Sports

Bolt Reaches Men’s 200m Final …Eyes Eight Gold Medals

Published

8 years ago

August 19, 2016

Usain Bolt ran his fastest
time of the season to win his Olympic 200m semi-final in 19.78 seconds as Justin Gatlin missed out on a place in the final.
Jamaica’s Bolt has already won the 100m and is now aiming for an eighth Olympic gold by retaining his 200m title.
But American Gatlin, who won silver behind Bolt in the 100m final, only finished third in his semi-final.
Britain’s Adam Gemili, 22, reached yesterday’s final (02:30 BST, Friday) as one of two fastest losers.
Gatlin, 34, banned twice for doping offences, clocked 20.13 and failed to progress along with another big name – Yohan Blake.
The Jamaican, who won silver behind Bolt in London four years ago, has been hampered by injury over the past couple of years and faded to finish sixth in 20.37 seconds.
LaShawn Merritt, who has run 19.74 this year, is likely to pose the biggest challenge to Bolt in the final.
But Bolt believes he can break his world record of 19.19 and could even go under 19 seconds in the final.
“I definitely think I can try for the world record, I definitely feel that,” he said. “I need to run efficiently and get into the straight and run the perfect race.”
Bolt said he would have a better chance of achieving his goal to run under 19 seconds if he gets a high lane, adding: “If I get a lower lane it’s always harder for me to run the corner when it is tighter.”
On Gatlin’s exit, Bolt told journalists, “Everybody’s in shock. You can tell from the 100m he’s getting old. It’s a fact the older you get, the rougher it gets to double.
“Next year if I go to the World Championships [in London] I’m not going to double. I’m going to do the 100m and that is it.”
Bolt has won all seven of his previous Olympic finals, claiming gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
Here, the 29-year-old was laughing as he crossed the line just two hundredths of a second ahead of Canada’s Andre de Grasse.
“Andre was supposed to slow down. He didn’t,” he joked.
“I said: ‘What are you doing, it is the semis?’ He said he had to push me.
“I was a bit lazy, I don’t know why, but I executed it.”
Gatlin falls short again
Gatlin is a divisive figure in athletics, having returned to the sport after serving two bans.
He claimed Olympic bronze at London 2012 and silver behind Bolt in the 2015 World Championships.
After missing out on 100m gold on Sunday, he fell short in the 200m after appearing to lose focus when he glanced across the track 60 metres from the finish.
Gatlin, who ran 19.75 last month – the second fastest time of the year, said afterwards he had been hampered by an ankle injury.
“I’m happy to still be here for the relays,” he said. “My ankle is giving me a lot of problems. I can’t run properly and I had a tight turn in lane three.”
Gemili determined to ‘push on’
Gemili, 22, was third in 20.08, with his place in the final confirmed following the third semi-final.
“I really tightened up. I’m in a lot better shape than 20.08. I was really disappointed seeing that,” he said.
“But that’s a good thing I suppose that I’m not satisfied with that and I will go and push on.”
His team-mate Danny Talbot clocked a personal best 20.25, the same time as Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, but it was not enough for either to go through.
The top two in each semi-final qualified automatically, along with the two fastest losers.

Sports

Rivers International Marathon To Celebrate Fubara’s One Year

Published

4 days ago

May 22, 2024

The Tide

Former Nigeria international goalkeeper, Peterside Idah says next month’s Rivers International Marathon will be used to celebrate the one year anniversary of His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara as the Executive Governor of Rivers State. Idah, who is the race’s head of media and communications said the event could not have been better timed and organizers have keyed it into the one year celebration of Governor Fubara’s tenure. “We want to use this race to celebrate the one year anniversary of our Governor, Fubara who is the main reason Rivers State has been officially termed as the sports hub of the nation by John Enoh, the Minister of Sports Development,” Ida said. Continuing, Idah revealed that the Rivers International Marathon has received massive backing from Governor Fubara as well as corporate Nigeria. “Governor Fubara is the biggest supporter of the race and we are determined to organise a race befitting the status of Rivers state as the new destination of sort for sports in Nigeria,” Idah stated, adding two financial institutions have thrown their weight behind the race. “Globus and Zenith bank are backing us as partners and this shows that corporate Nigeria is appreciating the giant strides we have taken in terms of sports development and the many benefits that come with organizing a road race.

Sports

BAL : Rivers Hoopers Arrive Rwanda, Attend Playoff

Published

4 days ago

May 22, 2024

The Tide

Nigeria’s representatives at the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL), Rivers Hoopers on Sunday landed in Kigali, Rwanda ahead of the competition which dunks off on May 24th .
The Tidesports source hinted: “The KingsMen have arrived in Kigali, Rwanda for the Playoffs. Dakar was good, Kigali be great.”
The KingsMen will face AS Douanes of Senegal in one of the four seeding games in the playoffs in Kigali on May 24th.
The two teams played against each other twice in the Sahara Conference that ended last week in Dakar, Senegal with each winning one game apiece.
The winner between Hoopers and AS Douanes (Game 40) will play against the winner between Petro de Luanda (Angola) and US Monastir of Tunisia (Game 39) in the semi-final, while the loser of the tie will square up against the loser of Game 39 in the quarter final.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s hip-hop star, Adekunle Kosoko aka Adekunle Gold and AG Baby, are among the list of top celebrities who will perform at the 2024 African Basketball League playoffs in Kigali.
The finals usually attract top celebrities from both the sports and music community And this time around, BAL 4 playoffs will feature performances by local and international acts, including the likes of Nigeria’s Adekunle Gold and Rwanda’s very own The Ben, Chris Eazy, Ish Kevin, Kevin Kade, Ariel Wayz, Kivumbi King, Bwiza, Ishami Talent, Inganzi Ngari cultural troupe and Kenny Sol.
The selected artists will perform during the halftime shows of the finals. Globally with special performances to spice up the halftime show atmosphere.

Sports

WAFU U-17: Togo, Nigeria Clash Must-Win For Garba

Published

4 days ago

May 22, 2024

The Tide

Golden Eaglets head coach, Manu Garba, is leaving no margin for errors in ensuring the team beat Togo today in their second Group B match of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Cup of Nations in Ghana.The record five-time world champions made a stuttering start to their campaign with a barren draw against Burkina Faso at the University of Ghana on Thursday, but boosted their title defence with a 1-0 win over Niger Republic on Sunday at same venue, with Raphael Adams’ 31st-minute strike separating both sides.
Nigeria are second in the group with four points, the same as Burkina Faso, who have their nose in front on a superior goal difference. Garba looks to finish at the top of the pile and has declared their last group game against the young Hawks another must-win.
“The Golden Eaglets will have to beat Togo on today. The Togo U-17 team is good, and Nigeria will not underrate them,” Garba saider Alleged N8bn Air Fraud, Food PricOthers
“We have trained the players on goal-scoring drills. Nigeria should have scored three goals against Niger. So, we hope that the players will convert more of their chances against Togo,” he added.
Niger are in the third position with three points from their 3-2 win over Togo, who, though rock bottom, are not pushovers but largely undone by errors.
The tournament, running from May 15 to 29, will see the top two teams from the group facing the best teams from Group A, which includes Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, and Benin Republic, in the semi-final.
The two countries that qualify for the final will represent the region at next year’s U-17 African Cup of Nations.