PARIS: Noah Lyles banished his Tokyo demons as he stormed to Olympic 100m glory in Paris in his continuing bid to fill the void left by Usain Bolt.
Lyles followed up on his treble gold (100m, 200m and 4x100m relay) at last year’s world championships in Budapest by winning the 100m at the Stade de France in 9.79 seconds in a dramatic photo finish.
It ended a 20-year wait for an American gold in the blue riband event. Justin Gatlin was the last sprinter, man or woman, to win Olympic 100m gold.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has dubbed Lyles, whose contract renewal with Adidas this season was described as the biggest since Bolt’s with Puma, an “absolute rock star.”
Dread-locked rapper more than rock star, the 27-year-old American’s efforts in the Hungarian capital were captured in Netflix’s docuseries entitled “Sprint.”
A second season is being filmed with the Paris Games as the backdrop.
The cameras firmly shine the spotlight on the self-assured Lyles, who looks more than ready to bring track back into the wider public consciousness and whose brashness was clear for all to hear in a litany of quotable soundbites in the first series.
“You have to have the mindset of a god,” Lyles said of being a top sprinter in “Sprint.”
“I’m a true believer in that the moment isn’t bigger than me, the moment was made for me.”
While many pundits insist that such an outlook is hardly rare for elite athletes, there is no doubt his brazen approach rubs many other people up the wrong way, not least legions of NBA basketball players — and their fans — after Lyles had questioned their claim to be real “world champions.”
Lyles, who has openly talked about his struggles with mental health and depression in recent years, admits that his growing fame has become a problem in the Olympic Village.
“I’ve become kind of popular in the village and unfortunately that has come with its own set of challenges in being able to find my own space within the village, whether that’s eating or training in the gym,” he said.
His gold in Paris at least atones for his disappointing Tokyo experience, where he came away with a bronze in the 200m.
“That bronze still burns a hole in my chest,” Lyles said.
“I will be carrying it around during Paris just to remind me that this is not the color we are coming back with.”
Lyles, who suffered from chronic asthma as a child, insisted he thrives under public scrutiny.
“The more eyes on me, the better I perform, or at least that’s what my therapist says. When the TV cameras are on me and people are there, I am not losing.”
The American is still hoping to complete an audacious bid for medals in four events in Paris, adding the 4x400m relay to his repertoire.
He ruffled feathers in the world indoors in Glasgow in March when, after claiming 60m silver behind teammate Christian Coleman, he was selected for the 4x400m relay squad that also won silver.
It was a call-up that left the US federation accused of favoritism.
“Let’s just say a lot of people in the US were very, very, very upset that I ran the 4x400 and to that I would say, ‘run faster, push me out!’,” Lyles said.
Bolt retired from the sport in 2017 having won 11 world and eight Olympic golds.
Lyles, whose Budapest sprint double was the first since Bolt’s at the Beijing worlds in 2015, said: “Usain Bolt has done it and him saying to me that he sees what I am doing and he respects it, it is amazing.
“I am the guy who wants to move past being track-famous. I want people to see me on the track, but in GQ and my docu-series, and realize I’m a cool guy too.
“Medals are the first step because then people pay attention to you.
“Then you can go into different directions: fashion, music. You can start collaborating with other people, artists and the world.”
Lyles arrived in Paris knowing full well that he needed to continue his fine form, simply because to continue garnering attention, he needs to keep winning medals — the Olympics are the ultimate global championships for the American spectator.
That was Bolt’s allure: his ability to dominate and win multiple gold medals at global championships.
Lyles has bagged one. More podiums beckon.
‘Rock star’ Lyles banishes Tokyo demons with Paris 100m gold
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‘Rock star’ Lyles banishes Tokyo demons with Paris 100m gold
- Lyles followed up on his treble gold (100m, 200m and 4x100m relay) at last year’s world championships in Budapest
Dortmund holds on with 10 men for 1st away win in Bundesliga
- Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league
BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund held on after Pascal Groß’ sending off to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 for its first Bundesliga away win of the season on Sunday.
Donyell Malen got the visitors off the mark with a volley to a corner in the 25th, three minutes before Julian Brandt played in Maximilian Beier to score Dortmund’s second goal. Beier, who scored with the outside of his boot in off the left post, celebrated with a throwing-dart gesture.
Beier returned the favor for Brandt to score Dortmund’s third two minutes after that.
Despite the commanding lead, the visitors were second-best for long periods thereafter as Wolfsburg improved dramatically.
Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl made two changes at the break, including sending on Lukas Nmecha to face his brother Felix Nmecha, who was playing for Dortmund.
Denis Vavro pulled one back in the 58th, four minutes before Groß was sent off for a foul on Lukas Nmecha when the Wolfsburg forward was through on goal.
The home team pushed hard but Dortmund managed to hold on to ease the pressure on coach Nuri Sahin.
“A 3-0 lead should mean you can get through the game with confidence,” said Brandt, who complained about his team’s drop in performance. “We’re to blame for that. It’s not good, we need to play more confidently, we need to grow up.”
Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league.
“We’ll try a reset and to play better in the new year,” Beier said. “It can’t be our goal to be sixth.”
Bochum celebrates
Bottom club Bochum defeated relegation rival Heidenheim 2-0 for its first win of the season.
“When we play like we did today it means there are lots of possibilities for the next 19 games,” said Bochum coach Dieter Hecking. “From that point of view I’m also glad we won because I couldn’t have handled many more games without a win.”
It was the visitors’ seventh straight Bundesliga defeat, the culmination of a busy schedule after clinching European qualification from its league debut last season and the offseason loss of star players like Jan-Niklas Beste, Tim Kleindienst and Eren Dinkci.
“We’re at the end of another ‘English week’ (with midweek games) again,” Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt said. “Everyone did their best, but we have to be honest – it wasn’t enough.”
Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa
Left-handed opening batsman Ayub made a sparkling 101 off 94 balls in a Pakistan total of 308 for nine.
Heinrich Klaasen thrashed 81 off 43 balls for South Africa — but the hosts were beaten by 36 runs chasing an adjusted target of 308. The match was reduced to 47 overs a side because of rain.
Ayub, 22, hit 113 not out in the second one-day game against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo last month and 109 in the series opener against South Africa in Paarl last week.
In between his one-day appearances he made an unbeaten 98 in the second Twenty20 international against South Africa in Centurion.
In contrast to Ayub’s form, his opening partner Abdullah Shafique was out for his third successive duck after Pakistan were sent in to bat.
But Ayub was seldom troubled as he played shots all around the wicket in partnerships of 114 with Babar Azam (52) and 93 with captain Mohammad Rizwan (53).
Ayub fell to debutant Corbin Bosch, caught behind attempting an audacious flick to leg, after hitting 13 fours and two sixes.
Bosch, the son of the late Test and one-day international player Tertius Bosch, received a call-up after injuries hit South Africa’s fast bowling resources.
For the third successive match, Klaasen was the only South African to make a half-century. He kept South Africa ahead of the required run rate until he was sixth man out, caught on the square leg boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi with the total on 194 in the 29th over.
Ayub followed up his century by taking one for 34 in 10 overs with his mixture of off-spin and carrom balls, claiming the key wicket of David Miller and producing the most economical figures by any bowler in the match.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 308-9 in 47 overs (Saim Ayub 101, Mohammad Rizwan 53, Babar Azam 52, Salman Agha 48; K. Rabada 3-56) v South Africa 271 in 42 overs (H. Klaasen 81, C. Bosch 40 not out)
Result: Pakistan won by 36 runs (DLS method)
Series: Pakistan won the three-match series 3-0
Toss: South Africa
Mbappe back from ‘bottom’ as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup
MADRID: Kylian Mbappe said he had bounced back from hitting rock bottom after helping Real Madrid thrash Sevilla 4-2 on Saturday to move second in La Liga above stuttering rivals Barcelona.
After Atletico Madrid beat Barca on Saturday to claim top spot at Christmas, Carlo Ancelotti’s side also took advantage with a comfortable home win which leaves them a point behind the leaders.
Madrid coach Ancelotti said ahead of Sevilla’s visit that Mbappe’s adaptation period had ended following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain and the French forward proved the coach right with a strong performance and his 14th goal of the season across all competitions.
Fede Valverde also netted a brilliant effort from range, with Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz on the scoresheet for the hosts too, the latter assisted by a clever Mbappe pass.
Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio scored for Sevilla, although they were thoroughly outplayed on veteran defender Jesus Navas’ final game for the club.
“I think that we know each other better, my arrival changed a lot of things, and now, as the coach said, the adaptation is over and I feel very good in the team,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
“We can see on the pitch that I click better with my team-mates and now we’re all playing better.”
Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup.
It was welcome relief for the forward after missing two penalties in recent weeks against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, as well as suffering criticism for his form.
“I know I’ve got much more in my legs than I’m showing, but in the last games I’ve played better,” Mbappe added.
“The Bilbao game was good for me, I hit the bottom, I missed a penalty and it was a moment to realize that I have to give everything for this shirt and show my personality.”
With Vinicius Junior suspended, Mbappe took the reins and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as Madrid brought the ball out from the back and worked it to Rodrygo on the left flank.
The Brazilian squared to Mbappe on the edge of the area, who took one touch to control, another to set himself and with his third, smashed a fierce effort past the helpless Alvaro Fernandez.
“I think (Mbappe) has been self-critical, he’s come out of a situation that could have been complicated for him,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“Yesterday I said his adaptation period was over, today he showed it, sometimes I’m not wrong.”
The coach said Madrid had found their footing after struggling at times in the first half of the season.
“We’re running a bit more, playing with more intensity, we’re doing things well again, as we have to do — they’ve been complicated months,” Ancelotti added.
Madrid’s second, 10 minutes later, was even better, with Valverde firing a screamer into the top corner from over 30 yards out after a short corner.
Ancelotti’s side were in full flow and the third followed in the 34th minute when Lucas Vazquez crossed for Rodrygo.
Sevilla hit back within a minute, with Romero nodding home from Juanlu Sanchez’s cross.
Madrid stretched their lead after the break with Mbappe dinking a superb pass through for Diaz to finish clinically.
Sevilla brought on Navas after the hour mark and he was applauded by the Santiago Bernabeu, with this his 705th and final appearance for the club, far more than any other player.
Madrid and Sevilla players together gave the retiring Spanish great — a World Cup winner in 2010 and two-time Euros champion — a guard of honor at the start of the game.
Navas, 39, won four Europa Leagues and two Copa del Rey trophies with Sevilla, but his final appearance ended in disappointment for the Andalusians.
Lukebakio pulled one back late on for Sevilla as Madrid were able to finish an impressive year, in which they became Spanish and European champions, with positive vibes.
“Today was a spectacle, I haven’t seen anything like that in my life at an away ground, it was crazy,” an emotional Navas told reporters.
“I was thinking of all the moments that I’ve lived through, the joys I’ve given to my Sevilla and my national team.”
Joao Fonseca follows Sinner as landmark NextGen champion in Jeddah
- Brazil’s Fonseca, 18, came through 2-4, 4-3 (10/8), 4-0, 4-2 to see off his left-handed American opponent
JEDDAH: Joao Fonseca became the second youngest champion of the NextGen ATP tournament on Sunday when he defied his lowly ranking of 145 to defeat Learner Tien in the final.
Brazil’s Fonseca, 18, came through 2-4, 4-3 (10/8), 4-0, 4-2 to see off his left-handed American opponent.
He is the youngest champion at the event since current world number one Jannik Sinner claimed the title also at the age of 18 five years ago.
“I was really nervous before the match. I knew it was going to be so difficult,” Fonseca said before lifting the trophy with tennis legend Rafael Nadal watching on from the stands.
“I played a final against Learner in juniors at the 2023 US Open and I know the way he can play. He is such a nice guy and a great player, so I knew it was going to be difficult, mentally and physically. But I got through.”
Fonseca, the lowest-ranked player in the eight-man field, won all five matches he played this week at the Red Sea venue.
He began the year ranked at 730 in the world and having made a maiden ATP quarter-final in Rio this year, he will be aiming to make significant progress in 2025.
“I need to believe when I go before a tournament that I can win,” Fonseca said.
“But now I have won it I am thinking, ‘Wow, I made it’. I am very proud of myself.”
Green Falcons fall to defeat against Bahrain in opening Gulf Cup match
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Arabia lost 3-2 to Bahrain on Sunday to get their challenge for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup off to the worst possible start.
The defeat at the hands of their rivals in 2026 World Cup qualification leaves Herve Renard’s men with it all to do if they are to finish in the top two places in Group B and progress to the semi-final.
It also means that the Green Falcons have won just one of their last eight competitive matches.
Bahrain, who drew with Saudi Arabia in October in the final match of Roberto Mancini’s troubled tenure, took the lead in the 19th minute in Kuwait City with a well-worked corner.
Mahdi Al-Humaidan swung over a cross from the right and there was Mahdi Abduljabbar to met the ball at the near post and send a powerful header into the opposite top corner.
Seven minutes before the break and Bahrain extended their lead. Mohamed Marhoon’s low cross from the right took a slight touch from Ali Lajami to help the ball on its way to Humaidan who shot past Nawaf Al-Aqidi from close range.
Saudi Arabia have not won the trophy for 20 years and Renard had selected a strong team to start this campaign and they got back into the game with 17 minutes remaining.
Bahrain failed to deal with a ball into the area and there was Musab Al-Juwayr to side foot the ball beautifully home from the right side of the area.
Suddenly the Saudi Arabian fans in the Jaber International Stadium were on their feet but not for long as three minutes later, Marhoon restored Bahrain’s two-goal cushion in exquisite fashion.
Mohamed Al-Romaih’s volleyed pass from midway in the Saudi Arabian half floated over the heads of the green backline for Marhoon to gently lift the ball over Al-Aqidi.
To Saudi Arabia’s credit, they kept coming back and were given a penalty with four minutes remaining as Amine Benaddi handled in the area. It looked as if Salem Al-Dawsari was going to take the kick but the star of the team, who missed from the spot against Indonesia and Bahrain in recent World Cup qualifiers, handed the ball to Salem Al-Shehri who made no mistake.
The 2004 champions were unable to get the third goal that would have earned a point and now face Yemen, who earlier lost 1-0 to Iraq, in need of improvement, a lift and — most importantly — a win.
