Bleacher Report - Olympics

Road to Moscow Runs Through USA Track and Field Championships This Week

Red Shannon — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:22:18 -0400

America's best track and field athletes will be gathering in Des Moines, Iowa this week to select the national champions and assemble Team USA, which will compete in the World Outdoor Championships in Moscow, August 10 to 18.

Drake Stadium will host the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, June 23. The meet promises the same drama and many of the same players as last year's exciting Olympic track and field trials.

With such a successful showing by the 2012 U.S. track team in London (29 medals), the sport's popularity has maintained a tangible continuity through 2013, and many of the same athletes are eager to prove the Olympic effort was no fluke.

And, as always, a rising generation of new stars are chomping at the bit to demonstrate their own validity.

The top three places in each event (providing they meet the qualifying standard) will secure a ticket to Moscow.

Some Athletes to Watch

Tyson Gay: Men's 100-Meter Dash, the 200, 4x100-Meter Relay

If Tyson Gay avoids injury, this will be the first year since 2008 we will have seen him 100 percent healthy and race-ready. Early races indicate he is approaching his dominant form of 2007. And word has it he has a decent start now.

Gay has stated he wants three medals in Moscow.

My instincts tell me veterans Gay and Justin Gatlin will go one-two in the 100. That third spot is wide open with Ryan Bailey, Doc Patton, Walter Dix and a covey of college hotshots in their wake.

In the 200, I see Gay, Dix and Wallace Spearmon Jr. contending for Team USA honors. Gay, one of the best turn runners ever, will surely give his body a test on the curve. If he holds up, he should be there to challenge the Jamaicans in Moscow.

Brianna Rollins: Women's 100-Meter Hurdles

The Clemson junior and 2013 NCAA national champion is fresh off a world-leading (by a ton) run of 12.39 seconds and looks unstoppable going into Des Moines.

Only problem with that—once there, she will meet seasoned Olympians Dawn Harper-Nelson (12.60), Queen Harrison (12.64), hometown girl Lolo Jones (12.70) and Kellie Wells (12.73)

This is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated finals of the meet, complete with a guarantee: However it shakes out, the USA will be sending another strong hurdles team to Moscow, in hopes of dethroning the defending world champion—the blond comet from Down Under—Sally Pearson.

Brad Walker: Men's Pole Vault

In an event begging for a captain to lead it back into international relevance, Brad Walker, the American record holder, stands like Moses on the edge of the promised land with a band of talented youngsters. But will he, himself be able to enter?

It wouldn't be unfamiliar territory. In 2007, Walker claimed the world championship.

After wandering for several years in a wilderness of injuries, Walker has been vaulting in 2013 with a renewed sense of confidence, twice nicely eclipsing the 19-foot barrier in late spring. Still, the European vaulters consistently taunt the Americans on the international stage.

If the critical atmospheric conditions are right in Des Moines, and the poles are bending as they should, the American contingent could send a strong message to those Moscow-bound rivals overseas.

It would be nice to see Walker leading that pack.

Mary Cain: Women's 1,500 Meters

The 17-year-old high school junior has captured the attention of a nation. If things go right for her at the national championships, an entire planet may soon be captivated.

Mary Cain, who demolishes a national high school record seemingly every time she runs, actually qualified (on time) for three separate events at nationals—the 800, the 1,500 and the 5,000—but will focus on the 1,500. She currently has the 16th-best time in the world (4:04.62).

While she is no stranger to racing with the world's best, most of Cain's records have come in the wake of more mature and experienced runners. On only one of her 2013 high school record demolitions did she finish in first place.

This is not an indictment of Cain's toughness or internal drive to win. Rather it is an indicator of her willingness to trust and follow coach Alberto Salazar's well-thought-out long-range plan.

Even so, when Salazar has given the green light, Cain has demonstrated an ability to kick and finish with the best of them. If she is in the mix on the bell lap of the 1,500 finals, I doubt she will be looking for anything but a win.

One other thing. Cain's post-race interviews are wonders to behold. Hope we get to see some.

The governing body for USA track and field, The USATF, will be providing 50 hours of video coverage of the meet, which includes live TV coverage on ESPN2, Universal Sports and NBC Sports Network.

Here is the schedule, via USATF's website:

USATF.TV Webcasting Schedule
2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and Junior Track and Field Championships
All times Eastern June 19, 1 p.m. to 7:20 p.m.
June 20, 11 a.m. to 10:25 p.m.
June 21, 11 a.m. to 10:35 p.m. (only field events from 8-10 p.m.)
June 22, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (only field events from 4-7 p.m.)
June 23, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (only field events from 3-6 p.m.)

Broadcasting Schedule
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
All times Eastern. Check Local Listings.
June 21, LIVE 8-10 p.m. on ESPN2
June 22, LIVE 4-5 p.m. on Universal Sports, LIVE 5-7 p.m. on NBC Sports Network
June 23, 2-3 p.m. on Universal Sports, LIVE 3-4 p.m. on NBC Sports Network, LIVE 4-6 p.m. on NBC

Follow @rojosports

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Breaking Down the Future of Canadian International Basketball

C.J. Moore — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:46:03 -0400

On June 27, two Canadians could be called in the NBA Lottery—Anthony Bennett and Kelly Olynyk. In 2014, Canadian Andrew Wiggins is expected to be the first pick.

Once an afterthought in basketball, Canada is starting to produce some of the world's best talent, thanks in part to the NBA expanding to Canada in the mid-'90s and to relaxed immigration laws, which ESPN.com's Myron Metcalf wrote about last year.

The talent pool is getting so deep that Steve Nash, the national team's general manager, actually has real depth to work and mold a roster with.

As unreal as it would have been even 10 years ago, the Canadians could have an actual chance to medal in the 2016 Olympics for the first time since the first Olympics with basketball in 1936, when Canada lost to the United States in the gold-medal game. The Canadians have never finished better than sixth
place in the FIBA World Championships.

As you start to break down what Nash's roster could look like, the Canadians have a realistic shot next summer in Spain at making the world take notice.

Begin Slideshow

Singapore Badminton Open 2013 Results: Updated Scores and Bracket

Rob Goldberg — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:47:22 -0400

One of the toughest badminton tournaments of the year is underway as the top players in the world attempt to win the Singapore Open.

In this week-long event, the first day represented the qualification rounds and there were already some surprises. If this is any indication of the rest of the tournament, it is certain to be an exciting championship to watch.

Here is a look at the top results and the biggest stories of the day.

Players Advancing (via TournamentSoftware.com)

Men's Singles	Women's Singles
Lee Dong-Keun	Thulasi P. C.
Sai Praneeth B.	Sun Yu
Zulfadli Zulkifli	Aiying Xing
Ka Long Ng	Arundhati Pantawane

Derek Wong Falls Early

One of the top players in Singapore was unable to represent his home country in the main draw after losing in the first round of the qualification process.

Derek Wong opened his day against Malaysian Zulfadli Zulkifli, but the home-field advantage was not enough at Singapore Indoor Stadium. He ended up losing 18-21, 21-15, 21-15, and will have to hope for better success next time.

As for Zulkifli, he won his second-round match as well, and will continue his efforts in the next round against No. 5 seed Boonsak Ponsana.

Xing Aiying Reaches Next Stage

While Wong could not make it through qualifying, another Singapore native was able to come through on the women's side. Xing Aiying won both of her matches and will attempt to keep winning in the main draw.

Of course, it was rarely easy. She defeated Millicent Wiranto 21-14, 18-21, 21-9, and then needed three games to advance past Ngan Yi Cheung too.

After reaching the semifinals of this tournament last year, Aiying is certainly capable of making a deep run once again.

Sai Praneeth B. Cruises Through Qualifying

Although most matches on the day were highly competitive, Sai Praneeth B. had little trouble advancing to the next round.

The Indonesian player had two victories without losing a single game, only struggling a bit late against Riichi Takeshita. He still advanced unscathed with a 22-20 win in the final game.

He will face No. 2 seed Hu Yun, which is a big increase in competition. However, he can make it a match if he plays as well as he did on the first day.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest updates in sports.

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Lolo Jones Should Be Applauded for Comments Regarding Bobsledding Pay

Mike Chiari — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:50:58 -0400

It seems like no matter where Lolo Jones goes or what sport she competes in, controversy has a way of finding her.

Jones is one of the most popular and recognizable female athletes in the world, but she also happens to be one of the most maligned as well. The criticism continued this week when Jones commented on her paltry paycheck from the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Foundation with a humorous Vine on Twitter.

While Jones' best sport is track, as evidenced by her qualifying for the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics in the 100-meter hurdles, she has since decided to try her hand at bobsledding. The transition has been a successful one thus far with Jones capturing a gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2013 World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Jones is very much in the running to represent the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia as a brakeman. Her switch to bobsledding has seemingly rubbed some people the wrong way from the start, so the paycheck situation certainly hasn't endeared her to those who already took issue with her.

Lolo's $741.84 check for seven months of bobsled training is likely a far cry from what she is used to making on the track. Steven Holcomb, an Olympic gold medalist in bobsledding, wasn't amused by Jones' joke, according to Kelly Whiteside of USA Today.

The way it came across to a lot of the athletes here was kind of snobby because she's one of the most well-known athletes in the world and she's making pretty good money in endorsements (Holcomb said). And to basically turn around and slap us in the face because you didn't make any money this year in bobsledding while taking money from other's athletes? She slapped pretty much every athlete in the U.S. federation in the face. That was the general consensus.

Holcomb's sentiments are nothing new; Jones seems to be constantly under siege.

She was a heavy favorite in the 100-meter hurdles in the Beijing Games back in 2008, but a clipped hurdle caused her to finish seventh. The challenges didn't stop there for her.

According to Julia Savacool of ESPN.com, Jones had to undergo surgery to repair a tethered spinal cord back in 2011. Despite that, she was able to work her way back and once again qualify for the Olympics in less than one year.

Such an incredible feat would normally be applauded, but that wasn't the case when it came to Jones. She just missed out on the podium in London when she finished fourth, but instead of portraying her as a hero in the media, she was cut down in a vitriol-laced article by Jere Longman of the New York Times.

Jones was clearly one of the best hurdlers in the world at the time and her recovery from injury proved that winning an Olympic medal meant everything to her. That didn't stop Longman from accusing Jones from using her looks to gain publicity. The article even featured a quote from Janice Forsyth of the International Centre for Olympic studies, which compared Jones to former tennis player Anna Kournikova.

The comparison was ridiculous. Kournikova never won a WTA title in her career and was never ranked higher than No. 8 in the world. Jones, on the other hand, twice won gold at the World Indoor Championships, so she reached the pinnacle of her sport.

The fact of the matter is that there are people out there who simply don't seem to like Jones' personality. That leads them to criticize everything that she does without stopping to think about the reasons behind her actions.

It's certainly possible that Jones' Vine was meant solely as a vehicle for her to whine about her check, but perhaps there were ulterior and admirable motives behind it. If Jones is to be believed, then that is precisely the case. According to Whiteside, Jones tried to explain herself in a statement released through her sponsor, Red Bull:

The vine of the paycheck is just showing the difference between track and bobsled, and to be honest bobsledders work more hours than track! The bottom line is that all Olympic athletes dedicate their lives to their sports and do not receive lucrative paychecks like athletes in mainstream professional sports. So hopefully this will make people appreciate just how hard Olympians work, often just for the love of the sport.

The fact that Jones admitted that she has to work harder now than she did as a track athlete proves that she isn't trying to show up her counterparts. The Vine seemed to be more about raising awareness than anything else and there is no question that Jones has done that.

While Jones is still new to the sport, she is easily bobsledding's biggest star in the United States and arguably the biggest bobsledding star in the entire world. When she speaks people listen, so the general public is now well aware of the struggles that bobsledders go through.

Also, Jones' status with the United States bobsled team figures to have a trickle-down effect at some point. She'll likely make much better money moving forward, especially if she makes the Olympic team. This will generate interest in the sport, which will then lead to new stars being built.

Once that happens, the conditions will be better for everyone involved. Bobsledders like Holcomb are probably upset because they feel like an outsider is infringing upon their sport, but Jones is making waves that will inevitably lead to a positive impact in the future.

Even though Jones is key to the development of bobsledding in the United States, she is bound to be met with resistance moving forward. Jones has been labeled the "bad girl" in the past and it seems like the same thing is happening in her new sport.

If everyone in bobsledding benefits from her involvement in the sport, however, how bad can she really be?

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

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Official USA Men's U19 World Championship Roster Finalized

Ryan Rudnansky — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:55:06 -0400

The Team USA U19 roster has been determined, per USABasketball.com.

The roster includes Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart, Tennessee forward Jarnell Stokes, Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon and top 2013 recruits Aaron Gordon (Arizona) and Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington).

Team USA U19 World Championship Roster

Player	Position	School
Michael Frazier	G	Florida
Aaron Gordon	F	Archbishop HS/Arizona
Jerami Grant	F	Syracuse
Montrezl Harrell	F	Louisville
Jahlil Okafor	C	Whitney Young HS
Elfrid Payton	G	Louisiana-Lafayette
Marcus Smart	G	Oklahoma State
Jarnell Stokes	F	Tennessee
Rasheed Sulaimon	G	Duke
Mike Tobey	F/C	Virginia
Nigel Williams-Goss	G/F	Findlay Prep/Washington
Justise Winslow	F	St. John's HS

Smart could have been a top-five pick if he would have declared for the NBA draft this year. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.0 steals in his freshman year at Oklahoma State. That included posting 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists and five steals against Oregon in the 2013 NCAA tournament.

Stokes averaged 12.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in his sophomore campaign at Tennessee. That includes registering 14 points and 13 rebounds against Mercer in the 2013 NIT tournament.

Sulaimon averaged 11.6 points while shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc in his freshman season at Duke. He posted a combined 37 points against Creighton and Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.

Gordon and Nigel Williams-Goss were ranked as the No. 4 and No. 34 recruits in the 2013 class, respectively, according to 247Sports.com.

In the FIBA U19 World Championship two years ago, Team USA finished fifth. That was after finishing first in 2009 and second in 2007. Team USA has won the World Championship four times, dating back to 1979.

The tournament will be hosted by the Czech Republic this year from June 27 to July 7. The United States is part of Group D, which includes China, Ivory Coast and Russia. Russia placed third in the tournament in 2011.

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Singapore Badminton Open 2013: Draw, Dates, Full Schedule and Favorites

Justin Onslow — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:22:14 -0400

The Li-Ning Singapore Open got its start in 1987 as a large-scale tournament for some of badminton’s greatest players.

Since the inaugural event, the Singapore Open has continued to grow, now representing one of the biggest and most prestigious badminton tournaments of the year.

As noted on the tournament’s official website, the Singapore Open is a terrific event for promoting the sport, and it’s also a tremendous opportunity for both sponsors and players to gain exposure.

This year’s tournament will take place in the Singapore Indoor Stadium—a venue perfectly suited for a major badminton event.

The venue has played host to a number of entertainment and sporting events, and has been the home of the Singapore Open since 2004.

Juliane Schenk and Boonsak Ponsana enter the tournament as defending champions, but there’s plenty of tough competition standing in the way of a repeat performance.

With full fields of 32 players in each draw, winning the Singapore Open will require a lot of skill and a little luck.

Let’s take a look at the draws from the men’s and women’s singles tournaments, as well as the full schedule and a few players to keep an eye on as the tournament starts up on June 18.

Where: Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore City

When: June 17 (qualification) to June 22 (finals)

Draws

Men’s Singles

Pengyu Du (1)

Anand Pawar

Chen Yueken

Marc Zwiebler

Tien Minh Nguyen

Lin Dan (Withdrawn)*

Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka

Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk

Kenichi Tago (4)

Ajay Jayaram

Mohamad Arif Abdul Latif

Rajiv Ouseph

Zhengming Wang (8)

Daren Liew

Qualification Player TBD

Tommy Sugiarto

Kazumasa Sakai

Simon Santoso

Takuma Ueda

Kashyap Parupalli (7)

Sho Sasaki

Qualification Player TBD

Chun Seang Tan

Sony Dwi Kuncoro (3)

Sourabh Varma

Wing Ki Wong

Qualification Player TBD

Boonsak Ponsana (5)

Wei Feng Chong

Gurusaidutt R. M. V.

Qualification Player TBD

Yun Hu (2)

Women’s Singles

Xuerui Li (1)

Sashina Vignes Waran

Nichaon Jindapon

Belaetrix Manuputi

Ji Hyun Sung (6)

Sindhu P. V.

Pui Yin Yip

Sapsiree Taerattanachai

Juliane Schenk (3)

Tsz Ka Chan

Qualification Player TBD

Yui Hashimoto

Minatsu Mitani (8)

Adrianti Firdasari

Tzu Ying Tai

Aprilla Yuswandari

Qualification Player TBD

Petya Nedelcheva

Yeon Ju Bae

Shixian Wang (7)

Sayaka Takahashi

Carolina Marin

Busanan Ongbumrungpan

Yihan Wang (4)

Qualification Player TBD

Lindaweni Fanetri

Qualification Player TBD

Ratchanok Intanon (5)

Porntip Buranaprasertsuk

Eriko Hirose

Juan Gu

Saina Nehwal (2)

*Full draw information can also be found here.

Schedule

Monday, June 17	9 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET	Qualifying Rounds
Tuesday, June 18	9 p.m. to 10 a.m. ET	Preliminary Rounds
Wednesday, June 19	2 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET	Round of 16
Thursday, June 20	3 a.m. to 10Ca.m. ET	Quarterfinals
Friday, June 21	2 a.m. to 7 a.m. ET	Semifinals
Saturday, June 22	1 a.m. to 6 a.m. ET	Finals

*For full schedule with local times, visit SingaporeBadmintonOpen.sg.

Players to Watch

Juliane Schenk

Schenk took down the 2012 Singapore Open with an impressive run that culminated in a 21-11, 26-24 victory over Cheng Shao-Chieh in the finals. This year, the German will set her sights on defending her title against a strong field of competitors.

Last year's win is the only Super Series title of Schenk's career to date, but she's been playing extremely well of late.

On Saturday, she defeated three-time Indonesia Open winner Saina Nehwal in the tournament's semifinals to secure a berth in the finals and a chance to build significant momentum heading into the Singapore Open.

The No. 3 seed in the tournament, Schenk may find herself facing No. 2 Nehwal again this week, though she'll likely have to get past top-ranked Xuerui Li to set up that rematch.

Boonsak Ponsana

The second half of the returning champions duo, Ponsana, enters the tournament as the No. 5 seed, with a first-round matchup yet to be determined.

Following the qualifying round, Ponsana's tournament path will become clearer, though several top-ranked opponents litter his half of the draw.

The Thailand native continues to find success at the Singapore Open, winning in 2007 before recapturing the title last year. In 2009 and 2010, the 31-year-old posted runner-up finishes, and stands to make another big splash this year.

Read more Olympics news on BleacherReport.com

Ironman UK Results 2013: Men's and Women's Top Finishers

Ryan Davenport — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:03:02 -0400

On Sunday, a relatively new face and one of the most decorated triathletes in the world reigned supreme.

Great Britain's Ritchie Nicholls and Irish star Eimear Mullan captured the titles at the 2013 edition of the Ironman UK 70.3, and it wasn't even close.

That's because the 25-year-old Nicholls swam, biked and ran away from the rest of the field all day, and finished the course more than five minutes before his next closest competitor at Wimbleball Lake.

On the women's side, Mullan finished just over a minute ahead of British runner-up Holly Lawrence, who held a three-minute lead on the 31-year-old Ireland native following the 1.2 mile swim.

Heading into the race, Fraser Cartmell, a three-time former champion of the Ironman UK had to be considered the favorite, but Nicholls' final leg was far too much for any of his fellow Brits to overcome.

Following the swim, as the official Ironman UK Twitter account reported, it was already a three-man race.

Regardless of which of the three contenders came out on top, it was clear the grueling test of endurance would be won by a Brit, as the top seven finishers all hailed from the home country.

Name	Country	Swim	Bike	Run	Finish	Div. Rank	Overall Rank
Nicholls, Ritchie	GBR	00:24:01	02:32:49	01:14:39	04:15:04	1	1
Don, Tim	GBR	00:23:56	02:32:45	01:19:42	04:20:07	2	2
Cartmell, Fraser	GBR	00:23:57	02:32:47	01:20:04	04:20:30	3	3
Clarke, Will	GBR	00:23:59	02:41:01	01:16:31	04:25:51	4	4
Widmann, Uwe	GER	00:25:35	02:42:12	01:22:51	04:35:28	5	5
Skipper, Joe	GBR	00:27:06	02:42:43	01:23:34	04:37:35	6	6
Baxter, Sam	GBR	00:28:55	02:41:33	01:23:00	04:38:30	1	7
Baldwin, Nick	SEY	00:27:04	02:43:29	01:25:54	04:41:28	7	8
Fanous, Lawrence	JOR	00:24:00	02:51:29	01:22:35	04:42:13	8	9
Wilby, Peter	GBR	00:27:40	02:44:05	01:26:06	04:43:39	2	10

By the time the race's second leg was over, it was clear it would be one of Nicholls, Tim Don or Cartmell who would emerge victorious, as the leaders had separated themselves from the field by more than eight minutes during the 56.4-mile bike ride.

In the end, Nicholls squeaked out the victory with a furious finish to the 13.1-mile run, clocking in at 1:14:39. The win represents a landmark title for a triathlete who recently moved up in terms of distance over a field that featured a number of the sport's most accomplished athletes.

Despite a late push by Don, Nicholls eventually managed to put enough distance between himself and the 2006 World Triathlon Champion by finishing the run five minutes before his fellow Brit.

Though the women's side of the race was more balanced in terms of the nationalities of the top athletes, four of the first seven women to cross the finish line were British, with German Kristin Moeller finishing more than four minutes behind Lawrence and Mullan to round out the top three.

Name	Country	Swim	Bike	Run	Finish	Div. Rank	Overall Rank
Mullan, Eimear	IRL	00:29:00	02:55:08	01:28:19	04:56:59	1	18
Lawrence, Holly	GBR	00:25:55	02:56:33	01:30:54	04:58:01	2	20
Moeller, Kristin	GER	00:30:35	03:00:50	01:25:46	05:02:33	3	23
Forshaw, Amy	GBR	00:29:33	03:07:28	01:29:32	05:12:38	4	40
Scherrer, Barbara	SUI	00:29:49	02:59:35	01:37:44	05:13:53	1	44
Bridge, Carol	GBR	00:27:10	03:03:52	01:38:40	05:14:55	5	45
Rowatt, Alison	GBR	00:33:10	03:02:41	01:37:55	05:20:13	1	56
Grant, Julia	NZL	00:29:25	03:06:02	01:39:36	05:21:08	6	58
Gill, Vicky	GBR	00:33:25	03:02:39	01:39:34	05:22:19	2	61
Duffy, Jennifer	IRL	00:31:29	03:11:03	01:38:06	05:27:13	1	73

For both Mullan and Nicholls, the final leg of the race was the key to victory, as both champions made up for the time lost in the water by burning the competition on the ground.

Read more Olympics news on BleacherReport.com

Jamaica Stunner: Sprint Queen Veronica Campbell-Brown Fails Drug Test

Red Shannon — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:04:46 -0400

The world of track and field, still running strong on a post-Olympic boost in popularity, just took a two-by-four to the shins.

Andre Lowe of The Jamaica Gleaner is confirming that the island nation's most decorated female athlete, Veronica Campbell-Brown, was found to have a banned masking agent (diuretic) in her bloodstream in a test administered on May 4, 2013.

The original test results ("A" sample) were confirmed by the B sample on Friday, June 14.

The diuretic itself is not known to be a performance-enhancing drug. However, it is commonly used to quickly eliminate traces of illegal drugs from the body and athletes are made aware of its prohibition.

At this time, there has been no reference to an actual performance-enhancing drug (PED) used by the athlete. An official release by the IAAF (track's international governing body) is forthcoming.

Campbell-Brown, 31, is a two-time Olympic champion and the reigning world champion in the 200-meter dash. She is also a former world champion in the 100.

Considering Campbell-Brown's worldwide popularity and long record of success, this incident has the potential to become the sport's most high-profile drug-related controversy since the downfall of American sprinting icon Marion Jones.

UPDATE - Tuesday, June 18: Lowe is now reporting that Campbell-Brown declared the use of a "product" before her random drug test in May. The product is assumed to be the diuretic in question.

Diuretics, such as Lasix are most commonly prescribed for patients with congestive heart disease.

There are still many unanswered questions surrounding this development. We're still waiting for an announcement from the IAAF.

Stay tuned for updates as more information filters in.

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San Francisco Marathon 2013: Route, Date, Start Time and Weather Info

Brian Mazique — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:53:54 -0400

On Sunday, June 16, the 36th annual Wipro San Francisco Marathon will be run through the Golden Gate City. Last year's event saw two Americans finish first on the men's (Nathan Krah) and women's (Devon Crosby-Helms) side.

No non-American has won the event since Yoki Shibui of Japan won in 2009.

Can the Americans continue their dominance? We'll soon find out.

This video from Wipro on YouTube captures the runners and organizers' preparation for the event. It also takes you on a fast track through last year's race.

Here's how you can follow this year's action.

Event	Location	Time
Full Marathon	Embarcadero at Mission	5:30 a.m.
Awards Ceremony	Embarcadero at Howard	9:00 a.m.

The Route

The traditional ringing of the cable car bell will mark the beginning of the race.

Like any great marathon, this one takes runners through many of the city's greatest landmarks—a loop course that starts and finishes at the Embarcadero and runs throughout the city.

Per SFMarathon.com, the full marathon will pass through Fisherman's Wharf, the Marina and across the Golden Gate Bridge. This is just one of the awesome sites participants will take in during the race.

Runners will also move through the Presidio into Golden Gate Park. From there the course leads to Haight Street, the Mission, Potrero and the Mission Bay Districts.

Down the home stretch runners will pass AT&T Park, the home of the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants. From there they must pass under the Bay Bridge and through to the finish line.

Click here to see course maps.

Weather Conditions

Per AccuWeather.com, it will be a cool, partly cloudy day in San Francisco. That could help runners produce solid times and conserve energy. The heat should not be a problem as the high is 68 degrees with a low of 54.

Click here for more information on the 2013 San Francisco Marathon.

Follow me for Sports Did You Knows, News and Spirited Opinions.

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USA vs. Argentina U16 Basketball: Score, Highlights and Recap

Tyler Conway — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:49:26 -0400

Team USA may not have threatened to pummel Argentina by triple-digits in their Group A matchup, but their quick-strike destruction of the competition at the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship continued on Wednesday.

Just a day after pulverizing Mexico by 99 points in their opening matchup, Team USA continued their dominance versus Argentina, pulling away late for a 96-72 victory. Though often ripe with sloppy play—far less fluid than a day prior against the overmatched Mexican team—the United States was able to take down its international rival with relative ease.

Malik Newman again played a pivotal role in the United States' ascent, scoring a game-high 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting. The burgeoning guard represented a huge spacing boon for the young United States squad, one that often struggles to find its range from distance. Newman hit two shots from distance versus Argentina, showing a polish in his stroke that's rare for his age.

That being said, Newman can create off the bounce as well. He showed off his prodigious skills midway through the third quarter, taking his defender to the basket for a score and the foul—one of many Team USA buckets that involved the pure excellence of individual talent.

For the tournament, Newman is now averaging 20 points a night after putting up 19 in the rout of Mexico. Though already recognized as one of the best young talents in the United States youth basketball program, Newman has been the talk of Team USA's trip to Uruguay thus far.

The talk of Team USA's team prior to the U16 Championships, captain Seventh Woods, had quite the fine bounce-back game after a disappointing outing against Mexico. Woods, an electric point guard who has become something of a YouTube sensation due to his leaping ability, had nine points on 3-of-5 shooting while only playing 17 minutes.

Spreading the wealth has become something of a norm for coach Don Showalter. All 12 Team USA players scored against Mexico and got extensive playing time, and he went forth with a similar strategy on Wednesday. Even as Argentina kept the game relatively close, Showalter made sure to divvy up the minutes in an equitable fashion. Only Newman and big man Diamond Stone, who had 11 points, played 20 minutes.

While ultimately less of a blowout than their matchup against Mexico, the United States worked early to establish their dominance against Argentina. The red, white and blue stormed out to a quick 14-0 run, scoring easy baskets in the open court while working for stifling stops defensively. As noted by Max Prep's Jason Hickman, the United States got off to quite the nice start during their first 44 minutes of this tournament:

The shutout talk subsided, though, and the remainder of the first half was filled with good, yet not pulverizing basketball from the United States. Argentina played the United States to only an eight-point loss (41-33) after that initial run, finding their rhythm on both ends of the floor.

The Argentinians would not completely succumb to the pressure of Team USA's talents to start the second half, either. Despite walking into halftime down more than three touchdowns, Argentina fought to stay in the game. Playing a younger version of their senior team's style, the Argentinians moved the ball beautifully and forced some questionable turnovers from the Americans.

The story of the evening for Argentina was the brilliance of Guillermo Aliende. The bench spark plug was undoubtedly the Argentinians' best player throughout, scoring a team-high 18 points and dishing out seven assists. Aliende was masterful in the open court, taking advantage of Team USA's gambling ways to find passing lanes and advantageous spots to attack—both for himself and teammates.

Lautaro Riego also chipped in off the bench with nine points, as Argentina's starters seemed unable to get into rhythm. Team captain Maximo Fjellerup finished with only seven points, struggling from the field to the tune of 3-of-10 from the field.

Despite those struggles, Argentina won the third quarter, 22-17, and looked like they may have been on the precipice of putting a scare into Team USA.

It just wasn't to be.

The United States, perhaps with a fire lit up under them due to that run by Argentina, came storming back with an instant game-clinching run to start the final 10 minutes. They scored 16 of the first 21 points to begin the period, opening up a lead that would prove to be insurmountable for the Argentines.

With this win, Team USA is now 30-0 in U16/17 play over the last four years, all but two of those triumphs coming by 20 points. The United States remains undefeated in this U16 event, a biannual event that saw its inaugural tournament happen in 2009.

A heavy favorite coming into this year's eight-team event, the United States will have a chance to clinch a Group A championship on Thursday when they face the Bahamas, who defeated Mexico earlier on Wednesday.

Should the United States continue their recent stretch, they would go on to play the second-place finisher in Group B once the elimination round starts Friday. Chile currently sits in the second-place spot in Group B, having lost to leader Canada on Wednesday.

Argentina will take on Mexico on Thursday, as they look to clinch up a spot in the elimination round as well.

FIBA Americas U16 Standings (Thru USA vs. Argentina)

Group A	W-L	Group B	W-L
USA	2-0	Canada	2-0
Argentina	1-1	Chile	1-1
Bahamas	1-1	Puerto Rico	0-1
Mexico	0-2	Uruguay	0-1

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Breaking Down Full List of USA Basketball 2013 Las Vegas Minicamp Invites

Matt Fitzgerald — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:49:21 -0400

On Wednesday, the United States' men's national basketball team announced through their official website that 27 players will attend the squad's minicamp in Las Vegas this summer.

It is a talented crop headlined by the past three No. 1 overall picks—in descending order, point guards John Wall and Kyrie Irving, and most recently, New Orleans Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis.

As stacked as the NBA is with point guards, it will be interesting to see how that position plays out and whether some of the perceived combo guards flex to the 2 position. What's certain is that head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his loaded staff have plenty of depth to choose from.

Let's take a look at the complete list of invitees for the minicamp, which will run from July 22 to 25 and then end with an intrasquad exhibition game. The focus of the analysis will be on players who are likely to stand out the most in this brief showcase.

Ryan Anderson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans

The biggest positive that Anderson brings to the table is his ability to stretch the floor from the 4 position. Anderson is a three-point sharpshooter, and in his first full 82-game season in 2012-13, he put up 16.2 points and made 38 percent of his nearly seven attempts per game from beyond the arc.

New Orleans was a solid defensive team, but that's not Anderson's strength. He may be on the outside looking in as a prospective Team USA player. He will need to shoot the lights out to impress at this camp.

Harrison Barnes, SF, Golden State Warriors

After not quite living up to the hype in his brief college career, Barnes blossomed into a solid contributor on an upstart Warriors squad that pushed the San Antonio Spurs hard in the Western Conference Semifinals.

There is still plenty of upside for Barnes to explore, but it's clear that he doesn't shy away from the spotlight. He has a chance to be a force in Las Vegas.

Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards

The past two seasons of Beal's promising career have mirrored each other. As a freshman at Florida, he struggled shooting initially, then heated up as his only year in Gainesville progressed.

That trend held true in the NBA, too. Beal became a different player in the second half of the season, which was helped even more by the return of dynamic backcourt teammate John Wall.

Beal can shoot as well as anyone and could easily start as a 2-guard for the 2016 Olympic team if he continues progressing at this rate.

The minicamp should be a breeze for Beal. Workouts have never been an issue for him, and he simply possesses everything a coach could hope for in a shooting guard. It wouldn't be a shock if he were the best 2-guard on the court even at such a young age.

Mike Conley Jr., PG, Memphis Grizzlies

There might not be a more underrated point guard in the Association than Conley, who has quietly plodded along in Memphis and carved out an extremely respectable six-year career to date.

Conley is the most experienced of all players who were invited to minicamp, but it's hard to figure out where he would fit in with Wall and Irving as probable superior options at his position. He should ultimately make the team and be the veteran mentor.

The quickness Conley has off the dribble and his outstanding lateral movement should help him be a camp standout.

The Grizzlies were a defensive-minded squad under Lionel Hollins, and Conley vastly improved in that area. His less experienced point guard rivals in minicamp will encounter adversity when Conley is matched up with them.

DeMarcus Cousins, C, Sacramento Kings

Inconsistency has plagued Cousins as a pro, but when he's on, he's borderline unstoppable. Cousins has the potential to be the best center in the league, and he capped off his third NBA campaign with a 36-point, 22-rebound performance against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Under the tutelage of someone like Krzyzewski, perhaps Cousins can find a way to become more of a surefire commodity than a polarizing, temperamental enigma.

Cousins is strong with the ball and the most offensively versatile center attending this camp. There's no reason to think he can't dominate, as long as his mind is set to it.

What may inhibit his ability to succeed is the fact that it's the offseason and the camp doesn't necessarily mean a lot. Coaches are simply beginning to evaluate the future of Team USA.

Still, this is a great chance for Cousins to prove himself as a focused player, keen on reaching his high ceiling sooner rather than later.

Anthony Davis, PF, New Orleans Pelicans

The sky seems to be the limit for Davis as long as he can stay healthy. He has the ball-handling and passing ability of a guard and the length to be a defensive force.

Davis is also the only member of the 2012 USA summer squad that won a gold medal in the London Games. That experience should benefit Davis in this climate, given that he has played with and practiced with the best. No one should be able to score on him with any kind of regularity.

DeMar DeRozan, SG, Toronto Raptors

As a 6'7" shooting guard, DeRozan brings magnificent size for a player at his position. He even has the versatility to play the 3 if Team USA wants to go with a smaller lineup.

DeRozan may only be 23 years old, but he already has four NBA seasons under his belt and continues to get better. The most noticeable improvement is in his jump shot. Should that progress at a reasonable rate and his defensive intensity increase, he should find himself a spot on this team.

Andre Drummond, C, Detroit Pistons

There is so much to like about Drummond, even if he can't make a free throw four out of 10 times at the moment.

The Pistons center figures to be a fixture in the frontcourt for years to come, but even more than Cousins, he's still very raw at this stage in his career. That makes the battle at the center position extremely intriguing.

Kenneth Faried, SF, Denver Nuggets

The combination of size and athleticism Faried has puts him among the most physically imposing players on the planet—and he still has a ton of room to develop.

He's a bit of a so-called "tweener," though, and with so many other talented power forwards and versatile perimeter players, Faried may be one of the odd men out as the process of choosing the squad progresses. That won't prevent him from having a couple of "Wow!" plays in Vegas, though.

Derrick Favors, PF, Utah Jazz

Entering his third season, Favors is still challenged on the offensive end, particularly with regard to his jump shot, which desperately needs work.

Favors does possess uncommon athletic ability for a player at his position and will be among the more exciting players to watch at minicamp. When the scrimmage rolls around, it may be Favors' time to shine in the open floor.

Paul George, SF, Indiana Pacers

The playoffs raised George's profile, to say the least. He was the driving force in many ways on both ends of the floor in helping the Pacers push the Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

George hasn't come close to hitting his ceiling, and as he matures and gains experience, he should become a perennial All-Star and a staple for Team USA over the next decade.

Entering minicamp even after this recent postseason run says a lot about George and how he's apparently dedicated to bettering himself.

There wasn't a go-to scorer for Indiana, and George was forced into the role at times this year. He'll be surrounded with dynamic offensive players in minicamp for the U.S., so he should be freed up for better looks and emerge as a clear top performer.

Taj Gibson, PF, Chicago Bulls

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is one of the assistants on the Team USA staff, which has to be at least somewhat of a reason why Gibson was invited to Las Vegas.

Gibson isn't flashy, but he's a hardworking role player with a high basketball IQ and an understanding of what to do on the defensive end of the floor. He's a bit of a dark horse to truly impact this squad long-term, but it's feasible due to his defensive presence.

Gordon Hayward, SF, Utah Jazz

Hayward rode his status as a star for the Cinderella Butler Bulldogs into the lottery as a high draft pick back in 2010.

Hayward took a significant step forward this past season, averaging 14.1 points, three rebounds and three assists while shooting better than 40 percent from three-point land. The only problem is, he's a poor man's version of Chandler Parsons, and that should be evident in minicamp.

Jrue Holiday, PG, Philadelphia 76ers

Holiday is an All-Star, but he might be the least dynamic point guard invited to minicamp. It will nevertheless be interesting to see how he stacks up with the counterparts at his position.

It's only a few days capped off by a scrimmage, but Holiday has a chance to prove himself as a player in the class of his fellow point guards.

Kyrie Irving, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers

There might not be a point guard in the league with a better all-around offensive skill set than Irving, other than Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.

Similar to Curry, Irving has phenomenal shooting range and drains threes with regularity, but he also has the ball-handling skills and craftiness to finish effectively around the rim. It's almost as though Irving is ambidextrous, too; he's just as good with his left hand as he is with his dominant right.

Unfortunately, Irving struggles with injuries—a parallel to Curry that is unwelcome. Irving can't control his health, but he must keep his body as right as possible to try to stay on the court.

It's truly incredible what Irving has done on a bad Cavs team, and it would be exciting to see what he could do playing alongside multiple star players on an international stage.

DeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles Clippers

Jordan plays wonderful defense and flashes the ability to be a game-changing paint enforcer. He was a big reason the Clippers finished fourth in the regular season in points per game allowed.

However, he's an unpolished product on offense, which could lead him to be one of the last cuts when the final team is decided—especially with the upside of some of his peers and the defensive superiority of Larry Sanders.

Ty Lawson, PG, Denver Nuggets

Lawson is electric. He would be a wonderful asset for Team USA coming off the bench and running the second unit. Again, though, point guard is such a deep position that Lawson would have to either improve exponentially or do something to distinguish himself from his more talented peers.

Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs

Before this postseason, it wouldn't seem Leonard would be a strong candidate to ultimately make Team USA.

However, with the job he's doing on defense in the NBA Finals on LeBron James, his rebounding ability and offensive efficiency, he's certainly gaining traction. Leonard may be a Spurs franchise cornerstone when Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are done.

Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail Blazers

It was impressive for Lillard just to be drafted No. 6 overall this past year coming from a small school like Weber State, but it turned out to be a great move by the Portland brass.

Lillard was the unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year and averaged 19 points to go with 6.5 assists. However, he seems like a slightly inferior version of Kyrie Irving, and he's not likely to supplant John Wall down the road.

Greg Monroe, PF, Detroit Pistons

The Georgetown product should form a wonderful frontcourt tandem with Drummond in Detroit for the future. His prospects for Team USA aren't quite as promising as his future in his current pro city.

Monroe, though, is a solid passer, an improving shooter and a physical presence on both ends of the hardwood. Look for him to be among the relatively surprising standouts, but for Anthony Davis to outshine him.

Chandler Parsons, SF/PF, Houston Rockets

It's hard to think of a better bargain in the NBA right now than Parsons. His salary hovers below $1 million, yet he continues to more than justify GM Daryl Morey's investment in him as a second-round pick.

Parsons has exceeded all expectations—other than perhaps those of the Rockets' front office—and is a legitimate starter in the pros. An all-around solid offensive game and superior effort on the perimeter and in the post on the other end should allow him to shine in Vegas.

Larry Sanders, C, Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks would have had a much harder time on defense without the services of Sanders, who blocked 2.8 shots per game and made significant strides offensively in 2012-13.

A lot of the players he will encounter at his position in minicamp are offensively challenged and defensively uneven, which could lead to him having a truly standout performance. Having said that, it will be difficult for him to have an impact if the special point guards are all able to get into the lane.

Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors

Other than perhaps his electrifying teammate Curry, there may not be a better shooter in the Association than Thompson.

What is most impressive about him, though, is how he's turned it up in terms of on-ball defense, as well as how he can get to the rim effectively, making his jump shot all the more lethal.

Dion Waiters, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers

There is a ton of talent waiting to break out from Waiters, who flashed brilliance with the Cavaliers as a rookie but hasn't quite lived up to his billing as a top-five pick just yet.

Waiters thrives in one-on-one situations, but he also works well off the ball. If he sees the court with Kyrie Irving, it's possible that he could shock onlookers.

Kemba Walker, PG, Charlotte Bobcats

It's hard to get a gauge of just how good Walker is because of the putrid teams he played on in Charlotte to begin his NBA career.

This very brief showcase will be a better indication of Walker's progress. Walker thrives with the ball in his hands and when he's given free reign to create for his teammates. With a better supporting cast around him, Walker will be a player to keep an eye on.

John Wall, PG, Washington Wizards

If his jumper ever falls on a more consistent basis, there's no telling how ridiculous Wall could be. Until that happens, though, he will still amaze in the open court and put his teammates in ideal position to score.

Wall was hurt for a good chunk of the past season with a knee injury, so taking on this elite competition in the offseason will be a nice tuneup for him to see where he is as his promising career continues to unfold.

Tyler Zeller, C, Cleveland Cavaliers

What Zeller truly lacks is size, and he might be better suited in this environment to be plugged in as a 4 since he has good range and more of a finesse game.

The bigger centers at this camp will manhandle him in the post, and it's unlikely that Zeller will make his true mark in this short-term gathering of prominent NBA youngsters.

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