able
chine two years ago, they to get out of bed, barely
able to walk. And now, a
told him his running days few months later, he has a
medal.”
were over. Merritt’s bronze brought
the United States’ total to
The doctors were focused 14, a number that figured
to be higher heading into
on his kidneys. the final two days of the
meet.
They never looked at his Two-time world champi-
on Trey Hardee withdrew
heart. three events into the de-
cathlon with a back injury.
The American won a The U.S. got shut out in the
200 meters, won by Dafne
bronze medal in the Schippers of the Nether-
lands.
110-meter hurdles Friday Defending 110-meter hur-
dle champion David Oliver
night at the world cham- hit three of the first four bar-
riers and finished seventh.
pionships — a victory he’ll “A volatile event,” he
called it.
have less than four days to And a chance at multiple
medals in women’s hurdles
celebrate. Next Tuesday, ended instead in a shut-
out, punctuated by Dawn
he’ll be on the operating Harper-Nelson’s spill after
hooking her leg on the sec-
table for a kidney trans- ond hurdle in the semifinals.
It was a fall of a different
plant. sort — when Lolo Jones hit
the ninth hurdle to spill out
“This bronze medal means of the lead — that allowed
Harper to cross the line first
more to me than my Olym- and win Olympic gold at
the Bird’s Nest in 2008. She
pic gold,” said the 2012 United States’ Aries Merritt, bronze, celebrates after the men’s 110m hurdles final at the World was as shocked then as
Olympic champion, who Athletics Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, Friday, Aug. 28, 2015. she was Friday night.
also set the world record “Tonight is going to be
Associated Press one of those nights when
you get to your room and
later that year. “If I was a of only three high points Eaton’s first day in the de- ton, who has 4,703 points you’re still in disbelief,”
Harper-Nelson said before
normal human being, we for the U.S. team on a day cathlon. Eaton ran the 400 through five events. Danielle Williams of Jamai-
ca won the gold. “You cry
might have seen a record, when there could have meters in 45 seconds flat, While the decathlon goes yourself to sleep.”
Merritt was all smiles but he
who knows? But the reality been more. a world decathlon record, 10 events, Merritt’s race knows there are big chal-
lenges ahead.
is, I’m not a normal human The others were Tianna to take the lead and also travels across 10 hurdles. “The trip home is probably
going to be depressing,
being.” Bartoletta’s gold in the get in the hunt to break his It’s an event that calls for because I know I’m going
home to have surgery, not
No arguing that. long jump — a victory that own world record of 9,039 taking things one step at a hang out with my friends,”
he said.
Merritt’s bronze, won with comes 10 years after she points. time, which is exactly what He said he’ll take the re-
hab slow, and when he’s
his season-best time of won her other world title “No way in hell did I think Merritt did when doctors cleared to run again, he’ll
pretend like he’s starting
13.04 seconds, was one in that event. And Ashton I’d run that fast,” said Ea- told him his kidneys were over.q

operating at less than 15

Lindeman pounces on Cousin’s percent and he’d need to
retire.
“Pretty much, it mentally

mistake to win 7th Vuelta stage destroyed me,” Merritt
said.

But instead of quitting, he

LA ALPUJARRA, Spain (AP) 10 minutes, 24 seconds. keep the red jersey,” said pushed on, even while the

— Bert Jan Lindeman of Cousin had looked strong, Chaves. disease progressed and

the Netherlands took ad- with the five-rider group “Every day that I get to chipped away at his fitness

vantage of a mistake by leading the pack by wear the jersey is impor- and his physique. Racing

Jerome Cousin of France more than six minutes on tant and I can only thank at 164 pounds — a full six

to sprint ahead and win the climb, but while try- my whole team.” pounds lighter than when

the seventh stage of the ing to time his final sprint Chaves said the final as- he set the world record —

Spanish Vuelta on Friday, he looked back, touched cent was tough because Merritt ran a near-perfect

while Esteban Chaves of wheels and came off his it was a steady 50-minute race Friday night, never

Colombia retained the cycle. climb, but his legs felt fine touching a hurdle and

overall race-leader’s red Bulgaria’s Koshevoy fin- at the end. falling by 0.01 seconds to

jersey. ished second, nine sec- “To be able to be among Hansle Parchment of Ja-

Cousin had led a group of onds behind, and Italy’s the best at the end in an maica for second. Sergei

five riders up the final as- Fabio Aru finished third, 29 honor for me,” he said. Shubenkov of Russia took

cent after breaking away seconds adrift. Cousin re- With the temperatures gold.

from the pack, but within covered to cross the line reaching 37 degrees Cel- Shubenkov learned about

sight of the finish line his fourth. sius (98.6 F), the heat ap- Merritt’s condition when

back wheel touched Ilia In the overall standings, peared to hamper Chris he was asked about it at

Koshevoy’s front tire and Chaves leads second- Froome’s ascent and the the medalists’ news con-

he lost his balance. place Tom Dumoulin of the Tour de France winner lost ference.

“I am happy I could make Netherlands by 10 seconds 27 seconds on Chaves to “You’re going to have

this victory, this is really spe- with Daniel Martin of Ire- sit 1 minute, 22 seconds a kidney transplant and

cial,” said Lindeman. “Ev- land third, 33 seconds be- behind overall. you’re here at world

ery race is important and hind. Chaves’ overall time Saturday’s stage is a large- championships?” Shuben-

now we have the victory, is 27 hours, six minutes, 13 ly downhill 182.5-kilome- kov said, shaking his head

that’s really nice.” seconds. ter (113.4-mile) ride from in disbelief.

The 26-year-old Team Lot- “I’m really happy, an- Puebla de Don Fadrique Watching at her brother’s

to rider finished in 5 hours, other day that we get to to Murcia.q house in Arizona was Mer-