Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Friday 11 august 2017
Guliyev wins 200 in stunning upset at world championships

By RAF CASERT slowest final since 2003.
AP Sports Writer “This is not a shock, but this
LONDON (AP) — It wasn’t does not feel real,” said
Wayde van Niekerk and it Guliyev, whose best per-
wasn’t Isaac Makwala. formance coming into the
Instead, Ramil Guliyev of world championships was
Turkey earned the upset a silver medal at the Euro-
of the world champion- pean championships last
ships on Thursday when year. Van Niekerk can only
he matched Van Niekerk be disappointed with gold
stride for stride and won and silver. He fell just short
the 200-meter title by lung- of getting the first 200-400
ing at the line just ahead of double at the world cham-
the favored South African. pionships since Michael
Jereem Richards of Trini- Johnson in 1995.
dad and Tobago took Still, he was upbeat.
bronze, while Makwala “Coming away with two
faded down the stretch medals — both a good col-
and finished sixth. or, gold and silver. I think it’s
The 27-year-old Guliyev, great for my career,” the
a little-known sprinter who 400-meter Olympic and
transferred nationality from world champion said.
Azerbaijan six years ago, In the first 200-meter final
was not even among the without Usain Bolt since
top-10 performers this year 2009, it was wide open
before he stunned his ri- from the start. Guliyev had
vals and the 60,000-sell- the second-slowest start
out crowd at the Olympic of the eight finalists but he
Stadium, which had come quickly surged among the
to see Van Niekerk and leaders. Van Niekerk was
Makwala fight for gold. slightly ahead coming off
“It didn’t bother me the the bend but could not
attention was on them,” make his fluent stride count
Guliyev said. “Maybe at as Guliyev stuck with him all
the next competition, ev- the way.
eryone will look at me in- Makwala, at the end of
stead.” Guliyev finished in the saga that started with
20.09 seconds, .02 seconds a stomach virus early in
ahead of both Van Niekerk the week followed by a Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Men’s 200m final during the
and Richards. The South forced quarantine and be- World Athletics Championships in London, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017.
African took silver by .001 lated entry in the 200 heats, Associated Press
seconds. failed to sustain the early feeling tired. The lactic ever.” — another great fight be-
Guliyev held his hands over pace and quickly fell out of came,” Makwala said. As shocking as the 200 tween American team-
his mouth in sheer disbelief contention. “I’ve had one of the crazi- turned out to be, the tri- mates Christian Taylor and
after the slow race — the “The last 50 meters I was est championship journeys ple jump was predictable Will Claye.q
Duke coach Krzyzewski to have knee replacement surgery

By AARON BEARD made him realize his knee program’s Twitter account, “I mean, I could kind of should do, and at precisely
AP Basketball Writer condition “wouldn’t be sus- Krzyzewski said he would muck it out for the Domini- the right time,” Duke athlet-
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Duke tainable” through next sea- be ready “to go full speed” can trip,” Krzyzewski said. ic director Kevin White said
men’s basketball coach son. by the start of preseason “But for the whole season, in a statement.
Mike Krzyzewski will have In a video posted to the practice in September. it would not be appropri- The team was scheduled
a total knee replacement ate to do this.” to leave next Thursday and
surgery, leading the team It’s the sixth surgery in 17 play two games against the
to cancel this month’s ex- months for Krzyzewski, who Dominican Republic Na-
hibition trip to the Domini- holds a Division I men’s re- tional Team before return-
can Republic. cord 1,071 career wins with ing to Durham on Aug. 24.
The school announced five NCAA championships. NCAA rules allows schools
Thursday the Hall of Fame He missed a month of this as many as 10 practices
coach will have the pro- past season after undergo- before leaving for an inter-
cedure this weekend on ing a procedure to have national trip.
his right leg at the univer- a fragment of a herniated “I’m anxious to do it,”
sity hospital in Durham. disk removed from his low- Krzyzewski said of surgery.
Krzyzewski will be released er back.He also had his left “I think we have a really
within three days to begin knee replaced in April 2016, good group of youngsters
a rehabilitation program at underwent a hernia surgery and they deserve me to
Duke.In a statement, the a month later and had two be at my best for them, be-
70-year-old Krzyzewski said operations on his left ankle cause for those three days
he decided on surgery that June. of working with them, they
after three straight days This is a Feb. 28, 2017, file photo showing Duke head coach “Unequivocally, this is the certainly were giving me
of working with the team Mike Krzyzewski during the first half of an NCAA college bas- absolute right thing Mike their best.”q
ketball game against Florida State, in Durham, N.C.