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    February 22, 2019 2:39 PM EET

    导出博客文章Australian sprinter Josh Clarke has withdrawn from the 100m at the Rio Olympics, having run out of time to return to peak form following a hamstring injury early this year. Air Max 90 Cheap .Clarke, 21, hurt his hamstring tendon in the race in Canberra in February where he bettered the Olympic qualifying standard with a personal best of 10.15 seconds.Although he has recovered from the injury, the Sydneysider and his coach Nancy Atterton decided he was not in the sort of shape to perform at his peak at the Rio Games against the likes of two-time defending champion Usain Bolt.This is devastating for Josh, his coaches and family, said Australian athletics head coach Craig Hilliard.Josh has worked tremendously hard to recover from a hamstring injury he sustained earlier this year, but unfortunately time has not been his friend and in the best interests of his long-term career he has decided to withdraw.This is a courageous decision, he has chosen to look to his future rather than focusing on an immediate outcome which is never easy.Australian Olympic team chef de mission Kitty Chiller said she would soon reach out to Clark to offer support.Its a strong and its a brave decision from a young guy with a big future, Chiller told reporters in Rio de Janeiro.Very disappointing for Australia that we wont now have a 100 metre (runner). Australia has not had a representative in the Olympic blue-riband mens sprint since Josh Ross made it through to the quarter-finals at the 2004 Athens Games.But Australia still has an interest in the other three flat sprints in Rio with Alex Hartman entered in the mens 200m and Melissa Breen (100m) and Ella Nelson (200m) qualified in the womens races.Clarkes 100m PB of 10.15 has him ranked fifth on the Australian alltime list headed by the retired Patrick Johnson (9.93).Clarkes withdrawal means Australia will send a 60-strong athletics team to Rio.The track and field squad is currently preparing for the Games at a camp in Bradenton, Florida. Discount Air Max 90 . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Air Max 90 Cheap Wholesale . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. http://www.airmax90cheap.us/ . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. CHICAGO -- Sometimes Javier Baez knows ahead of time where he is playing. Sometimes he finds out when he arrives at the ballpark.Baez takes it all in stride. After all, his quick hands and athleticism go with him wherever he plays.I always come ready to be out there, Baez said.The versatility and can-do attitude of the 23-year-old Baez played a major role in the Chicago Cubs major league-leading 103 wins this year, helping clear the way for the team to carry three catchers and providing manager Joe Maddon with seemingly endless possibilities for his defensive alignments.He started at second in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Friday night and homered in the eighth inning, sending Chicago to a 1-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants.The NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers have a multitalented player in veteran Howie Kendrick, and the Cleveland Indians, winners of the AL Central, played Jose Ramirez at four different spots this year. The Boston Red Sox used Brock Holt all over the field on their way to the AL East crown.The concept of a utilityman, a player who keeps several gloves in his locker and is ready to go anywhere in a pinch, has been around for a long time. But major league teams appear to be emphasizing more positional versatility up and down the roster, and this years playoffs include a handful of prominent examples.Its an important consideration for us, Indians president Chris Antonetti said. What we try to do is plan for different things that might happen over the course of the year. If guys dont perform, if you have injuries, who is going to be the replacement for that player? So, we go through literally the entire roster, everybody on the field, all the pitchers, if this happens, then what? And versatility helps you plan for that.So, a guy like Jose, who had the ability to not only play all the infield positions, but demonstrated an ability to go out to the outfield, thats immensely helpful as you plan a team, because he can cover you in so many places.Baez was selected by Chicago with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft and came up through the minors as a shortstop. But the Cubs also have Addison Russell at that spot, so the team used Baez at several different positions to get him on the field.With his strong arm, quick feet and great hands, Baez might be Chicagos best defender at third, second and shortstop. He also made two starts at first this year. Oh, and he hit .273 with 14 homers and 59 RBI in 142 games.At first it was (hard) because I wasnt used to some positions, but thats why we work in spring training and now Im used to it, Baez said.Maddon is a big believer in versatility. He also has jack-of-all-trades Ben Zobrist, who played for Maaddon with Tampa Bay and signed with the Cubs in the offseason, and Kris Bryant, the front-runner for NL MVP who started at third, first, left and right this year. Air Max 90 Cheap Free Shipping. A lot of times you get a kid like thatll come up and everybody says `You got to put him at one position or else youre going to stifle his development. I never understood that, Maddon said. I think you give a guy a chance to play multiple positions and he gets in the lineup more often, thats what happens.Maddon realizes Baez has special gifts.He is unusual. I mean theres not many kids that age that can play a variety of different positions as well as he does, Maddon said last month. Again, slow motor, in a sense, he doesnt get all hyped up about things. Extremely accurate, strong arm. Unbelievable hands and the willingness to do it. Not every team has one of those.The Dodgers also have one in the 33-year-old Kendrick, who made at least seven starts this year at second, third, first and left field. Kendrick played alongside Chone Figgins when he broke into the majors in 2006 with the Angels, and he got some advice from the utilityman that stays with him to this day.Just go out and see what you can do, Kendrick said when asked what Figgins told him. If they ask you if you can play somewhere, try it out and see how you like it. But never really give them an answer like `No. You just say, `Hey, sure, I can try it. If it works, it works.Like Maddon, Kendrick thinks positional versatility is only going to become more important.Essentially, one player becomes like four players, without having to burn multiple people, he said. The game nowadays, thats where its at -- utility guys.The Indians played without All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley for much of the year due to a right shoulder injury, and Ramirez helped make up for his absence by batting .312 with 11 homers and 76 RBI while mostly seeing time at third and in left.Ramirez started at third in Clevelands first two playoff games against Boston and went 4 for 7 as the Indians took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five ALDS.I think the way were constructed we need to have versatility, because if somebody gets hurt or we need to be able to maximize our roster, with guys like Mike Aviles a couple of years ago, and certainly Jose now, it allows us if theres an injury to move him, manager Terry Francona said. Also to create platoon advantages when we want to. And it has helped us enormously.---AP Sports Writers Tom Withers, Howard Fendrich and Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '