12, December 2022
Kenyan Olympic champion Rudisha survives plane crash 0
Two-time Kenyan Olympic champion David Rudisha said Monday he was grateful to be alive after surviving a plane crash on the weekend in southern Kenya.
The 800m world record holder had just taken off from a Kenyan reserve hosting the “Maasai Olympics” — a series of sporting competitions involving Maasai youth — when his aircraft encountered trouble and was forced to make an emergency landing on Saturday.
“It was a scary episode where you hold your heart in your hand as you pray to God,” the athlete, who belongs to the Maasai tribe himself, told The Nation newspaper.
“The pilot did an incredible job to keep the plane afloat and stable for long.
“We thank God we all came out alive.”
The 33-year-old is a sponsor of the “Maasai Olympics”, which was established a decade ago by community leaders and conservation group Big Life Foundation.
The goal is to help preserve the lion population and replace the traditional Maasai rite of hunting the big cats with sporting contests.
“One of the passengers was injured and is being treated at hospital,” the conservation charity said in a statement released late Saturday.
“The others, including Mr. Rudisha, who is the patron of the Maasai Olympics, suffered no significant physical injuries,” it added.
Rudisha was involved in a serious car accident in 2019.
He won Olympic golds in 2012 and 2016, and world titles in 2011 and 2015, setting a world record (1min 40.91sec) in the 2012 London Olympics final.
Source: AFP
14, December 2022
Messi, Alvarez masterclasses give Argentina big win over Croatia – and place in final 0
It was a richly deserved win for Argentina, who played with tremendous spirit to reach the final. Lionel Messi fired home his penalty in his trademark calm yet joyous style. Then Julian Alvarez’s remarkable solo goal almost stole the show from Messi, as he just kept running from the halfway line, exploiting some terrible Croatian defending, to tap it in from close range. The third goal came from Messi just being magnificently, inimitably Messi, keeping the ball under enormous Croatian pressure in the tightest of spots to carry on with his run and set it up for Alvarez to tap home.
Croatia, by contrast, looked stifled throughout the whole match. Luka Modric orchestrated some nice midfield passing for much of the game, but it never came close to producing anything. Modric came off with ten minutes to spare, a sad end to the 37-year-old’s illustrious World Cup career.
But all eyes now will be on Lionel Messi and his attempt to cap off his long and dazzling World Cup career by seizing the trophy in Sunday’s final.
Source: France 24