MAKWALA MAKES MOST OF 2ND CHANCE
LONDON» Turns out, Isaac Makwala is healthy. Really healthy, in fact.
The Botswanan sprinter’s plight became the cause celebre of the championships when he threw up before the start of the 200-meter preliminaries Monday, was determined to be among the handful of athletes afflicted with the stomach flu and was barred from the stadium for 48 hours to lower the risk of infecting other runners.
All along, Makwala insisted he was not sick. But the IAAF held firm, and Makwala was scratched from both his 200-meter heat and the 400-meter final, where he could’ve been the main challenger Tuesday to the eventual gold medalist, Wayde van Niekerk.
After further review, and another visit from the doctor, the IAAF asked him back for Wednesday’s 200.
Makwala opened the proceedings on a dreary, rain-drenched night by lining up in Lane 7 with nobody else on the track. His goal was to beat the slowest nonautomatic qualifying time from the day before — 20.53 seconds — and he crossed in 20.20.
Back out in the rain two hours later for that race, Makwala finished second to make Thursday’s final.
In the women’s 400, American Phyllis Francis won with a personalbest time of 49.92. American Allyson Felix finished third to move into a tie with Usain Bolt and Merlene Ottey with 14 overall world medals.
Nets to play two in Mexico City.
The Brooklyn Nets will travel to Mexico City in December for two regular-season games as part of the 25th anniversary of the first NBA game in Mexico.
The league announced that the Nets and Thunder will play in Mexico City on Dec. 7. The Nets will play Miami on Dec. 9. Both games will be in Arena Ciudad de Mexico.
• The Milwaukee Bucks hired Frank Johnson, a former NBA player and Phoenix Suns coach, as an assistant coach. Johnson went 63-71 over parts of three seasons in Phoenix starting in 2001. He played 10 years in the NBA, averaging 8.3 points and 4.2 assists with three teams.
Mexican star, others sanctioned for drug trafficking.
CITY» The MEXICO
United States Treasury Department said legendary Mexican soccer player Rafael Marquez Alvarez and wellknown Norteño bandleader Julio Cesar Alvarez Montelongo are among 22 people sanctioned for alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization allegedly headed by Raul Flores Hernandez.
Marquez is a former Barcelona and New York Red Bulls star who plays for the Mexican soccer club Atlas in Guadalajara and is captain of the Mexican national team.
Dallas Stars oppose bill.
TEXAS» The NHL’s Dallas Stars became the first Texas pro sports franchise to officially oppose a “bathroom bill” targeting transgender people.
Team president James Lites said in a statement Wednesday that the Stars are “strongly opposed to any legislation perceived as discriminatory.”
The NFL and NBA have previously joined dozens of powerful businesses in opposing a proposal requiring transgender Texans to use public restrooms corresponding to the gender on their birth certificates.
Texas’ Republican-controlled Legislature failed to pass the bill during a legislative session that ended in May. Gov. Greg Abbott convened a special session to revive the issue, but it looks unlikely to pass.
Footnotes.
Joe Howe, 27, was named the University of Denver’s director of hockey operations, coach Jim Montgomery announced. Howe replaces David Tenzer, who resigned earlier in the week. … William Byron, 19, will replace Kasey Kahne next season at Hendrick Motorsports. … Andy Murray pulled out of next week’s Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati because of an ongoing hip injury. … The downtown home of the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Capitals is changing from the Verizon Center to Capital One Arena.