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RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Olympic womens marathon field passed by the sleek waterfront profile of the Museum of Tomorrow on Sunday on its way to the finish line, with the Questions of Today hovering close at hand.Jemima Sumgong earned Kenyas first womens marathon gold by shaking the two runners who stayed with her until the last mile and finishing in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 4 seconds. The country collected an honorary silver of sorts, thanks to Eunice Kirwa, who switched her national allegiance from Kenya to Bahrain less than three years ago at age 29, which made her path to Rio a considerably less cluttered one.Those achievements will be viewed through a different lens after a four-year Olympic cycle that has left distance running in general and Kenyan runners in particular battered and under intense scrutiny.All three U.S. runners finished in the top 10 on Sunday, and each took away something shiny. Shalane Flanagan, who crossed the line in sixth place (2:25:06), was pleased with the way she managed Sundays heat -- 70 degrees at the start -- after she dehydrated badly at the U.S. trials in Los Angeles. As the leaders surged around the 18-mile mark, Flanagan laid off the pace in hopes of benefiting from attrition that never happened.Im happy I hung in as long as I could, said Flanagan, the 10th-place finisher four years ago in London. Unfortunately, it just wasnt enough. Had I maybe been able to just push a little bit sooner, maybe I still could have just still have been part of the carnage, but closer. Maybe I gave up a little bit too much ground, but thats all I have. Thats what I am.Desiree Linden, who followed in seventh, was the embodiment of consistency, despite running solo for a considerable stretch. Her 13.1-mile splits --1:13:02 on the front end and 1:13:06 coming home -- were a testament to fitness and discipline at the end of a slow, patient build-back from the femoral stress fracture that forced her to pull out of the London 2012 marathon after two miles.I wanted to have another gear over that last 10 or 12K, said Linden, who took several turns leading the pack in the early going. I think I might have been a little too aggressive. I got excited, I could see myself closing in, and I just got stuck in one pace.I put everything out there. Im not upset at all. I wish I were a little bit better. I wish I were a little closer.Amy Cragg, running her first Olympic marathon, fought stomach problems and struggled late in the race but willed herself into ninth place.Kenyas dominant distance running contingent took a hit to its reputation before the London 2012 torch was extinguished, when runner Mathew Kisorio confessed to doping and said the practice was widespread. Successive waves of allegations and investigations have washed over the countrys track and field program since then, implicating athletes, coaches, administrators and a flimsy anti-doping structure.One of the countrys most successful and prominent runners, three-time Boston Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo, is still enmeshed in appeals over a two-year ban for a positive EPO test. Her agent, Federico Rosa, who also represents Sumgong, is facing criminal charges for administering performance-enhancing drugs to Jeptoo and another athlete. Yet Rosa, out on bail, was present at the finish line Sunday, symbolizing the low clouds of recent history that cast a haze over every Kenyan runners accomplishments.Sumgong, who recovered from a fall to win this years London Marathon, declared that she was clean in a postrace press conference that was complicated in a way that is becoming familiar at the Summer Games and other events. There was plenty more to throw in the hopper.The official Rio 2016 biography of Volha Mazuronak of Belarus, the fifth-place finisher who ran with the lead pack for much of the race, lists Russias Liliya Shobukhova as one of her two coaches.I was wondering what she was doing up there, Flanagan said of Mazuronak, who logged a notable negative split in the London Marathon a few months ago. Id never seen her before. That was impressive.Shobukhova was a key figure in recent revelations about organized doping in that country, including bribes paid to officials to have positive tests covered up. Her ban for biological passport abnormalities retroactively cost her one London Marathon and three Chicago Marathon titles, and she later cooperated with authorities in exchange for a reduction in her suspension that officially ended last August.The World Marathon Majors sued to recover prize money from Shobukhova and received a British court judgment against her but must now try to have that enforced in Russia.In my opinion, Shobukhova should not be permitted to be taking part in athletics in any role, WMM general counsel Nick Bitel wrote in a text to ESPN.com.In another footnote, Peruvian runner Gladys Tejeda toed the start line a little more than a year after winning marathon gold at the Pan American Games, only to have the medal stripped because of a positive test for a diuretic. She served a six-month suspension and finished 15th Sunday.Josh Cox, a former U.S. elite runner who represents Linden, found himself juggling his desire to celebrate race day while acknowledging the sports credibility problems.Its discouraging when you know some coaches and agents and teams live in a gray area, he said. We have to continue to pursue steps and keep the people at the top accountable. And sponsors have to hold them accountable. Im not saying all U.S. athletes are clean, but at least they have the possibility of USADA [the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency] showing up at their door at 6 a.m.A couple intruders jumped onto the finishing straight Sunday, underscoring the impossibility of safeguarding all 26.2 miles of road. They were whisked away by police before they could interfere with the outcome. At this point, its hard to imagine the firepower it will take to secure faith in the results. Cheap Nike Shoes Online . 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Discount Nike Roshe Two .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. RIO DE JANEIRO -- The nail-biters ended for the U.S. Olympic mens basketball team.So did a golden era of international basketball.Emphatically stopping a stretch of three straight close games, the Americans advanced to the semifinals by sprinting past Manu Ginobili and Argentina 105-78 on Wednesday night.In front of a chanting, flag-waving crowd of Argentines who came to throw a raucous farewell party for their Golden Generation, the Americans delivered their most complete performance in Rio.What a remarkable run by Argentina and so we knew we had to match that energy tonight. I thought we did, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.Turning a slow start into an early ending with a 27-2 run in the first half, the Americans put away one old rival and set up a meeting with another. They will play Spain on Friday in a rematch of the last two gold-medal games. Australia meets Serbia in the other semifinal.Kevin Durant scored 27 points for the Americans, who had played three straight close games for the first time under Krzyzewski, setting off a round of questions at home and in Rio de Janeiro about what was wrong with them.The answer might be nothing. At least there wasnt against Argentina.We wanted to come out and our whole thing was dominating, forward Carmelo Anthony said.The Americans eliminated Argentina for the third straight Olympics, this time ending not only a tournament run for the Argentines but also a couple of careers.Ginobili, 39, and longtime teammate Andres Nocioni, 36, retired from international competition after the game, 12 years after winning gold in Athens.We had a chance to grow up together and do some good things, win some games together. It was fun. Its a lot of years, said Luis Scola, who is also 36 but plans to keep playing. We formed part of something unique we did for our country and its going to be there. Sometimes were not going to win, like today. Sometimes we won, but we fought together for many years.Ginobili scored 14 points in his final game in Argentinas blue and white, tearing up after receiving applause from his fans and warm wishes from his opponents.They congratulated me and Im very proud of their words, Ginobili said. They were very kind, very respectful and when legends of the game showed their respect, it has an extra value.The Americans have won 23 straight in the Olympics since Argentina beat them in the 2004 semifinals, and this was how they usually do it: too much firepower, too much defense and way too much talent.It took a little while to get going, aas Argentina opened a 10-point lead.dddddddddddd The Argentines made nine of their first 10 shots inside the arc and led 19-9 when Nocioni drilled a 3-pointer. But the Americans finished the first period with a 16-2 run, getting the final six points from DeMarcus Cousins, to take a 25-21 edge to the second.Three-point plays by Cousins and Jimmy Butler around Durants 3-pointer in an 11-0 start to the second made it 36-21 before Facundo Campazzo stopped the onslaught with a three-point play.Cousins, the normal starting center playing as a reserve, finished with 15 points.Spain beat France 92-67 earlier Wednesday, its fourth straight victory after two losses to open the Olympics. The U.S. edged Spain 118-107 in the 2008 final and 107-100 four years ago in London.The loudest crowd yet for a U.S. game, featuring boxer Floyd Mayweather and NBA commissioner Adam Silver, was treated to an explosive performance by the Americans, with devastating crossovers by Durant and Kyrie Irving that left defenders helpless and brought teammates to their feet on the bench.They opened a 25-point lead in the first half and were in control from that point, the first time since their second game in Rio they had it easy.We fed off wanting to play better than the last three games, Durant said.Ginobili, Scola, Nocioni and Carlos Delfino, the remaining Golden Generation players, checked in together for a last run with about 4? minutes left. Argentina fans danced, cheered and completely ignored the crooked numbers on the scoreboard while saying one long goodbye.Ginobili was replaced a few minutes later, hugging teammates, coaches and after the game Krzyzewski, before returning to the court after the teams had headed to their locker rooms to be presented a game ball by an Olympic official.Even Argentinas proud veterans didnt consider themselves medal contenders, especially after the Americans blew them out 111-74 in an exhibition game last month in Las Vegas and came to Rio as the overwhelming favorite.But once play began, the U.S. rarely played up to those expectations, with one narrow victory after another as the competition toughened. The Americans held off Australia by 10, then pulled out three-point victories over Serbia and France.They were finally in top form Wednesday.Now they have to stay there for two more games.Weve got to build on it, Durant said, but were not satisfied at all. ' ' '