Sports
COVID-Stricken Noah Lyles Collapses After Getting Bronze, One Of 8 US Medals At Olympic Track
Saint-Denis, France — The first inkling of trouble came Thursday night, as Noah Lyles began rounding the curve in the Olympic final of the 200 meters, his finest race.
Normally, around the turn, Lyles begins to gain ground before breaking away from what have been game but overmatched opponents for the past three years.
This time, his momentum had slowed. Instead of Lyles reeling in the runner two lanes to his right, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo pushed farther away. The American favourite, who had not lost in the 200 in three years, laboured to the finish and slumped on the track after finishing third.
The insidious specter of COVID, the killer virus that upended the world four years ago and claimed the last Olympics as collateral damage, struck again at the Paris Games.
COVID-Stricken Noah Lyles Collapses After Getting Bronze, One Of 8 US Medals At Olympic Track
In a sobering reminder that the virus is still very much a factor, even if its lethal fingerprint has been blunted, the world’s marquee sprinter, racing on the world’s biggest sports stage, revealed he had tested positive two days before his shocking, but now not-unexplainable, bronze-medal finish in the 200.
“I still wanted to run,” Lyles said, donning a mask as he spoke to reporters, whose very presence in a crowded scrum beneath the stadium was unfathomable three years ago at the postponed Tokyo Olympics. “They said it was possible.”
Lyles ran with the approval of USA Track and Field officials and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, who stated that they followed protocol.
He completed in 19.70. That was.39 off his best and.24 behind Tebogo, 21 years old. Lyles’ American teammate Kenny Bednarek finished second, making it the second straight Olympics in which he and Lyles finished 2-3.
“When I saw Kenny fade, I knew Noah was far, far, far away behind us,” Tebogo told me. “So that means I’m the Olympic champion.”
It was Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vs her world record.
An hour later, American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lowered her world mark for the sixth time, finishing the 400-meter hurdles in 50.37 seconds to seal another Olympic victory.
On a night jam-packed with key events, the United States won three gold medals and eight.
Tara Davis-Woodhall won the long jump after jumping 7.10 meters, joining legends like Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Brittney Reese in the Olympic record books.
Grant Holloway won gold in the 110 hurdles, reclaiming the Olympic crown he lost three years ago in his sole major championship loss.
Lyles appeared like a sure thing until things got odd the night before.
Lyles, the three-time world champion with the American record and the world’s best time of 2024 on his resume, appeared to be as confident in the 200 as any single-track athlete this side of McLaughlin-Levrone.
After winning the 100 meters four nights before, he was attempting to become the first guy to achieve the 100-200 double since Usain Bolt eight years ago.
A disturbing hint, however, came the night before, when Lyles finished second in his semifinal heat, again against Tebogo. It was his first loss in a 200-meter event since finishing third in Tokyo.
He quickly ran out of the stadium after the loss and proceeded to the medical tent, which was unusual for him not to stop and speak with the media. His coach stated that he was all right.
Lyles stated that he tested positive two days after the 100 final.
It turns out he wasn’t. Lyles said he tested positive early Tuesday morning and was soon placed in isolation.
He consumed fluids, rested as much as possible, and attempted to prepare for the marathon. According to the USATF, Lyles underwent “a thorough medical evaluation” before deciding to compete.
“We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely,” the statement stated.
The aftermath of the race was unsettling. Lyles, usually one of the most active guys on the track before and after each run, slumped, lay onto his side, and struggled for air. He rolled over on his hands and knees, then lowered to one knee and steadied himself with his fist.
He eventually got up and wobbled towards the medics, signaling for a cup of water. Then he exited in a wheelchair.
“There was definitely an effect,” Lyles stated. “But I mean, to be honest, I’m more proud of myself than anything for coming out and getting the bronze medal with COVID.”
This third medal seems distinct from the previous one. The full impact of the race will take time to manifest itself.
Lyles still has a chance to become the bigger-than-track sensation he aimed for after his setback in Tokyo three years ago.
Those Games, held in front of no fans while the COVID pandemic raged, took a mental health toll on Lyles, which he claimed made him feel less than himself and contributed to his terrible performance in Tokyo.
After winning the 100 on Sunday night, he took out his Tokyo bronze medal during his press conference, placed it on the table, and explained that it inspired him to become a new person and sprinter for this Olympic cycle.
The 100-meter thriller closed the first half of the deal. But instead of cruising through the 200, simply getting to the starting line became a result of ‘trying to get me on as much medication as we legally could to make sure that my body was able to just keep the momentum going’.
Lyles says he won’t run in the 4×100 relay.
As Thursday turned into Friday in Paris, Lyles took to social media to thank fans for their encouraging remarks and congratulate Tebogo and Bednarek.
COVID-Stricken Noah Lyles Collapses After Getting Bronze, One Of 8 US Medals At Olympic Track
He also stated, “I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics,” as he was scheduled to run the anchor leg in the men’s 4×100 final on Friday.
“It is not the Olympics I dreamed of, but it has left me with so much joy in my heart,” he wrote in his blog. “I hope you all enjoyed the show. Whether you were pulling for or against me, you had to confess you watched, right?”
The extravaganza Lyles fronted struck a gloomy note at a revitalised Olympics that were supposed to be all about returning fans and resurrecting the Games as we knew them.
Lyles reminded us that there will be no “post-COVID” Games.
A gold javelin for Pakistan and silver for India.
Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan had the best meet of his life, winning the men’s javelin at the Stade de France.
Nadeem set a new Olympic record by winning gold. In his second effort, he threw 92.97 meters, breaking the previous record of 90.57 established by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen in 2008.
Neeraj Chopra, India’s 2020 Olympic champion, won silver in 89.45 meters, a season best.
SOURCE | AP
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – The Stanley Cup is still on its championship journey through South Florida. It was on a basketball court with the Miami Heat this week, will be somewhere else on Thursday, and has a few more appearances scheduled after that. So, in some ways, the party associated with winning the NHL championship is still going strong.
That is, except for the Florida Panthers’ practice facility. The champions are back at work.
Stanley Cup Champion Panthers Getting Back To Work, Insisting It’s Time To Look Forward
Florida begins training camp on Thursday, and coach Paul Maurice makes one thing clear: it’s time to start preparing for the next title run, not to continue reveling in the title run that ended in June.
“There will be some backward-looking stuff, which is understandable. “We’ll handle the banner raisings, ring ceremonies, and all of the other fun stuff,” Maurice said Wednesday as the squad gathered for its annual media day. “But we’ll be very sure that our day is completely focused on what we’re doing, not living in the past.”
That message appears to be reaching its intended audience.
Most players have been back in South Florida for at least a few weeks. According to Maurice, the returning Panthers are all in better form than they were at this point last season, as evidenced by pre-camp conditioning testing. The big test comes Thursday with the first practices, and Maurice’s training camp sessions are famously difficult.
“The hangover concept, we will not believe in it,” Maurice stated. “It’s not a physical concern for us. We’re stronger than we were at this point last year, which is a testament to them because they couldn’t have improved without putting in the effort.”
Florida’s top eight scorers, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Evan Rodrigues, Gustav Forsling, and Anton Lundell, are all back from last season. Verhaeghe and Reinhart scored in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, as Florida defeated Edmonton 2-1 to win its first title and avoid an epic collapse after winning the first three games of the series, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky returns for his sixth season as the Panthers’ go-to guy in net.
Some roster places are up for grabs, but the core from the title run remains mostly intact. Even though the Cup has been won, capping a lifelong dream for Maurice and the players, there is enough motivation to win it again.
“At the end of the day, I love what I do,” Bobrovsky added. “It is a blessing to be here today, and I am delighted to compete for the dream again. However, it makes little difference what happened in the past. I simply care about the moment at hand, which is this one.”
Things will start moving swiftly. Practices begin Thursday, and Florida plays its first two preseason games on Sunday, including the usual doubleheader versus Nashville, in which most, if not all, of the 50 or so available players in camp will play.
Stanley Cup Champion Panthers Getting Back To Work, Insisting It’s Time To Look Forward
The Cup banner will be raised on October 8, when Florida hosts Boston in the regular season opener. With that, the 82-game grind will begin. But Maurice swears that he isn’t skipping any steps, that he hasn’t even considered opening night or anything else between now and then.
“I’m not prepared for anything but Day One.” “I don’t want to think about Day 2,” Maurice stated. “You cannot win the Stanley Cup on September 19th, the first day of practice. But you may begin the process by giving yourself a chance. This will be Day One on the ice. You have to be aware of how difficult it was and do the effort and pay the price in order to give yourself a shot.”
SOURCE | AP
Donna Kelce is the newest family member to make her mark in the entertainment industry, appearing in two upcoming Hallmark Christmas films that are, appropriately, football-themed.
True to form, she will not choose between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” stars a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest come to know Philadelphia, according to a Hallmark Channel release this week.
Donna Kelce Is Making Her Film Debut In 2 Hallmark Movies — Football-Themed, Of Course
While Donna is no stranger to the camera, having been in Jason Kelce’s documentary and several gameday photos, the two films constitute her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she portrays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. While it’s unclear whether she’s portraying a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her task is to guarantee that one of the protagonists “orders her cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.'”
The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s efforts into Hollywood: he hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023 before his connection with Taylor Swift catapulted his reputation, and he’s now due to appear in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also received his first producer credit this year.
Donna Kelce Is Making Her Film Debut In 2 Hallmark Movies — Football-Themed, Of Course
Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also appear in one of his mother’s films: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — starring Mt. Joy, according to the announcement. It’s from a future album, and the revenues will benefit the Children’s Crisis Treatment Centre and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
SOURCE | AP
The Masters and CBS will boost broadcast coverage by five hours next year, including two hours on Saturday and Sunday via CBS’s Paramount+ streaming service.
Augusta National recently announced another high-level corporate partner, Bank of America, raising the total number of “champion partners” for golf’s most-watched major to four.
The addition of Bank of America does not affect the commercial load. The Masters indicated the broadcast would continue with only four minutes of advertising per hour.
The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+
“The Masters Tournament has had the great fortune of enjoying an extraordinary relationship with CBS Sports for nearly 70 years,” said Augusta National and Masters chairman Fred Ridley. “Alongside our friends at the network, we are pleased to extend the tournament’s weekend coverage and ultimately deliver more live golf for Masters fans.”
CBS will extend Saturday’s show by one hour. Next year, it will run from 2 to 7 p.m. EDT, rather than 3 p.m. The third and fourth rounds will be shown exclusively on Paramount+ from noon to 2 p.m. and will be available on the streaming service until the 7 p.m. finale.
This extends the overall coverage to 23 hours, including ESPN’s broadcast from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
CBS also produces extensive digital coverage via The Master’s app, which includes features including Amen Corner, holes 4-6, holes 15-16, and featured pairings.
CBS has made its live coverage of athletic events available on Paramount Plus. The extra two hours on weekends will be part of its exclusive material, which is the first time it has offered golf-related content.
The Masters and CBS have had an annual relationship since 1956 when the network televised the last four holes with six cameras. Only 25 years ago, CBS broadcast only 10 1/2 hours of live Masters coverage, including three hours on Sunday.
Bank of America joins a tiny group of key corporate sponsors at the Masters, including AT&T, IBM, and Mercedes-Benz, all of whom have expanded their agreements. The club does not publish the specifics of those contracts.
Bank of America has had a long-standing partnership with Augusta National, serving as the presenting sponsor of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur since its establishment in 2019, as well as the Asia-Pacific Amateur and Latin America Amateur since 2022.
The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+
“Through Bank of America’s support of our community initiatives and amateur events, they have become an impactful and committed partner in our organization’s mission in Augusta and around the globe,” Ridley told the crowd.
The Masters will be hosted on April 10-13 next year, continuing its history of taking place during the first full week of April. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion.
SOURCE | AP
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