Tokyo Olympics Day 8 Review: Kylie Masse continues Canada's success in the pool - Yahoo Canada Sports

The majority of action during the Tokyo Olympics happens when most Canadians are fast asleep. While you were cozy in your bed, however, members of Team Canada were making their push for the podium.

Here's what you missed from Day 8 of the Summer Games:

Women's 200m Backstroke Swimming: Kylie Masse takes home second silver of Olympics

Swimming in the women's 200m backstroke, Masse earned a time of 2:05.42 to bring home silver, and a new national record for Canada.

Also finishing on the podium were Australia's Kaylee McKeown and Emily Seebohm. McKeown raced to a time of 2:04.68 while Seebohm finished with a time of 2:06.17.

This medal marks the second Masse has won at the Tokyo Games, as the Canadian also earned silver in the women's 100m backstroke.

"I know I have high expectations of myself, but I'm really happy to have gotten on the podium a second time at an Olympic Games," Masse said.

She now has three all-time medals at the Olympics as she also earned bronze in the women's 100m Backstroke at Rio 2016.

Impressively, Canada has now earned six medals in the pool at these Olympics, and all are from women.

Women's 400m Hurdles: Sage Watson claims spot in semifinal

Racing to a time of 55.54 seconds, Watson tied Italy's Linda Olivieri to finish 17th in Round 1. She'll now race in Semifinal 1. Fellow Canadian Noel Montcalm finished 24th but did not qualify for the semi.

Women's Rugby Sevens: Canada defeats Kenya to finish ninth

The Canadian women defeated Kenya 24-10 to finish ninth in the tournament.

Men's 800m: Marco Arop advances to semifinal

Arop finished with a time of 1:45.26 to finish eighth in Round 1 which qualified him for the semi. Fellow Canadian Brandon McBride earned a time of 1:46.32 but did not earn a lane in the next round.

Men's Individual Golf: Mackenzie Hughes puts forward solid Round 3

Hughes shot six-under-par to finish fourth during Round 3 at the Kasumigaseki Country Club. He and his fellow Canadian Corey Conners are tied for 17th in the tournament after three rounds. United States golfer Xander Schauffele currently owns the lead with a score of -14.

Women's 3m Springboard Diving: Jennifer Abel qualifies for final

With a total of 341.40, Abel finished third in the semifinal to secure a spot in the final. She only trailed Chinese divers Wang Han and Shi Tingmao during the round. Canadian Pamela Ware finished 18th and did not advance to the final.

Men's 100m: Andre De Grasse surges to semifinal

Finishing with a blazing time of 9.91 seconds, the fastest in Round 1, De Grasse earned himself a spot in the semi. Fellow Canadians Gavin Smellie and Bismark Boateng finished 51st and 52nd respectively which wasn't good enough to qualify for the next round. De Grasse will next compete on Day 9 of the Olympics.

Kylie Masse and Andre De Grasse put forward sellar performances on Day 8 of the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty)

Men's 96kg Weightlifting: Boady Santavy narrowly misses podium

Lifting a combined weight of 386kg, Santavy finished fourth in the men's 96kg final. Georgia's Anton Plyesnoy and Venezuela's Keydomar Vallenilla tied by lifting a total weight of 387kg, a result which awarded Plyesnoy silver and Vallenilla bronze. Qatar's Fares Ibrahim Elbakh earned gold by lifting an Olympic record of 402kg.

Santavy lifted the most of any competitor during the snatch lift, clearing 178kg.

Way Beyond Gold: Tony Hawk has to explain Margielyn Didal's joke to reporter

22-year-old Marigelyn Didal of the Philippines competed in the first-ever skateboarding event at the Olympics after winning gold at the Asian Games in 2018. During the Tokyo Games, Didal got to take a photo with one of the legends of the sport, Tony Hawk.

On social media, Didal jokingly captioned the photo "this guy asked me to take a photo with him and I let him because he looks like Tony Hawk."

The joke seemed pretty apparent, but apparently, one reporter didn't quite catch on.

"I was asked during an interview today," Hawk started. "How does it feel to go to the Olympics and not be recognized by competing skaters, like Margielyn Didal?" So I had to explain that she was joking with her caption. My life is weird."

Hawk, one of the most famous names in the game, definitely knows how to take things lightly.

How many medals has Canada won in the Summer Olympics?

Canada is now up to 12 medals in Tokyo heading into Day 9.

Gold: Margaret Mac Neil (women's 100m butterfly), Maude Charron (weightlifting, women's 64kg), Women's Eight Rowing

Silver: Women's 4x100m freestyle relay, Jennifer Abel and Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu (women's 3m synchronized springboard), Kylie Masse (women's 100m backstroke), Kylie Masse (women's 200m backstroke)

Bronze: Jessica Klimkait (judo, women's under-57 kg), Softball, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (judo, women's 63kg), Penny Oleksiak (women's 200m freestyle), Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens (women's pair rowing)

More from Yahoo Sports

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiiQFodHRwczovL2NhLnNwb3J0cy55YWhvby5jb20vbmV3cy90b2t5by1vbHltcGljcy0yMDIxLXRva3lvLW9seW1waWNzLWRheS04LXJldmlldy1reWxpZS1tYXNzZS1jb250aW51ZXMtc3VjY2Vzcy1pbi10aGUtcG9vbC0xNTMxMDAzODkuaHRtbNIBkQFodHRwczovL2NhLnNwb3J0cy55YWhvby5jb20vYW1waHRtbC9uZXdzL3Rva3lvLW9seW1waWNzLTIwMjEtdG9reW8tb2x5bXBpY3MtZGF5LTgtcmV2aWV3LWt5bGllLW1hc3NlLWNvbnRpbnVlcy1zdWNjZXNzLWluLXRoZS1wb29sLTE1MzEwMDM4OS5odG1s?oc=5

2021-07-31 15:31:00Z
52781766345115

Ledecky, Dressel star for US; Japan’s baseball team advances - Sportsnet.ca

TOKYO - Katie Ledecky made more history for the U.S. in the pool. Same for Caeleb Dressel.

Elaine Thompson-Herah made her history on the track.

Ledecky won the 800-meter freestyle, finishing her grueling Olympic program with a third straight victory in a race she hasn't lost since 2010. Dressel captured his third gold medal of the Tokyo Games with a world record in the 100-meter butterfly.

The 24-year-old Ledecky became the first female swimmer to earn six individual gold medals in her career. She won two golds and two silvers in Tokyo.

Dressel still has some work to do.

The world's greatest swimmer advanced in the men's freestyle semifinals with the top final time of 21.42 seconds. But Dressel lost out on another medal opportunity when he had to rally the U.S. to a fifth-place finish from the anchor leg of the new 4x100-meter mixed medley.

The Australian women added another gold when Kaylee McKeown completed a sweep of the backstroke events with a victory in the 200. Britain's team of Kathleen Dawson, Adam Peaty, James Guy and Anna Hopkin claimed the gold in the new mixed relay with a world record of 3:37.58.

Thompson-Herah broke Florence Griffith Joyner's 33-year-old Olympic record in the women's 100 meters, pointing at the scoreboard even before crossing the line in 10.61 seconds Saturday to defend her title and lead a Jamaican sweep of the medals.

Griffith Joyner set the old record of 10.62 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Thompson-Herah beat her top rival, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, by .13 seconds. Shericka Jackson, who moved to the shorter sprints for the Tokyo Olympics, won bronze in 10.76.

No Olympic champion had broken 10.7 since Flo Jo back in the day. Thompson-Herah wasn't sure she would either as she approached the finish. But ``I knew that I won,'' she said.

``The pointing, I don't know what it means. To show that I was clear,'' she said.

HOOP DREAMS

The U.S. men's basketball team is headed to the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Games. Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Kevin Durant added 23 and the U.S. defeated the Czechs 119-84 to clinch a berth in the knockout stage.

Zach LaVine scored 13 points and Jrue Holiday had 11 for the U.S. The Americans shot 7 for 20 in the first quarter _ then made 33 of 44 shots over the next 26 minutes, including a staggering 21 for 25 start to the second half.

The U.S. finished second behind France in Group A, but will join the French, Australia and the winner of Sunday's game between Slovenia and Spain as a top-four seed for Tuesday's quarterfinals based on FIBA's tiebreaker system that includes point differential.

Blake Schilb scored 17 for the Czech Republic, which led by 10 early and was still up 60-54 midway through the third quarter.

EMPTY-HANDED

Novak Djokovic is leaving the Tokyo Olympics without any medals.

The top-ranked Djokovic lost his cool and abused his racket several times during a 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in the bronze medal match of the tennis tournament.

It was Djokovic's third defeat in two days and it came less than 24 hours after he was beaten by Alexander Zverev of Germany in the semifinals. That ended his bid for a Golden Slam, which is winning all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold in the same year.

Djokovic, who also lost with Serbian partner Nina Stojanovic in the mixed doubles semifinals on Friday, played a total of 16 sets over seven matches in four days.

He was due back on court later Saturday for one final match in Tokyo. He and Stojanovic were scheduled to face the Australian duo of Ash Barty and John Peers for the bronze medal in mixed doubles. But Djokovic withdrew from that match citing a left shoulder injury _ handing the bronze medal to Australia.

OH SO CLOSE

Xander Schauffele is 18 holes away from a gold medal, and the podium still feels a long way off.

Schauffele, a 27-year-old American golfer whose mother was raised in Japan, didn't have a lot go his way until he finished on a strong note, firing a 9-iron to within 3 feet for a birdie and a 68 to keep his one-shot lead at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

Hideki Matsuyama is right behind Schauffele after the Japanese star finished a 7-under 64 in the rain-delayed second round and then posted a 67. Joining them in the final group is Paul Casey, who shot a 66 in his bid to keep the Olympic gold medal in golf with Britain.

Justin Rose won the gold in Rio de Janeiro, marking golf's return to the Olympic program after a 112-year absence. It came down to Rose and Henrik Stenson in Rio. This time, eight players were separated by three shots.

SCARY SITUATION

BMX rider Connor Fields was transferred from the intensive care unit at a Tokyo hospital to a high-level care wing one day after a horrific crash during the semifinals of the Olympic race left him laying motionless on the asphalt.

The 28-year-old from Las Vegas sustained a brain hemorrhage in the crash, and the Olympic neurosurgeon was on standby in case surgery was needed to relieve pressure on his brain. But the most recent CT scan showed no additional brain injury, USA Cycling said in a statement, and doctors are confident that Fields will not need surgery.

The gold medalist at the Rio de Janeiro Games, Fields also sustained a collapsed lung and broken ribs in the crash.

WINNING

Red Sox prospect Triston Casas hit a two-run homer, Nick Allen also went deep and the United States beat defending champion South Korea 4-2 to finish the group stage of the Olympic baseball tournament with a 2-0 record.

Nick Martinez, who left the major leagues for Japan after the 2017 season, struck out nine in five innings. Scott McGough, Edwin Jackson, Anthony Gose and David Robertson finished a five-hitter for the Americans, who struck out 14.

The United States, which beat Israel 8-1 in its opener, earned Sunday off as the Group B winner. It plays Japan on Monday night in the start of a double-elimination second stage. South Korea faces the Dominican Republic on Sunday.

Japan beat Mexico 7-4 to win Group A in the sport's first appearance at the Olympics since 2008.

Former Central League MVP Tetsuto Yamada broke it open with a three-run homer in Yokohama, and Hayato Sakamoto went deep off former big league pitcher Manny Banuelos. Yamada finished with four RBIs.

Joey Meneses, a 29-year-old in Double-A with Boston and the 2018 International League MVP, had three RBIs for Mexico, including a two-run homer in the eighth off Kaima Taira.

JUST FOR KICKS

Mikel Oyarzabal helped Spain into a second semifinal in a month. Brazil remains on track for a quick return to another final.

With youthful squads, Olympic men's soccer lacks the status of the European Championship or Copa America. The Tokyo Games still offer the chance for the countries to collect trophies this year.

The Spanish were taken by Ivory Coast to extra time before winning 5-2, with the go-ahead goal scored from a penalty by Oyarzabal, who also netted the winning spot-kick in a shootout in the Euro 2020 quarterfinals. The continental semifinal was lost to Italy. Now a more youthful Spain squad will be hoping to find a way past Japan, which was taken to penalties by New Zealand before winning the shootout 4-2.

The gold medalist on home soil in 2016, Brazil continued its title defense with a 1-0 victory over Egypt secured by Matheus Cunha's low strike in the 37th minute.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiYGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9vbHltcGljcy9hcnRpY2xlL2xlZGVja3ktZHJlc3NlbC1zdGFyLXVzLWphcGFucy1iYXNlYmFsbC10ZWFtLWFkdmFuY2VzL9IBX2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9vbHltcGljcy9sZWRlY2t5LWRyZXNzZWwtc3Rhci11cy1qYXBhbnMtYmFzZWJhbGwtdGVhbS1hZHZhbmNlcy9zbi1hbXAv?oc=5

2021-07-31 13:46:00Z
52781755972776

Maple Leafs sign Nick Ritchie to toughen roster - Toronto Sun

Article content

The Maple Leafs continue another attempt to toughen up for the playoffs by adding some muscle to their Core Four.

Article content

Latest to come aboard Saturday morning was UFA left winger Nick Ritchie, whose return to his GTA birthplace has long been rumoured. The former Boston Bruin signed for two years with an AAV of $2.5 million US and could possibly fill the Zach Hyman vacancy on the first line.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Ritchie had 26 points in 56 regular season games with Boston, for which he played 19 post-season games in two years. That alone would give him seniority on a Toronto team that has stalled in the first round five straight springs.

Ritchie also did well with his draft team, the Anaheim Ducks, taken 10th overall in the 2014, two spots behind William Nylander, one of the Leafs’ centrepieces whose large salaries have prevented more well-known UFAs from fitting under Toronto’s cap.

Article content

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Speaking of that, the Ritchie signing and that of forward Ondrej Kase late Friday night puts the club over $81.5 million, but that’s allowable in the off-season. Ritchie joins Michael Bunting and Kurtis Gabriel among a number of budget signings of players who general manager Kyle Dubas hopes will show a passion through 82 regular games and into playoffs.

The additions of Wayne Simmonds and Joe Thornton last season clearly were not enough. Ritchie has a high penalty minutes total and a couple of league suspensions, but rarely crosses the line. Primarily groomed with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, he spent a final junior year with Dubas’s beloved Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, showing the Soo Flu permeating the Leafs’ roster and hockey office shows no signs of abating.

Article content

In six NHL seasons between the Bruins and Ducks, Orangeville native Ritchie has 137 points in 350 regular season games and appeared in 38 playoff contests. He was also on Canada’s 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship squad. Older brother Brett is with the Calgary Flames.

In a Zoom call with the media, Ritchie said once he wasn’t qualified by Boston and unexpectedly found himself on the market, a Leafs deal came together quickly.

“I got to talk to some teams, but definitely the lure of Toronto, how good of a team they have and being from here was part of the decision. It’s a dream to play for a hometown team.

“Knowing (Dubas and Soo coach Sheldon Keefe) made things more comfortable. Lots of teams were interested, but I chose what I thought was the best team and best fit at this stage of my career. You want to play with good players and there’s lots on the Leafs. I’ll have a good summer (training) and see where the chips fall (with a regular line).

“This has been a great team for a few years, I know they have not got the reward of winning a close series. Sometimes in hockey, that’s the way it goes. You have to lose a few times before you get over that hump and it’s at that point now that the team is ready to take that next step. Hopefully I can help.”

lhornby@postmedia.com

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vdG9yb250b3N1bi5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvdG9yb250by1tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy9tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy1zaWduLW5pY2stcml0Y2hpZS10by10b3VnaGVuLXJvc3RlctIBmgFodHRwczovL3Rvcm9udG9zdW4uY29tL3Nwb3J0cy9ob2NrZXkvbmhsL3Rvcm9udG8tbWFwbGUtbGVhZnMvbWFwbGUtbGVhZnMtc2lnbi1uaWNrLXJpdGNoaWUtdG8tdG91Z2hlbi1yb3N0ZXIvd2NtL2ZmZTkyOGRjLWY5OTgtNDc3Mi1iM2YzLTBhOTUzNjI3MjM1ZC9hbXAv?oc=5

2021-07-31 14:32:22Z
52781762372590

By adding Berrios, Blue Jays make big bet their best has yet to come - Sportsnet.ca

TORONTO – As the American League East got progressively tougher in the days leading up to the July 30 trade deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays knew the challenge in front of them was only going to intensify.

Not only would they have to overcome a 4.5-game deficit in the race for the AL’s second wild-card berth, they’d be attempting to do so in a division now featuring Nelson Cruz on the Tampa Bay Rays, Kyle Schwarber on the Boston Red Sox and Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo on the New York Yankees.

In a division with four legitimate contenders, the Blue Jays needed to make some improvements of their own, so they kept making calls on a wide range of potential targets, some more ambitious than others. As they continued engaging with sellers around baseball, the Blue Jays realized without a doubt they had enough prospects to upgrade the big-league team in a meaningful way.

“We were confident that we had talent that was coveted by the industry and if we wanted to make a decision like this we would be able to,” GM Ross Atkins said after the deadline passed. “So there were enough things presented to us that we felt confident we’d be able to make the team better.”

Many of those trade possibilities advanced, with somewhere between five and 15 deals getting reasonably close in Atkins’ estimation. Eventually most of those discussions stalled out, but by Thursday they had traction with the Minnesota Twins. On Friday morning those talks led to a deal: the Blue Jays agreed to send top prospects Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson to Minnesota for Jose Berrios.

Around baseball, industry observers agreed it’s a significant price, but it’s worth noting both Martin and Woods Richardson have seen their stock dip slightly since beginning the year as consensus top-100 prospects. Plus, sellers did exceptionally well on deadline day with considerable returns across the board.

“Prices were high this year, but I think they should be,” one executive said. “You’re trading established impact major-league talent, you should get legit prospects back.”

A second executive suggested Martin’s overrated within the industry but still believed the Blue Jays paid too much. A third applauded the Blue Jays for improving their team so dramatically.

Regardless, what matters most to the Blue Jays is now Berrios. A two-time all-star, he’s a legitimate frontline starter who should will help the Blue Jays’ chances of reaching the post-season and figure prominently in their playoff rotation if they get that far. Even if they miss the playoffs – still a real possibility despite the flurry of activity that also landed the Blue Jays relievers Brad Hand and Joakim Soria – Berrios will return in 2022.

By then, Martin will likely be on the cusp of the majors for the Twins and if he realizes the potential that made him the fifth overall selection in last year’s draft, the scales will start balancing out. Yet the short-term impact all belongs to the Blue Jays with Berrios set to arrive in Toronto at some point this weekend. Ideally, he’d start Sunday and provide the kind of impact down the stretch that David Price did six years ago.

With a 3.48 ERA, 9.3 strikeouts per nine and 2.4 walks per nine over 121.2 innings, Berrios certainly has that kind of potential. The Blue Jays are even hopeful the right-hander can help ease pressure on the bullpen by consistently logging innings once he joins his new team.

“I feel good about it,” he said via Zoom Friday. “They’re competing and trying to get back to the playoffs. I’m so happy to be part of that. They’ve got a good group of young players.”

At 27, Berrios is one of them. And unlike Price, who was purely a rental, Berrios will impact the Blue Jays’ roster for multiple playoff runs. Not that the front office was opposed to the idea of using the prospect depth they’ve accumulated in recent years on a short-term addition.

“It’s hard to say in a vacuum whether or not we would have moved a top-10 (minor-league) player for someone with only two months of being a Toronto Blue Jay,” Atkins said. “But we considered it for sure and it was in front of us as an opportunity. It wasn’t a hard no. We weren’t saying ‘absolutely not.’ Everything’s just a bit of a balance.”

Because the Blue Jays also get Berrios for 2022, they have multiple chances to make the most of his ability on the mound. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

They paid such a significant price because of the expectation that Berrios will help make the most of the opportunity that exists right now. Vlad Guerrero Jr. might not have an MVP-calibre season every year. Robbie Ray and Marcus Semien might not return in 2022. But adding another star-calibre pitcher to this group gives them a real chance this summer.

On a talented team that’s underperformed its potential so far, that sets up an intriguing couple of months in baseball’s toughest division.

“Being in the middle of that is where you want to be,” Atkins said. “We believe we haven’t played our best baseball yet and hopefully those days are here upon us.”

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiWWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9tbGIvYXJ0aWNsZS9hZGRpbmctYmVycmlvcy1ibHVlLWpheXMtbWFrZS1iaWctYmV0LWJlc3QteWV0LWNvbWUv0gFYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3BvcnRzbmV0LmNhL21sYi9hZGRpbmctYmVycmlvcy1ibHVlLWpheXMtbWFrZS1iaWctYmV0LWJlc3QteWV0LWNvbWUvc24tYW1wLw?oc=5

2021-07-31 13:16:00Z
52781761658883

Maple Leafs Sign Forward Nick Ritchie - Ottawa Senators

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Nick Ritchie to a two-year contract. The contract carries an annual average value of $2.5 million.

Ritchie, 25, collected 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 56 regular season games before adding four points (one goal, three assists) in 11 playoff games with the Boston Bruins last season. Over the course of six NHL seasons between the Bruins and Anaheim Ducks, the Orangeville, Ontario native has registered 137 points (59 goals, 78 assists) in 350 regular season games while recording nine points (six goals, three assists) in 38 postseason contests.

In international competition, Ritchie captured a gold medal with Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Ritchie was originally selected by Anaheim in the first round (10th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
 

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiVWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5obC5jb20vbWFwbGVsZWFmcy9uZXdzL21hcGxlLWxlYWZzLXNpZ24tZm9yd2FyZC1uaWNrLXJpdGNoaWUvYy0zMjU4ODU3NzbSAQA?oc=5

2021-07-31 13:31:00Z
52781762372590

Women's Volleyball - Japan vs Republic of Korea - Preliminary Round - CBC.ca

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

1. Women's Volleyball - Japan vs Republic of Korea - Preliminary Round  CBC.ca
2. 3 athletes with Refugee Olympic Team to resettle in Canada  CBC News: The National
3. Canada's Hughes, Conners struggle before men's Tokyo Olympic golf stopped due to rain  The Globe and Mail
4. While You Were Sleeping: Canada's 11th medal, heart-stopping penalty shootout  CBC.ca
5. Canadians struggle in second round; Schauffele, McIlroy in contention  TSN
6. View Full coverage on Google News

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiLGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNiYy5jYS9wbGF5ZXIvcGxheS8xOTI3NzEwMjc1NzY40gEA?oc=5

2021-07-31 10:02:36Z
52781761321463

Nigerian sprinter Okagbare out of Olympics after testing positive for human growth hormone - CBC.ca

Nigerian sprinter and 2008 Olympics long jump silver medallist Blessing Okagbare on Saturday was provisionally suspended after testing positive for human growth hormone before the Tokyo Olympics, the Athletics Integrity Unit said in a statement.

The 32-year old, who has also won world championship medals in the 200-metre and the long jump and is competing in her fourth Olympics, had comfortably won her 100-metre heat on Friday with a time of 11.05 seconds, qualifying for Saturday's semifinal.

She was also due to compete in the 200, and the 4x100-metre relay.

"The athlete was notified of the adverse analytical finding and of her provisional suspension this morning in Tokyo," the AIU said.

The unit said she tested positive in an out-of-competition test on July 19 and was informed of her suspension on Saturday.

This is the latest blow for Nigeria's athletics team after 10 track-and-field athletes were ruled as ineligible for the Tokyo Games three days ago for failing to meet minimum testing requirements.

Bring on the cheers

Find live streams, must-watch video highlights, breaking news and more in one perfect Olympic Games package. Following Team Canada has never been easier or more exciting.

More from Tokyo 2020

On the list of banned substances, human growth hormone reduces body fat, increases muscle mass and strength and helps in recovery, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Okagbare's silver medal from the Beijing Games was a result of her being upgraded in 2017 after the International Olympic Committee disqualified Russian athlete Tatyana Lebedeva due to a doping offence. She had originally finished third in that long jump competition.

WATCH | The 100-metre dash, explained:

The 100m dash is the most electrifying 10 seconds in sports. Usain Bolt and Florence Griffith Joyner have been on top of the world for years, being the earth's fastest humans. But how fast can humans really run, and have we reached our peak? 7:06

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNiYy5jYS9zcG9ydHMvb2x5bXBpY3Mvc3VtbWVyL3RyYWNrYW5kZmllbGQvdHJhY2svbmlnZXJpYW4tc3ByaW50ZXItYmxlc3Npbmctb2thZ2JhcmUtYmFubmVkLWRydWctdGVzdC0xLjYxMjUxNDnSASBodHRwczovL3d3dy5jYmMuY2EvYW1wLzEuNjEyNTE0OQ?oc=5

2021-07-31 01:06:00Z
52781763018725

Rugby Canada fires coach over social media posts ridiculing the women sevens Olympic team - The Globe and Mail

Jamie Cudmore, captain of Canada's national rugby team, is pictured during practice at UBC in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Ben Nelms/The Globe and Mail

Rugby Canada fired Jamie Cudmore, a former star player in charge of developing the next generation of talent, on Friday for a series of social media posts belittling the women’s sevens team.

His posts took aim at the sevens squad for its disappointing performance at the Tokyo Olympics.

Much had been expected of the Canadian women in Tokyo, given their performance in Rio and the fact they were tied with Australia on points for second in the World Rugby Sevens Series standings when the pandemic shut down the season last year.

But the Canadian women lost to Fiji and France after beating Brazil to miss out on the quarter-finals. Their next game in Tokyo is for ninth place.

Cudmore, an enforcer in the rugby field during his playing days, served as an assistant coach with the Canadian men’s 15s team and ran Rugby Canada’s national development academy.

The fact that the comments came from within has added to a year of turmoil for the governing body and the sevens women, who launched a formal complaint in January under Rugby Canada’s bullying and harassment policy.

Cudmore apologized for the posts but was relieved of his duties soon after. Rugby Canada called the posts “unacceptable and in breach of organization policy.”

“It was an emotional event for a good friend and I let that get the better of me,” Cudmore said on Twitter. “I’ve always played/coached with my heart on my sleeve for this great country. I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone.”

The good friend is former sevens coach John Tait.

In the wake of the complaint filed by 37 current and former team members, an independent review concluded that while the conduct described in the complaint reflected the experiences of the athletes, it did not fall within Rugby Canada’s policy’s definition of harassment or bullying.

Tait, while maintaining he had done nothing wrong, subsequently stepped down.

A former Canadian international, Tait was one of Rugby Canada’s most successful coaches, leading the sevens team to the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.

The controversy has divided Rugby Canada, with most of Tait’s staff leaving.

It appears Cudmore could not resist taking a shot at the women given their Olympic performance under interim coach Mick Byrne.

“Karma is a bitch! #Survivorsmyass,” read a since-deleted Cudmore tweet.

“Rugby Canada stands with our women’s 7s athletes,” the governing body said in its initial response on social media. “We support the team in their efforts both on and off the rugby pitch and are proud of the way they have represented our country. Rugby Canada is aware of recent social media comments made about the team and worked to ensure they were removed as quickly as possible.

“Our organizational values include solidarity and respect, and everyone on our staff is expected to help create an inclusive environment for all. We condemn any inappropriate comments directed at the team and our leadership will be meeting to address this matter immediately.”

Rugby Canada upped the ante hours later, relieving Cudmore of his duties. CEO Allen Vansen said in a series of tweets that the organization had concluded “that immediate action must be taken.”

“Rugby Canada’s core values, including integrity and respect, must be exemplified in all our rugby programs and we are determined to promote a healthy, inclusive culture now and in future,” Rugby Canada board chair Sally Dennis said in the statement.

Cudmore won 43 caps for Canada, playing in both the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. The 6-foot-5, 257-pound lock forward is one of Canada’s most famous exports – a hard man on the rugby pitch who was no stranger to suspensions for taking matters into his own hands on the field.

Several of Cudmore’s deleted tweets were captured and posted by sevens player Charity Williams.

Canada's Charity Williams breaks away to score a try in the women's Pool B match between Team Canada and Team Brazil during the Rugby Sevens on Day 6 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Stadium on July 29, 2021.

Dan Mullan/Getty Images AsiaPac

“I wanted to take this moment to talk about our performance and how proud I am of this team beyond any result,” Williams wrote on Instagram. “Because I am, and what we accomplished this year is far greater than one weekend. What this team stands for and who we have become means that young female athletes across Canada can play their sport and feel safe. I’m proud of that.

“But instead I have to sit here once again and share what we’ve been going through as a team. The consistent hatred we have received from people in our own organization. I’m only sharing because this is what we have been dealing with for months. From private texts, to public stalking online and in person. The bullying and harassment that we have received for coming forward is outrageous and scary at times. This is the reason we called for an internal investigation because we haven’t been safe.”

In the wake of that probe, the players said they had been let down by Rugby Canada’s harassment and bullying policy – which has since been updated and replaced.

Rugby Canada says it plans a “detailed, independent review of all performance rugby programs starting next month with a goal of positioning teams for success in supportive, inclusive environments.”

Captain Ghislaine Landry also took to social media from Tokyo.

“We always knew this was about more than rugby, about more than one tournament, even if it’s the Olympics. We knew the last nine months might put our Olympic dream in jeopardy, we had that discussion as a group, and still the decision was clear. We were ready to put our dreams at risk for change.

“This has not been a distraction but it has taken a toll on us. And so, while we are heartbroken not to have been able to play our best, we are proud and united.”

In a statement released April 28, the players said their complaint “explained the psychological abuse, harassment and/or bullying these athletes feel they were subjected to in the centralized training environment.”

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMieWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWdsb2JlYW5kbWFpbC5jb20vc3BvcnRzL29seW1waWNzL2FydGljbGUtcnVnYnktY2FuYWRhLXJlbGlldmVzLWZvcm1lci1zdGFyLXBsYXllci1vZi1jb2FjaGluZy1kdXRpZXMtb3Zlci_SAQA?oc=5

2021-07-30 22:17:38Z
52781763832280

Blue Jays deliver uplifting victory in charged-up Rogers Centre homecoming - Sportsnet.ca

TORONTO — As he got ready to hit the sheets around 4:30 a.m. ET Friday morning, Ross Stripling looked out the window of his Rogers Centre hotel room at the field he’d be pitching on in about 15 hours’ time. He saw the big eggshell roof, the blue stands, the freshly laid turf. And then he saw the figure of a dreadlocked man miming his pitching motion up on the mound. Who is that? Is that Rafael Dolis?

“I’m like, ‘What is he doing?’ He’s just up there standing on the mound,” Stripling remembered. “Guys were just full of energy, really excited, pumped to be back. I mean, this has been a long time coming.”

And so began Opening Day in July. Flash forward to 3:30 p.m., only 12 hours after they’d arrived on Canadian soil from the longest road trip of their lives, and Blue Jays pitchers and catchers began trickling out of the club’s dugout for pre-game stretch. There was a buzz about them. An anticipation. An energy that sustained over a night none of them will forget.

Brad Hand, acquired in a trade with the Washington Nationals Thursday, introduced himself to new teammates. Alek Manoah, only eight starts into his major-league career, looked up at the clouds rolling overhead while the bass from a recently souped-up sound system reverberated around him. Danny Jansen, one of only five current Blue Jays to play more than sixty games in Toronto, caught long toss.

There was work to get done. A fresh playing surface meant a fresh round of fielding practice for the club’s pitchers, who worked on throwing comebackers to second base and covering first from a mound many of them have never competed on. All of Toronto’s infielders took an extended groundball session, as well, reacquainting themselves with big-league infield dirt. Outfielders shagged flyballs throughout batting practice, testing their sight lines, judging the open-roof carry, reading the flight of each ball into their gloves.

About a quarter after five, the stadium’s gates opened for the first time in 22 months, as fans in home whites, road greys, and alternate blues streamed down the aisles toward their seats, where they found masks and dark blue t-shirts bearing the date and the word “Home” beneath Toronto’s skyline. Meanwhile, the Cardboard cut-outs that stood in for them at Buffalo’s Sahlen Field during 2020’s abbreviated season lined the first several rows of 500 level bleachers behind home plate. Out in centre field, the flight deck began filling up with excited patrons, cans in hand.

“Just instantly, the second I was out of the dugout, people were cheering, screaming my name. The signs — it seemed like everyone had a sign: "Welcome Home." I was playing catch — I play catch real long before I pitch. So, I got all the way almost to right field. And people started screaming while I'm over there,” Stripling said. “The energy, I could feel it from the second I walked out of the dugout. And it only built as more people piled in and as the opening ceremonies got going.”

A little after 7:00pm, Blue Jays players, coaches, and staff jogged out onto the turf from an opening in the centre field wall, flanked by health care workers from Toronto General Hospital’s Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Pyrotechnic smoke machines erupted and a video tribute featuring thankful fans was played as a booming “Let’s go, Blue Jays!” chant broke out amongst the 13,446 in attendance around the 100 and 200 levels.

“I was looking at Vladdy, looking at Teo — everybody's looking at each other like, 'Man, I've got the chills. I'm holding back tears,’” said Bo Bichette, who was standing at second base, right in the middle of it. “It's hard to explain the feeling. We've just kind of been trying to pretend like we had a home. And it's difficult to do for two years. So, when we finally come back here, it feels like definitely a big weight off our shoulders.”

Salutes to the crowd; anthems sung with grace by Forte — Toronto Gay Men’s Chorus; first pitches thrown to the four Blue Jays all-stars by community members such as a TTC employee and a member of the East York Baseball Association; a gigantic Canadian flag unfurled across the outfield, as it always is on marquee days at Rogers Centre, held at its edges by 250 members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

An All-Star first pitch. #BlueJaysOnSN pic.twitter.com/bNjvxOMxLK

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 30, 2021

And then it was time to play ball. It’s what they all came out for, after all. What we’ve all been waiting 670 days to see. And the Blue Jays delivered in front of a lively, charged-up crowd for the first time in a long time, overcoming the Kansas City Royals, 6-3. Not a bad way to come home.

“It gave me goosebumps, it gave me chills,” said Stripling, who gave the Blue Jays 5.1 innings of two-run ball. “I mean, that'll be something that I talk about forever.”

All that anticipation, all that pre-game pageantry, all the zaniness of a chaotic trade deadline bled away as Stripling reached back and delivered a first-pitch strike, 90.4-m.p.h. up and over the plate. And then another — a slider that Royals leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield swung through down-and-away. The crowd came alive, not that it had ever really died down. And if Stripling had landed the next one, he would’ve felt them through his cleats.

But baseball isn’t played to a script. So, it took Stripling a few more pitches to get his first out in a three-up, three-down inning that ended with him walking back to the dugout as the place went nuts. And they really dialled it up when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stepped to the plate in the bottom half, chants of “MVP! MVP!” ringing around the dome as everyone rose to their feet. A pitch later, the 22-year-old ripped a 107-m.p.h. liner into right to give the Blue Jays their first hit at Rogers Centre since Luke Maile’s ninth-inning single on the final day of the 2019 season.

MVP! MVP! MVP! #BlueJaysOnSN pic.twitter.com/FSyMYsFtyp

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 30, 2021

The first run since that day came an inning later, when Teoscar Hernandez saw a fastball in his inner-half happy zone and took it off the facing of the third deck. And, oh, did he pimp it. Flicked the bat away like a used chopstick. He’s felt the sensation of a no-doubter in this place before.

Teoscar with the first in Toronto! #BlueJaysOnSN pic.twitter.com/3tmm1cwDUT

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 30, 2021

That was a moment. Another was George Springer’s two-out double later in the inning, which cashed Randal Grichuk from second base. And an even bigger one came in the third as Bichette, who’d stolen second a pitch earlier, shot around third base on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. single to left and flew headfirst into home plate ahead of the tag. Maybe through home plate is more accurate.

At that instant, it felt like they couldn’t lose. Not on this night. Not before this crowd. But it’ss never easy at this level, and Toronto’s bats went cold through middle innings as the Royals picked away at their lead. A run crossed with two out in the fifth, and Salvador Perez got another in the sixth with a solo shot off Stripling’s final pitch of the game. A crowd that’s waited nearly two years to cheer for something — anything — still gave him an ovation as he left the mound.

And Stripling did what the Blue Jays ask of him — take two trips through the lineup, finish five. He got 16 outs with 76 pitches, mixing fastballs with sliders and curveballs, while sneaking in a few surprise changeups that earned him three of his 10 swinging strikes. It was the kind of clean, effective start that’s he’s made time and again this season as an under-appreciated pillar at the back-end of Toronto’s rotation.

“He finds a way to get people out,” said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo. “And, honestly, he's been pitching with kind of a dead arm a little bit. He's not throwing 93-94. He's throwing 89-90. But he knows how to pitch, man. He knows how to keep you in the game. And that's what he did today.”

And while the building’s energy waned over middle-innings, it came surging back in the seventh as Alejandro Kirk led off with a single, Springer came up with his second double of the night, and Guerrero — back to his Juan Soto ways in the box, twirling his bat between pitches, tapping his foot and wagging his hips as he takes balls off the plate — walked to load the bases.

A run crossed quietly as Marcus Semien grounded into a double play. But then two crossed rather loudly as Bichette shot a line drive the opposite way that never came down, sneaking a two-run shot over the right field wall.

“Yeah, that was a good feeling,” Bichette said. “I think everybody in the lineup probably thought about hitting a home run today. So, to be able to do it was special. I'm sure I'll remember it for a long time.”

And of course it was Jordan Romano — Markham’s own — jogging out of the left field bullpen to close things out in the ninth. Sitting 97 and touching 100, Romano had to earn it as the Royals scratched across a run. But he had a defence behind him. Namely, Santiago Espinal, who bare-handed the final out of the game over his left shoulder, ending the night as memorably as it began.

ESPINAL MAKES THE BARE-HANDED CATCH.@BlueJays get the win in Toronto! #BlueJaysOnSN pic.twitter.com/G11L7xKRkm

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 31, 2021

"We could've had a seven-run lead," Montoyo said. "Jordan Romano was going to pitch”

What a day. The pre-game pageantry; an emotional and long-awaited homecoming in a city slowly emerging from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic; one of the splashiest MLB trade deadlines in recent memory; an overhauled bullpen; a transformational deal for a frontline starter; the departure of two top prospects, one whom the club selected No. 5 overall only a year ago and signed to a franchise-record $7-million signing bonus; Hernandez’s no-doubter; Bichette doing a little bit of everything; Espinal’s ridiculous play; Opening Day in July.

“You know, today, honestly, was one of my best days in baseball. And I've been around for a long time. I was so happy to be here,” Montoyo said. “I was actually nervous for this game because I wanted us to win so bad. And for the fans back in Toronto, and that energy that we felt there at the end with that play that [Espinal] made — I was just so happy. I just for sure wanted to win today. Of course, I want to win every game. But today was awesome. What a day. I'm never going to forget this day.”

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9tbGIvYXJ0aWNsZS9ibHVlLWpheXMtZGVsaXZlci11cGxpZnRpbmctdmljdG9yeS1jaGFyZ2VkLXJvZ2Vycy1jZW50cmUtaG9tZWNvbWluZy_SAWlodHRwczovL3d3dy5zcG9ydHNuZXQuY2EvbWxiL2JsdWUtamF5cy1kZWxpdmVyLXVwbGlmdGluZy12aWN0b3J5LWNoYXJnZWQtcm9nZXJzLWNlbnRyZS1ob21lY29taW5nL3NuLWFtcC8?oc=5

2021-07-31 03:06:00Z
52781761982632

Blue Jays Acquire Jose Berrios - MLB Trade Rumors

12:02pm: The Blue Jays have announced the trade.

11:31am: The Blue Jays and Twins have a deal in place sending right-hander Jose Berrios to Toronto, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports that top pitching prospect Simeon Woods Richardson is part of the return. Infielder Austin Martin, the No. 5 overall pick from last summer’s draft, is also going to Minnesota, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

Berrios, 27, gives the Blue  Jays perhaps the second-best pitcher on this summer’s trade market, trailing only Max Scherzer, who is expected to join the Dodgers later today. Unlike Scherzer, he’s controllable beyond the 2021 season, as he’s only in his second arbitration season. Berrios is earning $6.1MM in 2021 and will be due one more arbitration raise this winter before reaching free agency upon conclusion of the 2022 campaign.

Berrios will join Hyun Jin Ryu and the resurgent Robbie Ray atop the Toronto rotation, comprising what now looks to be a formidable trio. He’s in the midst of one of his finest seasons, pitching to a 3.48 ERA with a career-best 25.7 percent strikeout rate, an excellent 6.5 percent walk rate and a career-high 43.6 percent ground-ball rate. He’s posted those numbers through 20 starts and a total of 121 1/3 frames, standing out as one of the dwindling number of pitchers in today’s game who averages six-plus frames per outing.

Of course, Berrios isn’t simply durable on a per-game basis. He’s been one of the game’s most durable starting pitchers overall, throughout the entirety of his career. He’s never been on the Major League injured list and is currently on pace for what would be his fourth straight season of a full slate of starts. He made 26 appearances back in 2017 — the final season he was optioned to the minors — and has since made 32 starts, 32 starts, 12 starts (a full workload in last year’s 60-game season) and 20 starts so far in 2020.

During that time, he’s never posted an ERA above 4.00 and has pitched to an overall 3.76 mark with a 24.2 percent strikeout rate and a 7.2 percent walk rate. Berrios may not quite be a Cy Young-caliber, top-of-the-rotation ace, but he’s as consistent and durable as it comes for a second/third starter.

The Blue Jays paid a steep price to acquire a year and a half of that consistency. Martin, last year’s No. 5 overall pick, was viewed by many in the industry as the best all-around player in the draft class. It was a legitimate surprise when he slipped beyond the No. 2 overall pick and fell to the Jays with the fifth selection. He’s currently ranked as the No. 16 prospect in the game at MLB.com, No. 21 at Baseball America and No. 23 at FanGraphs.

Martin starred at Vanderbilt in college, hitting .368/.474/.532 in his college career. The Jays dropped him right into Double-A to begin 2021, his first professional season, and it hasn’t looked like he’s missed a beat. In 250 plate appearances, Martin has posted a .281/.424/.383 with a pair of homers, ten doubles, two triples and nine stolen bases. He’s walked at a hearty 14.8 percent clip against a 21.2 percent strikeout rate. That batting line is 32 percent better than league average in an immensely pitcher-friendly Double-A environment, by measure of wRC+.

The main question on Martin is simply one of where he’ll play. He’s split his time evenly between shortstop and center field in Double-A this season. At the time of the draft, some scouts questioned whether he could stick at shortstop in pro ball, but the Jays have been giving him that chance. Even if shortstop isn’t his ultimate home on the diamond, however, most scouting reports on the 22-year-old Martin agree that his athleticism will translate to third base, center field or second base. The general expectation surrounding Martin is that he’ll be an above-average regular regardless of where he settles in on the diamond.

Woods Richardson has had a rougher season as Martin’s teammate in Double-A, but he’s only 20 years old — nearly five years younger than the average age of his competitors at that level. He entered the season widely regarded as a top 100 prospect, and while he’s since dropped off Baseball America’s list following the draft, he still ranks 49th at FanGraphs and 68th at MLB.com.

The Jays initially acquired Woods Richardson from the Mets in the trade that send Marcus Stroman to Queens. He’s made 11 starts in New Hampshire this season and posted a grisly 5.76 ERA, although that number is inflated by a .359 average on balls in play and an abnormally low 58 percent strand rate. Woods-Richardson has walked too many hitters (12.8 percent) but also fanned a third of his opponents so far on the year. Woods Richardson is away from the club right now, pitching for Team USA in the Olympics (as is fellow newly acquired Twins pitching prospect Joe Ryan).

FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen writes that Woods Richardson works with both a four-seamer and a two-seamer, also praising the righty’s changeup and the shape of his curveball. MLB.com’s report praised Woods Richardson’s changeup as the best in Toronto’s system, and the general consensus on the right-hander is that if he can add a little velocity as he continues to fill out, he has the makings of a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.

It’s an impressive haul for the Twins, though the organization has to be disappointed that the season came to this. Minnesota entered the year as defending AL Central champs and hopeful contenders, but their season spiraled out of control early and has yet to recover. That’s prompted the front office to pivot to what certainly looks like it’ll be an accelerated retooling of the roster.

The Twins still have an impressive crop of controllable hitters, and the additions of Martin, Woods Richardson, Ryan and Drew Strotman in their first two trades of deadline season give them four upper-minors talents who could impact the club by 2022 (perhaps 2023, in Woods Richardson’s case). Parting with Berrios means bidding adieu to the best pitcher the organization has developed in more than a decade, but they’ll hope that the recent influx of talent quickly supplements their foundation of young hitters and produces another arm or two of Berrios’ caliber before long.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiTmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1sYnRyYWRlcnVtb3JzLmNvbS8yMDIxLzA3L3R3aW5zLXRyYWRlLWpvc2UtYmVycmlvcy1ibHVlLWpheXMuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5

2021-07-30 17:29:46Z
52781761658883

2021 NBA Draft winners and losers: Magic accelerate rebuild with Suggs, Wagner - Sportsnet.ca

The 2021 NBA Draft has come and gone with a number of surprising selections and fun moments over the course of the evening.

We won’t actually know how teams performed in this draft until years down the line, but in the immediate aftermath there appears to be some clear winners and losers from Thursday night.

Winners

Orlando Magic

At the trade deadline this past season, the Magic went on a fire sale, trading away franchise cornerstones Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon.

It was a deliberate move to try to tank for the No. 1 overall pick, something that didn’t pay off as they only ended up with No. 5 at the draft lottery.

Coming into this draft, Orlando was likely thinking it would have to find a way to make Jonathan Isaac co-exist with Scottie Barnes. But then the Toronto Raptors ended up taking Barnes at No. 4, and with Jalen Suggs on the board suddenly the Magic had a no-brainer decision on their hands, taking Suggs with No. 5 to help accelerate their rebuild.

Suggs is a natural-born leader and could be just what Orlando has been needing to help turn their sorrowfully mediocre culture around.

Throw in Franz Wagner, whom the Magic got with the No. 8 overall selection from the Chicago Bulls as part of the Vucevic deal at the deadline, and Orlando had itself a hell of an evening.

And a large reason for that was because of the Raptors’ decision to take Barnes.

Houston Rockets

Another team in the early phases of a rebuild, the Rockets got themselves a major boost by taking Jalen Green at No. 2 and then adding defensive stud Usman Garuba and ultra-athletic guard Josh Christopher later in the draft with the 23rd and 24th overall pick, respectively.

These look to be three building-block pieces for a Houston team that’s basically starting from scratch now after the drama James Harden and his exit put them through last season.

Green, in particular, appears to be a young man with a legitimate star quality to him. From the way his game projects at the NBA level, to the swagger he carried himself with on draft day he looks like he could be a real foundational piece for Houston moving forward.

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets may have gotten the steal of the draft in dynamic UConn guard James Bouknight falling to them at No. 11.

Originally projected to go within at least the first eight picks, Bouknight kept falling and falling until he fell right into the Hornets’ lap, where his potential as a legitimate three-level scoring threat could pair very well with LaMelo Ball, even if there might be some positional and role overlap down the line between Bouknight and Devonte' Graham.

Additionally, the Hornets got Mason Plumlee, a very serviceable centre, and the No. 37 pick – who ended up being JT Thor from Auburn -- from the Pistons for just the No. 57 pick as Detroit was desperate to dump Plumlee’s salary.

And to top it off, Charlotte made a move with the New York Knicks to trade up for athletic big man Kai Jones at No. 19, a prospect who offers tremendous upside down line, particularly as a lob threat from Ball.

This was some good work from the Hornets.

Canadian basketball

On draft night, five Canadians made the league, three of whom were outright drafted.

The list includes Josh Primo, Chris Duarte (if you’re willing to count him that is), Dalano Banton, Eugene Omoruyi and AJ Lawson.

Primo was probably the biggest surprise pick of the entire evening as the Toronto native went No. 12 overall to the San Antonio Spurs, way higher than where he was originally projected to go.

Immediately following up Primo was Duarte, who went to the Indiana Pacers at No. 13. Duarte was born in Montreal, but was raised in the Dominican Republic so he identifies as Dominican more than anything. However, the Canadian roots still remain.

Omoruyi and Lawson have reportedly signed as undrafted free agents with the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat, respectively as well.

But the biggest win for Canadian basketball Thursday night came from Banton, who made history as the first Canadian to ever get drafted by the Raptors.

A tremendous moment.

Losers

Traditional positions in basketball

We are in the era of “position-less” basketball and for proof of this you need look no further than what the Raptors did Thursday night.

At No. 4 they had an opportunity to take Suggs, a more traditional point guard who could’ve seamlessly stepped in as Kyle Lowry’s heir apparent, but they instead went with Barnes and his Swiss Army Knife-like skillset.

Then, at No. 46, the Raptors took Banton, another long, versatile player who figures to be able to play multiple positions.

It’s clear that the Raptors like these long, athletic, multi-positional players because they now have four of them on their roster in Barnes, Banton, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam.

Whether or not they fit a traditional position on the floor seems irrelevant to the Raptors, as being as flexible -- both offensively and defensively -- is the name of the game these days.

The Raptors aren’t the only team that thinks like this, either, they’re just the most apparent in pushing the idea of playing without actual positions.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards.

It’s costing them a fair bit as they’re giving up Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and the No. 22 pick in Thursday’s draft (who ended up being Kentucky big man Isaiah Jackson – whom the Wizards then flipped to the Indiana for Aaron Holiday), but the Lakers managed to land their man.

With Westbrook in the fold the Lakers have a star trio of him, LeBron James and Anthony Davis that combine for 34 all-star selections and 30 All-NBA team selections.

That’s some impressive stuff.

It also does nothing to help shore up the Lakers’ needs.

What Los Angeles needs is a guy who can help space the floor and give more room for James and Davis to operate around the basket.

Westbrook is a brilliant talent who is the legitimate king of the triple-double, but he doesn’t do that for the Lakers and will, most likely, do the exact opposite of that for them as he wants to dive into the paint just as much as his new superstar teammates do.

What’s funny is before this Westbrook deal came about there were reports about the Lakers looking to deal for Sacramento Kings sharpshooter Buddy Hield involving a similar package to the one they’re sending to the Wizards.

Hield isn’t anywhere close to the star that Westbrook is, but his acquisition would’ve helped the Lakers more than this Westbrook one would have.

“Expert” pre-draft analysis

All of those mock drafts and big boards published in advance of the draft appeared to be for naught as this was a draft where it felt like teams were going off the board from all over.

From the Raptors taking Barnes at No. 4, the Oklahoma City Thunder taking Josh Giddey at No. 6, Bouknight falling to No. 11 and Primo getting scooped up at No. 12, if you compare the actual draft results to the mocks from most of the foremost draft experts you’ll see a very different picture.

It just goes to show, what media members value – even incredibly connected and informed media members – will differ to what actual team executive do.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9uYmEvYXJ0aWNsZS8yMDIxLW5iYS1kcmFmdC13aW5uZXJzLWxvc2Vycy1tYWdpYy1hY2NlbGVyYXRlLXJlYnVpbGQtc3VnZ3Mtd2FnbmVyL9IBaGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9uYmEvMjAyMS1uYmEtZHJhZnQtd2lubmVycy1sb3NlcnMtbWFnaWMtYWNjZWxlcmF0ZS1yZWJ1aWxkLXN1Z2dzLXdhZ25lci9zbi1hbXAv?oc=5

2021-07-30 14:24:00Z
52781759582571

U.S. swimmer Ryan Murphy suggests race 'probably not clean' after Russian beats him in 200m backstroke - National Post

The celebratory mood at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre changed after Murphy relinquished the 200 backstroke crown, as Rylov, who also won the 100, touched first in an Olympic record

Author of the article:

Reuters

Simon Evans

Ryan Murphy lost the second of his Rio backstroke titles to Russian Evgeny Rylov at the 2020 Olympics on Friday and the U.S. swimmer then suggested doping had played a part in his demise as events took an acrimonious turn at the Tokyo pool. Photo by OLI SCARFF /AFP via Getty Images

Article content

TOKYO – Ryan Murphy lost the second of his Rio backstroke titles to Russian Evgeny Rylov at the 2020 Olympics on Friday and the U.S. swimmer then suggested doping had played a part in his demise as events took an acrimonious turn at the Tokyo pool.

Advertisement

Article content

Another morning of memorable racing saw Tatjana Schoenmaker win the women’s 200m breaststroke in a world record 2:18.95 to deliver South Africa’s first gold medal of the Games, while China won their first men’s swimming gold in Tokyo, Wang Shun coming home first in the 200m medley.

There was no easing up from Australia’s gold medal greedy swimmers, with Emma McKeon winning the women’s 100m freestyle for her country’s sixth Olympic title in the pool.

But the celebratory mood at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre changed after Murphy relinquished the 200 backstroke crown, as Rylov, who also won the 100, touched first in an Olympic record.

“It is a huge mental drain on me to go throughout the year, that I am swimming in a race that’s probably not clean and that is what it is,” Murphy told a reporter in the post-race ‘mixed zone’ after finishing second to the Russian with Britain’s Luke Greenbank taking bronze.

Advertisement

Article content

But at a later news conference the American, who took bronze in the 100m, backed away from any suggestion that his rivals in the race had cheated.

“I need to be clear, I’ve never made… , my intention is not to make any allegations here. Like, congratulations to Luke and Evgeny. They did an incredible job, they’re both very talented swimmers,” he said.

“At the end of the day … I do believe it (doping) is still big in swimming and it is what it is.”

Instead of reliving his thrilling victory at his post-race news conference Evgeny Rylov found himself defending his doping record. Photo by Carl Recine /Reuters

“I always do the doping tests … I would not be able to forgive myself if I had taken something. I don’t know how to react to this. I haven’t been accused of anything,” he said.

The Russian Olympic Committee fired back at Murphy’s comments with a statement of their own.

“Yes, we are here at the Olympic Games. Absolutely by right. Whether someone likes it or not,” the statement said, via The Associated Press.

Advertisement

Article content

“You need to be able to lose. Not everyone has that gift.”

CAST A CLOUD
The exchanges cast a cloud over what had been another excellent session, which began with Africa’s second gold medal of the Games.

Schoenmaker, who had claimed silver in the 100m breaststroke on Tuesday, powered home to finish 0.97 seconds ahead of American Lilly King, with Annie Lazor of the United States in third.

The 24-year-old’s victory came after Tunisian Ahmed Hafnaoui’s success in the men’s 400m freestyle on Sunday.

King led until the 150m turn when Schoenmaker went in front and then delivered a powerful final length to smash the world record and grab gold.

“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Schoenmaker said. “I don’t wish my Olympic dream over, but I am excited to go and celebrate even just being at the Olympics.”

Advertisement

Article content

Australia’s McKeon led at the turn in the 100m free and held off Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey down the final straight to win by 0.31 seconds, with team mate Cate Campbell taking bronze.

“I can’t believe it,” McKeon said. “I can just feel my emotions bubbling up now. I feel like this week has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster — just getting up for your races and trying to relax again.”

The 29-year-old Campbell has three gold medals from relays to her name but had been looking for a first individual title to go with her bronze in the 50m freestyle from Beijing.

Although she had to settle for another bronze, Campbell said her tears were of joy.

“Honestly, it means the world to me. It’s been a really long journey to get here. I’m incredibly proud of that performance. These aren’t sad tears at all,” she said.

Advertisement

Article content

Wang overtook American Michael Andrew in the final freestyle leg to win the 200m medley with a time of 1:55 with Britain’s Duncan Scott taking silver and Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches the bronze.

Andrew had led at the final turn but faded to finish fifth, while Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh, in his fifth Olympics at the age of 35, had been second at the halfway stage but ended seventh.

Wang said he had taken a more focused approach in Tokyo.

“I was just a kid at the London Olympics and it was easier, more of a fun feeling. When I was in Rio I wanted to compete with my team mates and also get a medal,” he added.

“This time I just wanted to focus on myself.”

Share this article in your social network

Advertisement

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMihwFodHRwczovL25hdGlvbmFscG9zdC5jb20vc3BvcnRzL29seW1waWNzL29seW1waWNzLXN3aW1taW5nLW11cnBoeXMtZG9waW5nLXNsdXItZGFya2Vucy1tb29kLWF0LXRoZS1wb29sLXNjaG9lbm1ha2VyLXNldHMtd3ItdG8td2luLWdvbGTSAbUBaHR0cHM6Ly9uYXRpb25hbHBvc3QuY29tL3Nwb3J0cy9vbHltcGljcy9vbHltcGljcy1zd2ltbWluZy1tdXJwaHlzLWRvcGluZy1zbHVyLWRhcmtlbnMtbW9vZC1hdC10aGUtcG9vbC1zY2hvZW5tYWtlci1zZXRzLXdyLXRvLXdpbi1nb2xkL3djbS8wOGRkNWQ5Ni01ZDc2LTRkM2UtODZlZS04M2FlMjg2NDkzNzkvYW1wLw?oc=5

2021-07-30 10:10:03Z
52781762437826