Sports

BEIJING — Wayde van Niekerk lit up the Bird's Nest with a stunning 400 metres run to win a first sprint gold for South Africa and cap a night of exceptional performances at the world championships on Wednesday.

Two of those came in the men's javelin and women's 3,000 metres steeplechase where Kenyans Julius Yego and Hyvin Jepkemoi added another two gold medals to the East African powerhouse's already considerable haul.

The scourge of doping returned to haunt the sport, however, when two of their compatriots were provisionally banned for failing drug tests on the eve of the championships.

Part two of the sprint showdown between Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin, which for many has encapsulated the doping crisis that has tarnished the sport over the last month, also moved a step closer.

The fact that Bolt has never failed a dope test while Gatlin has served two drug bans provided the backdrop for their first meeting in Sunday's 100 metres final, from which the Jamaican emerged triumphant.

Gatlin's run of 19.87 seconds to win his 200m semi final on Wednesday was the second fastest ever at that stage of a world championships, however, and will give him confidence he can end Bolt's six-year grip on the title in Thursday's final.

"I think that I have a lot left in the tank," the 33-year-old American said. "I just have to control the race ... and I think we'll be able to bring it home."

Bolt also looked in fine form, though, and took time to chat to a fellow competitor as he approached the line to win his heat with his first sub-20 second time of the year (19.95).

"I can't complain," he said. "I'm happy with my form. I just did what I had to do."

For once, though, the 29-year-old was not the most impressive performer on the track with that honour going to Van Niekerk.

Racing against a field containing a record five sprinters who had run under 44 seconds, the 23-year-old dominated the contest from start to finish and crossed the line in 43.48 seconds.

The effort of running a time that only American world record holder Michael Johnson and his compatriots Butch Reynolds and Jeremy Wariner have bettered took its toll, however.

Van Niekerk collapsed on the track at the end of the race and was taken to hospital with his "vital signs unstable", the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF's) medical delegate said, leaving runner-up LaShawn Merritt to hail the quality of the race.

"It's crazy. We're warriors. We're animals," said the American 2013 world champion, whose personal best 43.65 was good enough only for silver ahead of Olympic champion Kirani James (43.78).

Van Niekerk was discharged just before midnight local time (1600 GMT).

While Van Niekerk's time was the best since 2007, you would have to go back as far as 2001 to witness a javelin flying as far as the 92.72 metres Yego managed to give Kenya its first world title in a field event.

To the diminutive Yego, who learned the javelin from watching videos on the internet after being rejected as a runner, fell the duty of reacting to the positive dope tests of his team mates Koki Manunga and Joyce Zakary.

"It's a shame," he said. "I always believe we can win clean so it's a shame to them."

Jepkemoi produced a performance more typical of her nation to win the steeplechase, outsprinting favourite Habiba Ghribi of Tunisia and German Gesa Krause down the home straight to win Kenya's sixth gold in nine minutes, 19.11 seconds.

Zuzana Hejnova already knew her race was won when she went over the final obstacle in the 400 metres hurdles and the Czech, who ran the year's best time of 53.50 seconds, became the first woman to successfully defend the world title in the event.

A thrilling women's pole vault contest featuring Cuba's Yarisley Silva, Brazil's Fabiana Murer and Greece's Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou kept the crowd engrossed all evening in the gaps between the other events.

Silva took the title when she cleared 4.90 metres at the third attempt, leaving Murer, one of her country's best hopes of gold in athletics at next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics, with silver and Kyriakopoulou claiming the bronze. 

BERNE — Swiss authorities expect to decide in September whether to extradite six football officials to face corruption charges in the United States, a justice ministry spokesman said.

The accused men, who are in custody and whose lawyers are opposing their extradition to New York, would have 30 days to appeal decisions to the federal criminal court in Bellinzona — a process that could take several months.

“We have received all responses. Now we are able to examine whether conditions are fulfilled to grant extradition and take our decision,” ministry spokesman Folco Galli told Reuters.

“The first decisions should come in September,” he said, speaking late on Monday in his office in the Swiss capital.

Extradition is allowed if an alleged offence is punishable by at least a year in jail under both Swiss and US law. Swiss authorities must rule on whether this “dual criminality” rule is met, rather than on whether the defendant is guilty or innocent.

Several officials from FIFA, world football’s governing body, were among 14 men indicted in the United States in late May on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges involving more than $150 million in payments.

Galli declined to say how much money has been blocked at several banks in Switzerland as it is a “pending proceeding”.

“We have ordered [the banks] to freeze the bank accounts mentioned in the [US] request. Now we are taking evidence. We are receiving the bank documents. It takes time,” he said.

Seven of the accused were arrested at a Zurich hotel days before the FIFA congress where FIFA President Sepp Blatter was re-elected to a fifth term. Blatter later announced he was quitting and his replacement is due to be elected on February 26.

Former FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb, a Cayman Islands national, agreed to extradition to the United States in July. He has pleaded not guilty in a US federal court in New York.

One of the six in detention in Zurich, former FIFA development officer Julio Rocha, agreed on August 14 to an extradition request sent by his native Nicaragua.

Switzerland has asked the United States whether it agrees to Nicaragua being given priority to prosecute Rocha, a former president of Nicaragua’s football association.

A US decision on Rocha is expected “any moment”, a legal source said on Monday, declining to be named.

If the United States does not give priority to Nicaragua, Swiss authorities must decide which country gets priority. Switzerland has an extradition treaty with the United States but not with Nicaragua.

AMMAN — HRH Prince Hassan on Wednesday received Shergo Kurdi — the young Jordanian golf player who is ranked No. 1 in the United Kingdom and Europe in the U-12 category, according to a statement from the Prince’s office.

Prince Hassan praised Kurdi for his achievements and for representing Jordan at the international level, and called upon sports authorities involved in the golf sport in Jordan to embrace and sponsor Kurdi to develop his special talent so he can continue to represent Jordan in international championships.

Kurdi started playing golf at the age of five but he joined official tournaments seven years ago. He won the UK Kids Championship in 2013, the European Kids Championship in 2013 and the UK Kids Championship in 2015. He came second in the World Championship in Portugal in 2014.

He represented Jordan in all those championships except for the European tournament. In 2012 Shergo won the Jordanian Kids Golf Championship, and is invited to play at an open tournament at the Jordan Golf Club in Amman on Friday and Saturday.

Shergo is the first young player to receive sponsorship from Nike for his equipment and clothes.

LONDON — The Formula One community awoke with heavy hearts on Tuesday after British racer Justin Wilson, a friend to many in the Grand Prix paddock, died because of head injuries suffered in an IndyCar race in the United States.

The 37-year-old, who raced in Formula One for Minardi and Jaguar in 2003, died in hospital after being hit by debris and crashing in the closing laps at Pocono Raceway oval in Pennsylvania.

Formula One drivers and teams, former colleagues and rivals, remembered Wilson as a smiling giant out of the car and determined competitor in it.

“The motorsport world comes to a standstill once again,” 2009 world champion Jenson Button, who attended the funeral of French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi a month ago, said of his compatriot on Twitter.

“I raced with Justin as far back as 1989 in karting and remember his smile was infectious, such a lovely guy,” added the McLaren driver.

The sentiment was echoed by Lotus driver Romain Grosjean, a pallbearer at Bianchi’s funeral. “So sad to hear that Justin Wilson passed away. What dreadful news and what a dramatic year for racing. Losing too many champions,” he said.

Button’s double world champion teammate Fernando Alonso, who like Wilson started his Formula One career at Minardi, expressed his condolences. “So sad, difficult to accept,” he added.

Australian Mark Webber, who was Wilson’s teammate at Jaguar, said: “Last night a very good man left us. Mate. So sorry. RIP Justin. My thoughts are with your loved ones.”

Red Bull principal Christian Horner, whose team was previously Jaguar, spoke of the sadness of all at the Milton Keynes factory.

“Justin left his mark on many who worked with him during the Jaguar days, he is remembered fondly for the kind and humble person he was,” he said in a statement.

“Having known Justin since his karting days on the British circuits, it was always obvious to me that he was destined for great things in motorsport.

“His progress through the lower formulas was impressive and he absolutely flourished in F3000... I followed his successful career with interest over the years.

“Justin will be remembered not only as a talented driver but also as quite simply one of the nicest blokes in motorsport,” said Horner.

Formula One champions Mercedes remembered “a great driver and an even greater man...a true racer and a winner, flat out to the flag.”

AMMAN — The Jordan Olympic Committee’s (JOC) strategy of investing long term in young talent has been highlighted this week after it threw its backing behind 12-year-old Jordan golf protégé Shergo Kurdi, according to the JOC News Service.

The youngster, based in the UK, has been winning tournaments since he was just seven and last year alone he won 18 tournaments. He also won a tournament in Amman on his first attempt in 2011.

Now the JOC, under the presidency of HRH Prince Feisal, has backed a plan that will develop the youngster’s talent all the way through to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“It is important to plan long-term and the JOC is delighted to be working with the Jordan Golf Federation to hopefully bring Shergo lots of success in the coming years,” said Lana Al Jaghbeer, JOC secretary general.

AMMAN — Recently Jordan celebrated one year to go until the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and one of the many questions put to chef de mission Nadin Dawani was: “Which Jordanian athletes will be going?”, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) News Service.

That is always the million dollar question at this time in the planning process.

Over the past three years, the JOC has worked closely with its federations to firstly identify, and then to support the talent that are believed to be in with a chance of going.

One sport that has really stood out this Olympic cycle is boxing. The sport took prominence at the 2014 Asian Games when three boxers won medals.

It prompted the JOC to plough more support into the sport with no less than eight boxers having aspirations to follow team captain Ihab Darwish onto the greatest stage of all. Darwish made history by qualifying to the London 2012 Games.

And that JOC support has delivered a top class coach. Izzaldein Aqoun has arrived from Algeria with a track record of bringing boxers through to Olympic levels.

When www.joc.jo caught up with him, he was putting the team through its paces and he is confident that one or two, or possibly more, could reach Rio standards.

“I received many offers to train Olympic teams but I wanted to come to Jordan because of the potential,” Aqoun said.

“I believe I can bring this group of boxers through to compete at the very top of the international levels.”

Over 30 national team boxers are on his roster and he hopes that during his one-year in Jordan, the federation will adopt his approach of planning long term.

“It’s not easy to reach a podium in the sport,” he said. “A boxer has to train well from a very young age. A country should invest in these young talents and train them to be ready for the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games, not just Rio next year.

“It will not be an easy task to qualify to Rio. The Asian qualifications are tough as Asian boxers are improving all the time. But I believe that Jordan’s boxers can make it. How many? I am not sure of that but I am sure we will have boxing representing Jordan in Rio.”

Aqoun explained that there are five ways of qualifying to Rio. The first two are through the WSP and ABP Championships; the third is through the World Championships in Qatar in December. The other two ways are through the Asian route, which begins in March 2016 and finally the “international qualifications” which provide a last chance in June next year.

Having been here more than a month, what are the coach’s impressions so far?

“We have tough boxers in Jordan with the skills to qualify,” he said. “I’m sure that they only need to have faith in themselves to go that extra step. We will work on this and instil the faith inside them all so they will be ready and give it their best shot.”

Aqoun’s strategic plan contains a number of overseas camps in preparation for the big dates in the diary, starting with the International Thailand Championship in September ahead of the World Championship in Qatar two months later.

Boxing has really come onto the national sporting agenda thanks to the heroics of its team, but only time will tell whether they can box clever all the way to South America next summer.

AMMAN — The Asian Football Development Project (AFDP) joined the Dignity for Children Foundation to celebrate the 10th Faisal Cup anniversary and football tournament finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday, accordring to a statement from AFDP.

The Faisal Cup is named after a young boy who lost his life while trying to retrieve a football he saw floating in the Gombak River.

The tournament was initiated that very same year to ensure underprivileged children are given the opportunity to play sports in a safe environment. four hundred and thirty-seven male players in 62 teams and 266 female players in 38 teams participated in the tournament this year.

AFDP, sponsored by its official partner PepsiCo, has been a supporter of the initiative since 2012, facilitating the introduction of girls’ teams for the first time and donating equipment to be used in the tournament and festivities.

“I had the pleasure of meeting some of the young players and I witnessed first hand how Faisal Cup inspires hope and gives joy to the participating boys and girls, the positive feedback was deeply touching,” HRH Prince Ali, founder and chairman of AFDP, was quoted in the statement as saying.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to stretch his lead over Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg to 28 points with eight races remaining.

Rosberg finished 2 seconds behind the Briton, in a dry race despite teams anxiously studying weather maps for approaching rain in the final stages, to complete Mercedes’ seventh one-two in 11 races.

“Today was a dream and the car was fantastic all weekend,” declared Hamilton, who controlled the race from the opening lap — after an aborted first start — and never looked threatened by his German rival.

“I was never in a position where I felt nervous, I had great pace in the car. There was no real need to push more than I had to,” he added.

The two collided at Spa last year, with Hamilton having to retire, but the risk of that happening again receded when Rosberg made a slow getaway off the front row.

“I just completely messed up the start,” said the German, who had hoped to capitalise on changed starting procedures that leave more to the driver and prevent engineers from helping remotely.

“Lewis did a great job, he deserved to win.”

France’s Romain Grosjean took an emotional third place for Lotus after Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, in his 150th race and the team’s 900th, suffered a right rear tyre blowout on the penultimate lap.

“It was probably one of my best races ever,” said the Frenchman, back on the podium for the first time since 2013 in a boost for a financially-troubled team who arrived in Spa with the threat of having their cars impounded hanging over them.

“Being here today is special for us, it has the price of a race win.”

Hamilton has now won six races this season, and 39 in his Formula One career.

The double champion has 227 points to Rosberg’s 199 and Sunday was also his 80th podium appearance, equalling the achievement of boyhood hero and late triple world champion Ayrton Senna.

Russian Daniil Kvyat finished fourth for Red Bull after a late charge through the field with Mexican Sergio Perez, who had stormed into second place at the start, finishing fifth for Force India.

Brazilian Felipe Massa was sixth for Williams, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen seventh after starting in 16th place, and 17-year-old Belgian-born Dutchman Max Verstappen eighth for Toro Rosso.

Finland’s Valtteri Bottas was ninth for Williams, after an embarrassing team error that saw him leave the pits with three soft tyres and one medium fitted, and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson took the final point for Sauber.

Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg caused the aborted start, and reduction of the race to 43 laps instead of 44, when he reported a loss of power and raised his hands. The German returned to the Force India garage and retired.

The McLaren pair of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, who started last after picking up a meaningless combined grid drop of 105 places — despite there being only 20 in total — finished 13th and 14th.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — The Russian Grand Prix could become a night race as early as 2017, according to Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone and organisers.

“We’ve talked about it. Maybe in 2017 — So you know you can book your tickets for the next 10 years,” Ecclestone told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The race in Sochi has a contract to 2020 but Alexander Saurin, vice governor of the Krasnodar region, and Russian GP CEO Sergey Vorobyev said an extension was already being discussed.

“Bearing in mind the significantly growing popularity of Formula One in Russia, we are considering extension of the contract,” Saurin, speaking through Vorobyev, told reporters after meeting Ecclestone.

“We are assessing the idea [of a night race] from a commercial perspective and now we are calculating the cost of that,” he added. “But we are working towards having a night race some time in the future. Not earlier than 2017.”

Last year’s race in the Black Sea resort was Russia’s debut on the calendar but it is set to move from an October slot to May 1 next year at the organisers’ request to fit in with Russia’s major holiday period.

Saurin said ticket sales for this year’s race on October 11 would exceed last year and had been boosted by the success of Red Bull’s Russian driver Daniil Kvyat, who finished second in Hungary last month.

“Even last year he was attracting a huge interest. Having a local hero is transforming also the event for the people for whom Formula One is a new sport,” he said.

“We expect and are finding ways to have even more people this year. The second place for Daniil Kvyat in the previous race has helped greatly. We have seen a huge rise in ticket sales right after that.”

The Russian Grand Prix was held up as a legacy of the breathtakingly expensive 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the track snakes around the park that housed some of the venues.

Saurin said the race, and the use of the circuit for other events, had lived up to expectations for post-Olympic development.

“From the previous event [Grand Prix], we’ve had more than 70 big corporate and sporting events,” he said. “The circuit is constantly working so this is a major legacy.

“We believe that in 2016 we will have at least one or two other international series coming.” 

AMMAN — Khatsheek Shadian on Friday was crowned champion of Al Hussein Rumman Hill Climb after clocking 1m52s in his Cosworth F3.

“Although I managed to reign over the hill I could not break Lebanon’s Roger Feghali’s 1m48:76s record from 2007 but I am happy as the hill is back to be in Jordanian hands,” he said.

“It was one of my greatest moments at this level of competition, which was high. The challenge was huge but I did it. I am satisfied with all the pressure I put on myself and the car,” he added.

Fadi Bikawi (1m54:38s) came second in his Mitsubishi Evo HS400, followed by Ahmed Daoud (1m 56:81s) in his Mitsubishi Evo 7.

Several big names in the Rumman event withdrew from the hill headed by Husam Salem, Nancy Majali, Salem Taimeh and Raed Dahshan due to the technical delay which occurred at the start of the event and the disorganisation of the main aspects of the race.

“It is not right to wait for hours in the heat to participate. They should have fixed everything before. It is unacceptable to find several issues such as oil that needed to be cleaned on the track. Also the clock was malfunctioning in addition to other issues. After all this they expect us to take part,” Majali said.

“We love Rumman but we also love to be part of it in a very relaxed condition and this is an international race and everything should be done according to international standards,” she added.

Meanwhile, and according to several drivers the clock was not working properly and organisers had to check the clock inside the drivers’ cars instead of depending on the main clock.

“We depend on two clocks for results which is normal. We, the organising committee, don’t have issues with anyone and we stand beside each one of the drivers in a very fair and balanced way,” Jordan Motorsports CEO Othman Naseef said.