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Tuesday August 15, 2017

YANG JIAYU raced to gold in a thrilling fi nish to the 20-kilo-meter walk at the world cham-pionships in London on Sunday but her compatriot Lyu Xiuzhi learned she had been dramati-cally disqualifi ed when meters away from winning the bronze medal.

Yang upped the pace over the last 100 meters on the Mall to power away from Mexico’s Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez and fi nish a mere one second clear in 1 hour 26 minutes 18 seconds, a superb triumph for the 21-year-old in her maiden senior championship.

Yet Lyu, perhaps the favorite for the title, did not realize she had already received a third red card for a late infringement — meaning automatic disquali-fi cation — as she was still racing home just behind Gonzalez.

As she was less than 20 meters from the line believing the bronze medal was in her grasp, a senior offi cial stepped out in front of her to confi rm her disqualifi cation.

It meant that Antonella Palmi-sano, who had been broken by the leading trio just as they started the last of the 10 two-kilometer loops between Admiralty Arch and Buckingham Palace on the Mall came home for the bronze in 1:26.36, Italy’s fi rst medal of the championships. “I feel really excited,” said Yang. “I started race walking at the age of 14. Now I hope to be the future of race walking in China.”

Yet she had time to spare a thought for her disqualifi ed teammate. “I feel sorry for Lyu. Maybe she’ll get to win a competi-tion soon,” Yang said.

The result was also tough on former boxer Gonzalez, who had also missed out on gold at last year’s Rio Olympics by just two seconds. Her consolation was in becoming only the second Mexican woman to medal at the world championships after Ana Guevara, the former 400 meters champion. (SD-Agencies)

Yang takes 20km walk gold amid Mall drama

Yang Jiayu of China crosses the fi nish line to win the gold medal in the women’s 20-kilometer walk event at the IAAF world championships on the Mall in central London on Sunday. SD-Agencies

CRISTIANO RONALDO made a big impact in his truncated appearance at Camp Nou on Sunday, scoring a goal before being sent off in Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Barcelona in the fi rst leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

Ronaldo went on in the 58th minute and scored with a beautiful strike to make it 2-1 in the 80th, earning a yellow card for taking off his shirt to fl ex his muscles at Barcelona’s faithful.

But that defi ant pose turned into a petulant pout two minutes later when Ronaldo was booked again for diving in the area fol-lowing contact with Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti.

Ronaldo gave the referee a push in the back after seeing the red card that means he will miss Wednesday’s return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said that the club would consider appealing Ronaldo’s second booking to the Spanish soccer federation.

“We played a great match. What bothers me is the sending off of Cristiano,” Zidane said. “Maybe it wasn’t a penalty, but the card is a bit too much.”

After Madrid went ahead in the 50th from an own-goal by Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, Lionel Messi equal-ized for Barcelona in the 77th from the penalty spot. Messi was given the chance to take his “clasico” goal record to 24 against Madrid when Luis Suarez was fouled by goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Ronaldo sent off in win over Barca

While Ronaldo’s goal was a blow, substitute Marco Asen-sio’s 90th-minute strike — with Madrid down to 10 men — left Barcelona in a deep hole for the second leg.

“I am not going to play this down, we are happy with the result. But of course it is not over,” Zidane said. “We are going to enjoy this today, because it is something to enjoy, and tomor-row we will think about the game Wednesday.”

While Zidane’s Madrid took a big step to a second title to start the season after beating Man-chester United in the European

Super Cup, it was a dismal debut for Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde.

Barcelona had hoped to show that, with Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta, it could still com-pete with Madrid despite having Brazil star Neymar plucked away by Paris Saint-Germain on a world-record transfer last week.

Valverde opted to start Gerard Deulofeu in Neymar’s spot on the left side, and the contrast with Neymar was clear. The forward lacked the natural talent and expert timing that Neymar had developed over four seasons with Messi and Suarez up front,

and Barcelona attacked better after midfi elder Denis Suarez replaced Deulofeu early in the second half.

“We don’t like to lose, espe-cially against Madrid, and especially when there is a title at stake,” Valverde said. “We are hurting after a loss like this, but we have to regroup and get ready for the next match.”

The defeat leaves Barcelona under pressure to spend at least part of the record 222 mil-lion euros (US$262 million) it received from PSG for Neymar before the market closes at the end of the month. (SD-Agencies)

NEYMAR put together a fantas-tic debut for his Paris Saint-Ger-main (PSG) debut, scoring a goal and dishing out an assist in a 3-0 win against Guingamp in Ligue 1 action Sunday.

On the road and getting the start on his fi rst game in a PSG uniform, the Brazilian dazzled in his fi rst minutes since arriv-ing from Barcelona.

Camera phones followed Neymar everywhere.

But the soccer world wanted to watch the most expensive player ever. And it watched as he, Edinson Cavani and Angel Di Maria formed a fearsome South American front line that at times seemed to be running circles around their overmatched opponents.

Guingamp held out for 45 minutes, but conceded on a hilariously haphazard own goal on a misplaced back pass early in the second half.

Neymar then produced a magical assist to set up Cavani for PSG’s second.

The Brazilian was busy all night. He often drifted inside, picked up the ball centrally in between the lines, and played the role of creator. He skipped past defenders at will. He really

Neymar shines in PSG debut

should have had an assist late in the fi rst half, but Marquinos’ header hit the bar. But Neymar eventually got his assist, and later got his goal when he stabbed home Cavani’s cross.

Logistical delays prevented Neymar from making his PSG debut last weekend after moving to Paris from Barcelona for a world-record US$263 million fee. But once he got on the fi eld, there was no denying him his goal. And based on the level of competition he’ll be facing week in and week out in France, it should be the fi rst of many. (SD-Agencies)

JUSTIN THOMAS made two spectacular birdies in the fi nal six holes Sunday to win the PGA Championship, the 14th-ranked American taking his fi rst Major title in a back-nine shootout thriller.

On a day that saw fi ve play-ers share the lead at one stage, Thomas fi red a three-under 68 to fi nish 72 holes on eight-under 276 for a two-stroke victory over South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen (70), Italy’s Francesco Molinari (67) and American Patrick Reed (67).

Hideki Matsuyama, seeking to become the fi rst man from Japan to win a Major, held the lead briefl y mid-round before fading with three consecutive bogeys from the 11th. He carded 72 and fi nished three shots behind with American Rickie Fowler (67).

“The course played tough. The pins were receptive, though. I was just disappointed the way I played,” Matsuyama said. “The last Major of the year, and I was in contention. All I can do is just try harder next time.”

Overnight leader Kevin Kisner (74) fi nished four shots back with Canada’s Graham DeLaet (69).

“I knew no matter what my game was at, I had to be patient,”

Thomas wins PGA Championship

Thomas said. “I knew I had the game to get it done. I just had to put it out there.”

Thomas claimed the Wana-maker Trophy and grabs the top prize of US$1.89 million (US$2.57 million) for his fourth victory of the season after last year’s CIMB Classic in Malay-sia and two January events in Hawaii, the Tournament of Champions and Sony Open.

One of the longest drivers on tour, he had come into the fi nal Major of the year ranked 14th in the world.

(SD-Agencies)

Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani (bottom) is congratulated by teammate Neymar after scoring against Guingamp in Guingamp on Sunday.

SD-Agencies

Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) gestures after receiving a red card by referee Ricardo de Burgos Ben-goetxea during the Spanish Super Cup match against Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday. SD-Agencies

Justin Thomas of the United States cel-ebrates with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2017 PGA Champi-onship in Charlotte, the United States, on Sunday. SD-Agencies