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SPORTS Wednesday 9 august 2017

Van Niekerk ing to bar you from the sta- race again. Her status for
dium?
the relays Friday and Satur-
The innocent bystander day was to be determined.
was Van Niekerk, who, truth Also missing was David Rud-
be told, would’ve been fa- isha of Kenya, the world-re-
Continued from Page 17
vored to win this race had cord holder at 800 meters
Makwala been there any- who pulled out last week
Makwala insisted he felt way. He is the world-record with a leg injury — a move
fine. But he vomited Mon- holder and Olympic cham- that turned the event into
day before the heats of his pion and is being touted as a free-for-all.
other race, the 200 meters, the planet’s greatest sprint- Pierre-Ambroise Bosse of
and the IAAF said doctors er in a post-Bolt world. France wound up with the
checked him, determined Van Niekerk won the race gold.
he had norovirus and, per in a pedestrian-for-him Other winners were no sur-
the recommendation of 43.98 seconds, which was prise: Conseslus Kipruto of
health regulators in Britain, still two full paces ahead of Kenya in the steeplechase
told him he had to stay off silver and bronze medalists and Barbora Spotakova
the premises for 48 hours. Steven Gardiner and Ab- of the Czech Republic in
“I came here for a medal,” dalelah Haroun. the javelin — a victory that
a healthy looking Makwa- “It was just definitely a came a decade after her
la said in an interview with heartbreaking moment,” last world title.
BBC Sports. “Some people Van Niekerk said. “I saw America’s brightest mo-
force you to withdraw. I’m him just before the 200-me- ment came from Sam Ken-
OK to run, but someone’s ter heat and the only thing dricks, who was the only
saying you can’t run. It’s a I could think of was wrap- pole vaulter to clear 5.95
bad thing.” ping my arms around him meters and captured his
The IAAF put out its own and telling him to get well country’s third gold medal United States’ Sam Kendricks competes in the final of the Men’s
statement defending soon. As much as you want of the meet. pole vault during the World Athletics Championships in London
the decision, saying it “is to leave with gold medals, Third-place finisher Ren- Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017.
very sorry that the hard you want to go out there aud Lavillenie of France Associated Press
work and talent of Isaac with the best guys also out — booed mercilessly at last
Makwala won’t be on dis- there.” year’s Olympics when he the best pure competition, did not.
play tonight but we have Makwala wasn’t the only set the bar at a height that but the evening will also be “I have sympathy for him,”
to think of the welfare of all top runner missing. would’ve won him gold remembered for the show- he said. “I wish I could give
athletes.” Minutes before her heat over a Brazilian favorite — down that never transpired: him my medal.”
But that was hardly the in the 200 meters was to also used his final attempt Makwala vs. Van Niekerk. He might have one to
end of the debate. start, Tori Bowie withdrew. this year to go for the win “As an athlete, as a broth- spare. With Bolt not racing
Social media erupted with The American was in the at 6.01 instead of trying for er, I would’ve liked to see in the 200, and Makwala —
second-guessing and hy- stadium and went through second at 5.95. my brother given a chance who would’ve contended
potheticals, including: warm-ups, but the scrapes “Silver or bronze, it’s almost and do whatever he could at that distance, too —
What would the IAAF have and bruises on her hip the same,” Lavillenie ex- do best,” said Nijel Amos, unable to get to the start-
done if this had been Usain from the dive over the line plained. “You have one an 800-meter finalist from ing line, the odds of Van
Bolt? And, What’s the use in her 100-meter victory champion and two other Botswana. Niekerk completing the
of telling someone you’re two nights before hadn’t medalists.” Hard to argue with that — 200-400 double just keep
sick when they’re just go- healed enough for her to Pole vault may have been and Van Niekerk certainly getting better.q

Manziel hopes to stay in sports, maybe

as college coach

By The Associated Press “I’d do something involved like to coach, Manziel said
Former NFL quarterback with sports,” the 2012 Heis- “probably college.”
Johnny Manziel wants to man Trophy winner said. The 24-year-old coached
remain in the sports world, “I can’t get away from it. at an Elite 11 quarterbacks
possibly as a college I’ve had to ask myself that camp in Miami in February.
coach. a little bit as of late over
In an interview with Outkick the past year, but at the In this Dec. 20, 2015, file
the Coverage at the Inter- same time, I’d want to be photo, Cleveland Browns
national Football Betting involved in sports in some quarterback Johnny Manziel
speaks with media members
Conference in Costa Rica, way, whether it’s coach- following the team’s 30-13
Manziel said he’s thought ing, whether it’s doing loss to the Seattle Seahawks
about what he would do something like that. So I in an NFL football game, in
if he fails to resume his NFL think that’d be my route.” Seattle.
playing career. Asked which level he’d Associated Press