South’s Toto soars to a Penn Relays crown
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer BY TIM MORRISStaff Writer TIM MORRIS Colts Neck’s Ryan Jagielski (l) and CBA’s Peter Glackin run side-by-side during the Distance Medley Relay at the Penn Relays on Friday. Julianne Toto did more than just win the Penn Relays pole vault title Thursday, she endured. Before the Middletown South vaulter could earn her Penn Relays gold watch, she had to overcome a strong field that included many of the best scholastic vaulters in the country. Then there were the elements in Philadephia’s Franklin Field — first the wind, and then a downpour. As if that weren’t enough, the Eagle had to come back from a mishap that bruised her ribs and tested her psyche. On her first attempt at 12-0, Toto missed the plant box with her pole and it slid under the mat. Suddenly the pole came to an abrupt stop while Toto’s momentum continued. The result of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object was the pole jamming into Toto’s ribs. “It really gave me a scare,” said Toto. Packing it in never crossed Toto’s mind, and she promptly scaled 12-0 on her next attempt. The bar then went to 12-4 where Toto, on her third and final attempt, was up and over. Caitlin Hewitt from Greater Latrobe (Pa) also did 12-4, but she had missed at a lower height, while Toto had been perfect up to 12-0. That was all that was needed to give the championship to Toto. “The Penn Relays are really a great meet,” said Toto. For the pole vaulter, the relays are very challenging because of the weather, and Toto got a little bit of everything Thursday afternoon. First, it was the swirling winds, which can wreak havoc with a vaulter’s run-up steps. Then, as the bar was raised to 12-0, came a downpour and the vaulters rushed to wrap their poles in a towel or T-shirt to keep them dry. By the end of the competition, the conditions changed again and the sun was out. What made Toto, who has made a verbal commitment to the University of Georgia, so happy about her performance at Penn was that despite not having technically perfect jumps, she was able to will herself over the ball at 12-0 and 12-4 — a good sign that with better weather this spring, she can top her indoor personal best of 12-6. Christian Brothers Academy’s Distance Medley Relay team went to Penn thinking it had a good chance to claim a win. They had finished second at the indoor national championship behind Shore Conference rival Colts Neck and were looking forward to another battle with the Cougars. But Newton North of Massachusetts, with Millrose Games high school mile winner Chris Barnicle running the anchor, stole the show, winning in the fastest time in the country this year, 10:04.15, while CBA finished sixth (10:21.07). Newton North controlled the race from the start with Davie Polgar running an opening leg 1,200-meter split of 3:06.4, which put his team in the lead. It was catch-up for everyone else and when Barnicle turned in a 4:10.6 anchor 1,600, it was a race for second place. CBA’s race got of to a rocky start when Chris Horel was tripped and fell to the track during his 1,200 leg. He still turned in a respectable 3:15.2. Brandon Leniart posted a 50.3 400 leg and Pete Glackin ran the 800 in 1:57.3. Greg Leach anchored CBA up to sixth place with his 4:18.3. CBA Distance Medley team takes sixth 
France coach Didier Deschamps hit out at his team’s lack of aggressiveness as they squandered a two-goal lead in a 3-2 friendly home defeat by Colombia on Friday.Les Bleus opened a 2-0 advantage courtesy of goals by Olivier Giroud and Thomas Lemar before losing their composure at the Stade de France, less than three months before the World Cup in Russia.Luis Muriel, Radamel Falcao and Juan Quintero scored for Colombia, who were the more determined side in an entertaining encounter.“We suffered a lot. They were more aggressive, and we failed to put speed in our game,” said Deschamps.“We had a great opening first half hour then Colombia gave us a lesson of aggressiveness and we sometimes were complacent.”According to Deschamps, who as a player captained France to their only world title in 1998, his side were not at their usual best.“I can’t be happy. We failed to be up to high-level standards in the second half,” he said.“As far as will power and determination are concerned, we were behind them tonight.”Centre back Raphael Varane echoed the coach’s point of view.“We lacked concentration after a good start,” the Real Madrid player said.“This is the kind of game we need to improve, we need to learn from our mistakes.”France, who were drawn in the World Cup Group C with Denmark, Peru and Australia, next face tournament hosts Russia in St Petersburg.Colombia, who are in Group H with Japan, Poland and Senegal, will take on Australia in London.
…in sugar industryThe “snake oil salesman” is an American trope describing those conmen who prey on the afflicted gullible by insisting their snake oil will cure everything. President Granger typifies the species in the political realm with his unctuous and ingratiating style, in which he never fails to have a plaster for every sore. Problem is, some desperate citizens, faced with the mountain of problems they face daily, listen to him and sometimes forget it was he who created the problems in the first place.Remember that promise to fix blackouts, which had been reduced to just an irritant by the PPP? That’s snake oil; since he created the Stygian darkness we’re in when he absolutely refused to have his PNC sign off on the 165MW Amaila Hydro — which would have had enough power to satisfy our TOTAL electricity needs — causing the developer, Sithe, to walk away.Remember his promise to reduce Presidential power and transfer some to his PM, Nagamootoo?? That’s snake oil WITH Larwah!! Stop corruption? Constitutional change? There’s been so much snake oil flowing from Granger’s mouth that Guyana is probably bereft of labarias by now!!Anyhow, let’s take his foray into Berbice – Albion Sugar Factory, to be precise – to sell his snake oil on the sugar industry. He chose his audience well, the management of the estate and factory, who’re ultimately employed by him!! Were they going to point out he was emanating more hot air than the nearby chimney – and even more polluted?!Donning a hard hat as his prop, he promised his captive audience, “I have come to fix things”!! Yes, he, David Granger, whose only experience with the sugar industry was when he provided scab labour to break GAWU’s strike for recognition in 1976, had come to “fix” sugar! Well, he’d already “fixed” it, hadn’t he?? Put it in a fix, that is!! He then went on to declare: “GuySuCo will not merely survive, it will thrive”!! Rivers of snake oil. It’s a good thing his audience had on “long boots”!!How exactly is he going to save sugar?? He’d rejected his expert CoI’s recommendation to stabilise all seven estates and bring them to a point of sale. But he now says that, after the $30 billion bond funds are invested, sugar production costs will be reduced to US.30 cents/kg! How is that a “fix” when the present world price for sugar is US .26 cents/kg and falling?!? But then, he’s never worked to produce anything to sell, and had his salary paid for by the state, plus his education at UG!!But even snake oil salesmen can’t fool all the people all the time, can they? Hence Granger’s desperate efforts to delay elections!…calling it quitsWell, Granger may just be looking at his future when he read that his old YSM pal Ivelaw Griffith has decided to withdraw his application to be re-appointed VC at UG!!Good riddance to a bad administrator!! Folks across the world were amazed when Papa Doc, and later his son Baby Doc, lived in a style that Marie Antoinette would’ve envied while millions of their citizens were forced to live like beasts in the forest.Well, in a nutshell, that’s what Griffith tried to emulate at UG. Imagine, our only tertiary institution – with the lowest paid academic staff in the region – couldn’t even provide toilet paper for students!! But yet he had a salary with benefits that rivalled the President of the country, and created his own “Cabinet” to bring home the point!! He and his Cabinet’s salaries, on a per capita basis, were DOUBLE those of the academic staff.But your Eyewitness is surprised the VC was reported as having “walked away”.Wasn’t that “flew away” – first class??…on Linden-Lethem HighwayRaphael Trotman is Minister of Natural Resources. So how come he’s announcing, “International firms express interest to build Linden-Lethem road”?? Where’s MPI Patterson? Adding up foreign deposits into his account?And what happened to the China BRI?? Snake oil!!
Every year, Guyana joins other countries in the world to mark International Women’s Day under various themes which centre on women’s rights, gender equality, wealth, and gender roles. There was much introspection and reflection on the progress or lack thereof made by Guyanese women over the past few decades with Non-Governmental Organisations last year and this year which resulted in official Government agencies setting goals and objections for achieving more progress by next year and beyond.For the most parts, women were celebrated, admired, and praised. They were viewed as heroines because of the struggles they have endured and the challenges they face daily in ensuring that they play the role of the traditional woman as outlined in writings in the religious books, while aspiring to break barriers and crack glass ceilings as part of the process of metamorphosis in order to become the new ‘modern woman’.There were those women who lived in the moment and blushed in the midst of being praised and celebrated. They made the most of it by attending all of the ceremonies and festivities associated with the day because they felt duty-bound to ensure that the voices of women were amplified on this day and the challenges they faced also highlighted.But there were those women who were no doubt more conscious. They held firm to the view that the state of the girl child could not be improved by mere reflection and introspection on one day.It would take more than attending mundane workshops and conferences to ‘talk’ about women’s rights and issues to solve the problems facing women in the world today. UN speeches and public releases by organisations lobbying the world over for gender equality, though appreciated, could not create the level of awareness to create real and lasting change while forcing a paradigm shift in thinking patterns of the still largely male-dominated world.What was needed was ‘immediate action’ by women themselves to rise up and challenge the stereotypes and prejudices that seek to keep them in their so-called ‘place’. Women needed to rise up in large numbers and make a determined effort to rebel against all of the draconian laws as well as unwritten policies that promoted inequality, maybe not intentionally, in the work place, education system, marriage agreement, class structure, and other areas of their life.In Guyana, women needed to express outrage against the rising levels of domestic abuse and violence against their kind. They needed to protest and take a firm stance against the attacks on women in the judiciary by leading members of the current Government. They needed to lobby the authorities in order to compel them to do more to safeguard women against rape, childhood marriages and suicide. The Guyanese women needed to send a stronger message that women deserve better health care while demanding that immediate changes are made at hospitals across the country where women have to deliver children so that the downward spiral of maternal deaths could commence.Our women missed a golden opportunity to also seek out and motivate suitably qualified women folk to run again for the presidency by going against the norms within the various political parties in order to challenge the concept of male supremacy and the theory that men are born better leaders. As it stands, women in Guyana appear satisfied with being seen as conservative, compassionate and compliant beings. They seem comfortable with the current gender role that they are playing and whatever benefits they have accrued.This is most unfortunate because Guyanese women possess a special finesse and strength that make them iconic and unconquerable. It sets them apart from persons of the same gender elsewhere geographically. They also possess a fighting spirit and the will to achieve success in areas where women traditionally would not dare step. If women here, therefore, are to be “bold for change”, they must first start the process internally and mentally in order to have a lasting and real impact on the affairs of the world in a more meaningful way.The future of the girl child is at stake in a world of some many emerging gender cultures and preferences. They must stand tall and stand firm in unity. Like Hillary Clinton and Janet Jagan, they must not miss opportunities to crack glass ceilings because they understand their worth and value. This is no longer a man’s world.
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West Ham have completed the signing of defender Stephen Hendrie from Hamilton after the clubs agreed a £1million compensation package.The 20-year-old will join the Hammers on a pre-contract deal, meaning he will stay at the Scottish club for the remainder of the campaign.Hendrie made 97 appearances for the Accies, since making his debut aged 16, and joins the likes of Everton midfielder James McCarthy and Crystal Palace’s James McCarthur to come through the ranks at New Douglas Park.A Hamilton statement read: “Stephen has been with the Club since the age of 13 and we are delighted that another of our players who has come through our Academy, has moved to the English Premiership and we wish him well.” 1 Upton Park 
DALLAS – Pumping a little iron can help elderly nursing-home residents and heart-failure patients gain strength for everyday life, the American Heart Association says, expanding on earlier advice. “Those folks are capable of exercise training benefits, and certainly resistance training is part of that,” said Mark Williams, who led the group that wrote the new guidance published Monday online in the journal Circulation. Williams said resistance training – whether lifting weights or doing sit-ups – should be used as a complement to aerobic exercise. “A lot of people, after having a heart attack or heart failure, think they need to take it easy,” said Dr. Amit Khera, director of cardiac rehabilitation at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He said broader guidance should help reassure doctors and patients that it’s probably OK for most people to start exercising after heart trouble. Khera said cardiac patients are often restricted to lifting one pound to five pounds for the first couple of weeks. The heart association cited one study of resistance training that resulted in improvements for nursing-home residents with an average age of 87. 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set!
Manchester United have been told to up their offer if they want to sign Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton.The deal to take the French midfield star to Old Trafford was thought to be close, with ex-United star Mark Bosnich telling talkSPORT he has heard it “was done.”But Saints manager Ronald Koeman insists that is not the case and that the Red Devils must meet the south-coast club’s valuation if they are to land the 25-year-old.Koeman confirmed the Saints had received a bid from Old Trafford for Schneiderlin, who was absent from the club’s first training session of the new season on Monday, but said “it wasn’t serious”.“Morgan was ill but he is coming to training tomorrow and he will travel with the rest of the squad to Austria,” said Koeman ahead of Southampton’s pre-season trip. “He was not feeling well, so he had contact with the doctor and he stayed at home.“Two weeks ago we had a big offer from Man United but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t serious and no more bids today.” 1 Morgan Schneiderlin 
1 Chelsea have tabled a £5m bid for Italian starlet Riccardo Orsolini, according to reports in Italy.The 19-year-old winger has established himself as a first-team regular at Ascoli this season, playing 20 times in Serie B and scoring four goals.His form has attracted the attention of a number of sides across Europe and Ascoli are preparing a new contract in a bid to keep him at the club.The Italy Under-20 international only signed a new deal in March, which runs until 2019, but Ascoli reportedly have the option to extend that by another three years.According to SportItalia, however, Chelsea have now tested Ascoli’s resolve to keep Orsolini with a £5m bid.Blues boss Antonio Conte, whose side are sitting top of the Premier League having won 12 games in a row, believes Orsolini is star in the making and is eager to add him to his squad. Riccardo Orsolini in action for Italy Under-20s 
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho slammed his players’ attitude despite them securing a 3-0 victory over St Etienne in the Europa League.United won the last-32 first leg at Old Trafford thanks to a Zlatan Ibrahimovic hat-trick, but the hosts survived some nervy moments, particularly in the first half.When asked about the game afterwards, Mourinho admitted he was pleased with the result but was not so happy with his team’s focus in the build-up and during the clash.Asked if he was happy with the scoreline, the Red Devils boss said: “I am – especially because in the first half, we played so bad, and we managed to finish it winning 1-0 when we don’t deserve.“It was down to lack of concentration.“I had the feeling immediately in the dressing room – too noisy, too funny, too relaxed. Then my assistants had the feeling in the warm-up, with some of the guys not really focused on getting the right adrenaline in their bodies.“Then the game started and the first thing we did was a back-pass [by Eric Bailly] to the striker [Romain Hamouma] to be face-to-face with Sergio [Romero].“So, lack of concentration. And when you don’t have it, it’s difficult to recover it. So the first half was hard.“Even myself on the touchline, I felt it was difficult, the communication. I needed the half-time. So we were lucky, yes, to be winning 1-0.“I am not happy with it. At half-time, the result could be 1-1. I always think we have to play every game with the same attitude.”Put to him that the attitude might be down to the fact it was the Europa League rather than the Champions League, Mourinho said: “I know Champions League is the competition everyone wants to play, everyone wants to win, I know that.“But we don’t play Champions League, we play Europa League.“I think in the first half, it was too relaxed. Then, St Etienne were in the game with the right attitude and intensity, and they created problems.“We don’t play Champions League, so if that is the case I would prefer to play in the Europa League than be at home watching TV. So I think with the players it is the same.”Mourinho did stress the second half was “a different story” and said of the match overall: “To score three goals and not concede in the first leg at home, it’s always a good result – it is not over, but it is a good result.”And he added: “I think if we progress and if we beat St Etienne and go into last 16, then the people will have the right attitude. Lots of good teams are going to be in the next round.“Big teams are there, Champions League teams’ level will be there. So let’s do next time the right result, let’s go for the next draw and I think the motivation will come.” Man United boss Jose Mourinho 1