U.S marathon record holder Kiera D’ Amato was named to Team USA to the World Athletics Championship set July 18 in Eugene, Oregon, replacing Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel. Seidel dropped out of the Boston Marathon last April due to a hip impingement. D’Amato had less than three weeks to prepare but said she’s in great shape. She ran 2:19:12 in Houston last January to set the American marathon record. Recently, she won the BAA 10K in 31:17. Sara Hall and Emma Bates are the other American women in the World Championship while Galen Rupp, Elkanah Kibet, and Colin Micken will represent the men. As I was finishing this column, news from Oregon announced that Ethiopian Tamirat Tola won the men’s marathon in 2:05:35.
`Stolen Olympic Gold Medal found
``American volleyball player Jordyan Poulter’s Olympic gold medal she received in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was stolen when a thief ransacked her car, more than a month ago in Anaheim, California. Owners of Noel Barbershop also located in Anaheim, found the medal in a discarded plastic bag near their home while they were cleaning their yard. They called police who informed Poulter, a starting setter in the US Volleyball team who won its first Olympic gold by sweeping Brazil.
Sharapova gives birth
Five-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Maria Sharapova gave birth to a baby boy on July 1. The baby boy named Theodore is the first child of the 35-year old former “crush nang bayan” and British businessman Alexander Gilkes. In 2004, Sharapova won her first major title in Wimbledon at age 17 and followed capturing the 2006 US Open,2008 Australian Open and the 2012 and 2014 French Open titles. She won a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics, losing to American Serena Williams who captured the gold. She retired at age 32 after having shoulder problems. Sharapova defeated two-time defending champion Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon Final when she was only 17.
Iloilo racks four wins
Iloilo Kisela Knights continue to bulldoze its opponents in the Wesley So Cup Online Tournament, racking up four wins this weekend. Last Wednesday,the Knights routed Camarines-Iriga 16-5 then wallloped Cagayan De Oro 20-1 for its most lop-sided win. In last Saturday’s matches, IloIlo defeated Palawan 16-5 then dismantled Cebu18-3. Cebu was bannered by NM Elwin Retanal, Dennis Navaes, RandyCabuncal, and Linky Yap.