Kritik und Lob » Sunday.Athletics: Former closer Sean

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Majlinda Kelmendi stood on the podium with a wide smile on her face.A gold medal hung around her neck, and not just any gold medal -- the first one ever for Kosovo. Kelmendi went to Rio with Kosovos first Olympic team, and she knew she had to deliver in the womens 52-kg judo competition to make sure her nation didnt go home empty-handed.I was really ready for this competition, Kelmendi said. It was the first time that Kosovo was in the Olympics. I wanted so badly to win.While so much attention is paid to the top of the medals table at the Olympics, where the athletic powerhouses like the United States and China practically need to charter another plane to bring home all the gold, silver and bronze they accumulate, there is an equally spirited competition at the bottom, where dozens of smaller countries hold out hopes of just getting their hands on one.Newspapers back home praised Kelmendis historic achievement Sunday. Hidilyn Diaz, whose weightlifting silver ended a 20-year medal drought for the Philippines, received a personal message of congratulations from President Rodrigo Duterte, who told her she brought honor to the country.They are not global stars on par with Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt. But to the success-starved countries they represent, they may be even more important.Coming into the Rio Games, more than 70 nations with National Olympic Committees had never won a medal of any kind. Others, like India, very rarely reach the podium. So they come to these Olympics with very few chances for glory, their collective focus pinned on one team, or one athlete, to break through.Fiji plays in the rugby semifinals Thursday in a sport that has returned to the Olympics after a 92-year absence.We need pressure. Island life is a nice, chilled and laid-back one so if we take things too easy the boys just drop off, said Fiji rugby coach Ben Ryan, who represents a country that has never won a medal of any color. We are embracing that pressure at the moment. The more the better. This is the strongest 12 Ive ever had. There are absolutely no excuses not to perform.India has won just two medals since 1964, including one for mens field hockey in Moscow in 1980. This years team is looking to restore the countrys standing as one of the worlds elite.Thats my life. Its a dream, captain Sreejesh Parattu said. If you look at the Indian history, it is a very prestigious thing for our country.And when they finally do make it happen, the emotions can be overwhelming. Diaz openly wept after winning the silver medal in the 58kg class of weightlifting. It was the countrys first medal in any sport since the Atlanta Games in 1996 and helped her overcome failures in Beijing and London.I have tried so hard. I have stumbled many times, Diaz said. I wanted to quit, but now all of my sacrifices have paid off.The Associated Press issued predictions prior to the beginning of the games for the medal winners in each competition. The Philippines didnt have an athlete listed, but Diaz came through. In return, shell receive nearly $53,000, per a law enacted in 2001 that rewards successful Olympians.Others predicted to medal win from nations that rarely reach the podium include Ghirmay Ghebreslassie from Eritrea in the mens marathon and Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi in the womens 800 meters. Both nations have just one medal in their histories.Thats the feeling so many others are chasing. They dont have vast financial resources to help pave their ways to gold. They also dont have dozens of other teammates with prime chances for the podium to reduce the pressure.Its all on them to deliver.For me the Olympic Games is all about winning, nothing else, said India mens field hockey coach Roelant Wouter Oltmans. Many years ago someone else said something different, its about participation. But nowadays in the modern Olympic Games its all about winning and thats also why I went to India and accepted the challenge when they offered me to see if there is any possibility to come close to the history of Indian hockey.Detroit Red Wings Store . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Stitched Red Wings Jerseys . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. https://www.cheapredwings.com/ . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Red Wings Jerseys 2021 . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Detroit Red Wings Shirts .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Hisashi Iwakumas sore neck nearly prevented the Mariners pitcher from making his scheduled start and continued to bother him throughout the night.The Mariners gave their right-hander two big reasons to stick it out -- a pair of long home runs by Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz.Another stellar outing from Seattles bullpen helped, too.Iwakuma pitched into the sixth inning for his 14th win and the Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Saturday night for their seventh victory in eight games.I was OK to go today, but as the game progressed I started to feel stiffness, Iwakuma said through an interpreter. My body was starting to fly open. I wasnt as high as I wanted it to be. I kind of felt that throughout the third, fourth, fifth inning, but I was able to get out of jams.Iwakuma (14-7) allowed three runs on nine hits for his eighth win in the last nine starts. He struck out two and didnt walk a batter for the fifth time this season.Four Seattle relievers combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Edwin Diaz retired three batters for his sixth save.Our bullpen was outstanding, Mariners manager Scott Servais said. Very, very good and they needed to be tonight. We didnt have much room for error. Thats a good formula for a win.A day after squandering several scoring opportunities, the Mariners stranded two runners in the first and another in the third before breaking through.Cruz hit his 29th home run leading off the fourth inning. Seth Smith singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the fifth and Cano hit the next pitch from Kendall Graveman (8-8) over the center-field wall for his 26th homer.We have guys that can hit line drives also but homers are good, too, Cruz said. Whatever way you can score runs, theyre welcome.Khris Davis homered for the second consecutive day while Coco Crisp and Billy Butler had three hits apiece for Oakland.Graveman allowed four runs over six innings and lost for the second time in his past 14 starts.dddddddddddd He was pulled after 79 pitches.This year is a lengthy one for him so I dont think its a bad thing to cut it short, As manager Bob Melvin said, explaining his decision to pull Graveman. We had some good performances out of the bullpen. We had some guys rested come in.DAVIS MUSCLES UP AGAINDavis hit his 29th homer leading off the sixth, extending his career-high pace. Whats most impressive is that 16 of Davis home runs have come at the spacious Coliseum, normally considered a pitchers park.Hes making the Coliseum look like a hitters park, Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said. Youre always making sure youre watching when hes at the plate.TRAINERS ROOMMariners: James Paxton threw a bullpen session and reported no pain six days after getting hit in his left elbow by a line drive. Paxton is on schedule to pitch Tuesday in Anaheim but a decision wont be made for certain until the team sees how he responds Sunday.Athletics: Former closer Sean Doolittle (left shoulder strain) will begin a rehab assignment and pitch one inning for Triple-A Nashville on Monday. The plan is for Doolittle to make two more appearances in the minors before potentially joining the As on their next homestand beginning Aug. 22. ... RHP Jesse Hahn (right shoulder strain) threw 30 pitches off the mound and could begin a rehab assignment soon. ... Josh Phegley (right knee strain) took batting practice before the game but has not done any catching.UP NEXTMariners: Wade LeBlanc (1-0) makes his seventh start in the series finale on Sunday. The lefty last started against Oakland on Sept. 23, 2014.Athletics: RHP Zach Neal (2-1) faces the Mariners for the second time this season. His only loss of the year came against Seattle on May 25 when he allowed seven runs in four innings. ' ' '