World champion Felix Sanchez won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles Wednesday, sending his home fans into wild celebrations with a Pan American Games record, while the US took the glamour events by winning both the men's and women's 100m dash.
Sanchez, who was born in the US but took on his parents' Dominican nationality, won the 400m hurdles in 48.19 seconds. The previous Pan American Games record, held by Eronilde Nunez de Araujo of Brazil, was 48.23.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The world record, set by American Kevin Young at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, is 46.78.
PHOTO: AFP
The packed house at the Olympic Stadium cheered wildly as Sanchez easily won the race, beating Eric Thomas of the US, who finished in 48.74. Jamaican Dean Griffiths got the bronze.
After the race, fans tried desperately to touch Sanchez, who was surrounded by photographers and draped in a Dominican flag. The crowd continued to cheer while he ran a victory lap.
American Mickey Grimes won the men's 100 in 10.10 seconds while countrywoman Lauryn Williams took the women's gold in 11.12.
Grimes edged Michael Frater of Jamaica, who was second in 10.21, and American Marcelle Scales. Williams topped countrywoman Angela Williams and bronze-medalist Liliana Allen of Mexico.
In the women's 800, Letitia Vriesde gave Suriname its first gold medal of the games, finishing in 2:02.92 to beat Adriana Munoz of Cuba and Marian Burnette of Guyana. Achraf Tadili of Canada set a Pan American Games record in the men's 800m, winning in 1:45.64. Osmar dos Santos of Brazil got the silver and Fabiano Pecanha of Brazil took the bronze.
In other athletics events, Joanna Hayes of the US won the 400m hurdles. Cuba's Daimy Pernia Figueroa won the silver medal and Andrea Blackett of Barbados got the bronze.
Earlier, Mexicans Victoria Palacios and Rosario Sanchez took the top two spots in the women's 20 kilometer walk.
"In Mexico, the walk is an important event, and today we did not disappoint," Rosario Sanchez said.
Later Wednesday, host Dominican Republic will face Brazil in the men's basketball final, which starts at 0100 GMT. Seven more athletics gold medals will be given out on Thursday, as well as two more in diving, two in fencing and three in shooting.
In early men's basketball games Wednesday, Canada beat Uruguay 83-52 to take seventh place while Uruguay finished last in the eight-team competition. Mexico then finished fifth, topping Argentina 95-90. Puerto Rico and the US will play for the bronze medal.
In women's basketball, Cuba finished in first place in the six-team group despite losing to Brazil 79-70.
Cuba will face fourth-place Canada in the semifinals on Friday. In the other semifinal, Brazil will take on the US. The medal round is set for Saturday.
In other events, Canada and Cuba added two more golds while the US picked up one.
World champion Emilie Heymans of Canada won the women's 10-meter platform and the Canadian men won the 3-meter synchronized diving.
In women's 50-meter rifle shooting, Yaima Cruz of Cuba won the gold. Jeffrey Holguin of the United States won the men's double trap.
Cuba won the men's team epee in fencing, while Venezuela took silver and Puerto Rico got the bronze.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
RSS