SUMMARY OF THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MOSCOW

The 14^th edition of the IAAF world championships came to an end at the Luzhniki stadium, with the Jamaicans showing their class in the sprints, while the Russians dominated the field events. At the end, Russia dethroned the USA from the top of the medal table with a total of seven gold medals, a result the Russians have not had since the world championships,12 years back in Edmonton, Canada. 

The Moscow competitions will be remembered not only for the medal count, but for many other highlights and emotions -pain, frustration, tears, and intense joy.

                                 THE SPRINTS AND LONG DISTANCES

 Lightning Bolt as he is fondly called once again in Moscow, confirmed his dominance over the men's sprints, particularly with the suspended Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay absent. The Jamaican sprinter did not disappoint the Russian crowd when he coasted home to a leading time of 9.77seconds and also the second fastest time at a world championship .A feat behind the world record he set at the Berlin games in 2009.Even with lightning and sheets of rain, Bolt did not give the other competitors a chance. The Jamaican runner won his favorite 200-meter event and gave Muscovites a Russian-style farewell dance afterwards. Bolt left Moscow an eight time world champion and his plans for the future are no less grandiose:  “I don't count medals, just try to do something that no one has ever done before". That is why I want to go to Rio. I had a dream to become a legend. I fulfilled my dream at the Olympic Games in London. I want to be undefeated!”

He was joined in sprint supremacy by Jamaican compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who completed her own sprint double as 200m queen Alyson Felix had to be carried from the track. It was indeed a wonderful tournament as they went home with six gold medals.

Before all this, Mo Farah had already continued his dominance in the long distance races when he reclaimed the 10000m title he lost to Ibrahim Jeilan in 2011 before capping it all by winning the 5000m.A dominant Farah did just that, became only the second man in history to achieve the ‘’double-double’’ to win both long-distance crowns at the Olympics and the World Championships.

 The 800m race also produced new champions in both the male and female angle with Mohammed Aman becoming the first man to win a medal for Ethiopia outside the 5000m and the 10000m, while Eunice sum won in a personal best time of 1:57.38. that  In the marathon, Edga Kiplagat became the first ever woman to win two consecutive title by reprising her Daegu victory in a time of (2:25.44).Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich also won for the male angle.

The 400m race brought some sought of surprise as the duo of Leshawn Meritt and Kirani James had been tipped to go head to head due to their performances in the Diamond League. Most people prediction came to pass but in the final, the young Grenadian and defending champion, James fizzled out as Leshawn merit set a new personal best of 43.74 seconds to win the title, his first since 2009.It was the same scenario in the female angle as great Britain’s Christine Ohourogu won her first world title since 2007 as she came from behind to peep the defending champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana by 4,000^th of a second.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

THE HURDLES

One of the most anticipated showdown lots of athletics fans couldn’t wait to see was the head to head between the trio of Brianna Rollins, Sally Pearson and Dawn Harper-Nelson in the 100m hurdles. The young American who just turned professional this year and set the third fastest time at the American trials was a revelation of some sought as she peeped the defending champion from Australia Pearson with a winning time of 12.44 seconds after a slow start.  The male 110 hurdles was won by DavidOliver after missing last year’s Olympics due to injury. In the 400m hurdles, Czech republic’s Zuzanne Hejnova won her first world title as male favorites Felix Sanchez failed to make it to the podium as the duo of Jehue Gordon and MichaelTinsley were locked in a battle but the 21 year old Trinidadian  won the race in 47.69 seconds.                                               

        In the decathlon there were fantastic memories for Ashton Eaton as he won his first world title. The female heptathlon, Ukraine’s Ganna meloicherko took the gold medal as favorites Jessica Ennis-Hill Tatyana Chernova had pulled out due to injury.                                                                                                  

 THE FIELD EVENTS                                                                                          

   In the long jump American Britney Reese peeped Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare by 2cm to win her third straight world title meanwhile, home favorites Alexandra Menkov treated the home fans to a delight as he won the men’s long jump. In the high jump , diamond league leader, Borhan Bondarenko shoved off competitions from Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim to win his first ever world title. In the female angle, the duo of Svetlana Skholina and Anna Chicherova took gold and silver for the Russians as young American Brigeda Barette settled for third place.

Yelena Isinbayeva did not set 28 world records, but she nevertheless left the Moscow audience wild with excitement after her 4-m-89-cm. Her victory in Moscow was a perfect finish to the Russian pole-vaulter's outstanding career.

TEARS AND ANTHEMS

The Russian women's team victory in the 4x400 meter relay has been a very long time coming: Therefore, after the finish, the athletes did not hide their emotions.  

Antonina Krivoshapka, the final leg of the Russian four, did not hold back her tears in front of reporters: "For the past few years, we have come in third, second, and I really wanted finally to win. Until today, I ran in so many relays, stood on the pedestal and heard someone else's anthem. And today I heard ours, on the home field, when there was such wild support from the crowd. And I started to cry." 

TWO FINISHES

London's Olympic champion Yelena Lashmanova was almost deprived of Moscow gold in the 20-kilometer race-walk because of an unfortunate misunderstanding.After she entered the stadium, she ran 100 meters and stopped — but there was still a full lap to go before the finish.

Fortunately, someone told the athlete that the race had not yet ended, and the drama did not become a tragedy.

DANCES AND NAKED TORSORS

Many athletes in Moscow did not hide their feelings. Robert Harting of Germany, winner in the discus throw, tore off his shirt immediately after his victory, as he has been known to do before. After winning the steeplechase, Ezekiel Kemboi tied the Kenyan flag to himself and did a national dance.

The World Championships were largely contested in a sparsely populated Luzhniki Stadium, the silence a world away from the carnival atmosphere of the London 2012 Olympics. A view Bolt, says were "a seven out of 10", with athletics' biggest star going on to say that a lack of capacity crowds led him to believe that the event had "not been the best". 

AUTHOR:  Deji Ogenyigbo.

WHO IS TO WIN?

As New York gears up for the fourth grand slam of the year and the world awaits in anticipation, Bayo Salau writes on the preview of the US open, stats around players that could be in the running for yet another milestone in the 133^rd edition of the US open.

     It’s hard to believe, but we are just days from the final grand slam of 2013 kicking off. And if this most recent draw is any indication, the slam season might have saved the best for the last.

On the men’s court, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer could meet in the quarters again. All eyes will be on those two longtime elites to live up their end of the bargain this time.

Last year’s finalist, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, the winner of the 2012 edition also poised for another meeting in the semi finals. But have you ponder on who the cap of this edition would fit?

After winning his first grand slam last year, reached the Australian open final though lost to Novak Djokovic at the start of 2013, he was forced to skip the Roland Garros owing to injury. Andy Murray cam e back stronger to storm into the record books by clinching Britain’s first grand slam in 77years.

Beside his grand slam success, his scintillating performance form on hard court surface makes him a strong favourite, and will be looking forward to avenge his Cincinnati masters defeat in the hands of Micheal Llodra, once the opening fixture of the round resumes.

For Rafael Nadal, It’s unfortunate that despite such an impressive return from a seven moth injury, one of the most memorable moments of the Spaniard season was being ousted by Steve Darvis in the first round of Wimbledon. That said the undisputed  ‘king of clay’ who have gone to clinch the French open title number eight this year, is on track to claim the same accolade when flushing meadows gets under way.

He goes into the hard court event with back-back trophy in Montreal and Cincinnati as one reason to believe he can despite not too convincing records on the surface,  with one hard court surface title- the US open to boast of amongst twelve to have been won by him.

It may also be true that the tournament is not his best of his 12 grand slams title, but it’s a case of write him off at your own peril.

    While Novak Djokovic who can’t be ruled out of the hard court tournament owing to his form books;but one thing for sure is that a repeat of last year’s final won’t be seen . The Serbian plays Briton’s Andy Murray in the Semi finals if only they both scale the hurdles before then. The world number one opens his campaign to Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis. Another notable name to participate is Roger Federer and it will be the first time the Big Swiss won’t be in the top four seed since 2002.

   Meanwhile the women’s side may yet again see a big star missed out as Russia Maria Sharapova misses out due to injury but won’t deny us the excitement we crave as her replacement Agnieska Radwanska, comes in with lots to prove this term. More importantly, she shoots to 3^rd spot with Sara Errani up to the all-important No 4 spot.

However, most of the focus will be on Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka to see if they can both get to the final. Despite defeat to Azarenka in the Cincinnati final, Williams is, as ever in devastating form going into the US open and is pretty safe for the title.

Terrifyingly for her opponents, she has only lost five matches this year and has taken three out of  the last five grand slams. Even though on the downside the hardcourt has not been friend to her as four of those five defeats came on the surface. It’s  a surprise to many that loses have come on this type of court normally her best – but nonetheless there’s no doubting just how hungry she will be for the title.

Again the one major contender, Victoria Azarenka push this time won’t be ordinary as there could not have been a better preparation going into a grand slam than the way she took apart the American in Cincinnati few days before.

Such is Azarenka’s position ahead of flushing meadows, the Belarusian can, and should, be feeling like anything is possible in NYC. But would you in any way want to doubt her credentials? Absolutely not, as she started the year with the defence of her Australian open crown which she followed with same feat in Qatar. Though the following period was marred by an ankle injury but looked to have recovered from by the time the French open came calling. The world no 2 reached the final four at Roland Garros and forced to withdraw in the second round of Wimbledon –a retirement that ended her run of of four consecutive grand slams semi-finals.

Yet to win the US open, but she gave it her best shot by getting to the final where she lost to Serena Williams and this term she would have built her confidence with couple of wins over the American recently especially the last which was the Cincinnnati masters days back. There’s absolutely no reason the Belarusian can’t go one better.

    Others poised for triumph could come in mould of Agnieska Radwanska who after winning two hardcourt tournaments went all blazing and ready to rumble against her adversaries but instead she fumbled playing against them in the course of the season. The question now is can she upset the apple carts after Sharapova’s withdrawal?

So far she is not been able to deal with the top five ranked player in the women’s tour since March 2012. A record she will not like to be told or read about. Worse still is the record against likely last four or final opponents Williams and Azarenka is a combined 0-13. Do not also rule out the likes of Li Na, Sera Errani, and Czech Petra Kvitova.

Also if you are wondering where Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli is, she decided (somewhat out of the blue) to retire after defeat in Cincinnati.

MOYES - TO SUPPORT OR TO LOATHE

To many the announcement of David Moyes as the new Manchester United gaffer comes as a surprise, but one Sir Alex Ferguson had had in mind since the era of the Ex-Toffes manager at Preston North-End in the early 2000s. Today the Scot finally had his wish granted by the United Glazer's family ahead of the fancied Jose Mourinho, who many feels has got the credentials to lead the Red-devils after earlier stint with Premier league rivals Chelsea where he made his mark before sojourning around hosts of other clubs across Europe.
His reign as United Manager started inauspiciously, with a 1-0 defeat to a mighty Singh All star team in Bangkok,one that had some exciting young lads on parade with the big guns in absentia owing to backlogs of injuries to top performers;but his team soon found their feet again- this time against A league All stars.
They thumped the Australian Side 3-1 in Sydney before heading off to Japan to play the Yokohama F-Marinos .
They lost 3-2 before drawing their foutrh of the tour against Crezo Osaka two all to share the Yanmar premium cup.
A first loss had brought into fore of Sir Alex losing his first game in charge as Manager of the Old-trafford Club back in 1986, when his then United side fell to a 2-0 defeat against Oxford United.
A defeat seen by many as one not to be overblown as Sir AlexFeruson's first in charge should perhaps come as solace for the Scot- a symmetry perhaps as it was described.
    After four games and one more left against Kitchee in their tour of Asia, it looks that the reality of the enormityof a club like Manchester United, soon be sinking after seeing the scale of the fan-base worldwide.
The fact that a consistency norm in the use of these younger players has now reposed new belief in the tactics of Moyes and United's faithful. Furthermore the new generation of stars can once again be the cynosure in his reign and one to lean with, thus the pardon for not receiving sticks from fans but support that was again the thrust of Fergie's words in departute - only time will tell.
   The one many problem on hand to deal with is the future of striker Wayne Rooney after several speculations linking him away from the club but nerves have so far been calm over the English man, so also is  no denying the fact that the club purported move for Ex- Arsenal man Cesc Fabregas recently,from Barcelona could be the missing peg.
A thing of worry no doubt is questions about the performance of the team whether its worth the patient or not ? But a sure bet is that the activities in the closed season for the Old Trafford landlord could further enhance and bring about the drastic change to move the club even more to greater heights.

Why not! as the acronym of the new Manager suggest- Make Other Years Exceedingly Successful