Usain Bolt beats Justin Gatlin again to win 200m world championship gold

Usain Bolt has done it again, winning his fourth consecutive world 200m title with a display of supreme confidence in his fastest time since the Olympic final at London 2012.
Four days after overcoming the odds and a flying Justin Gatlin to retain his 100m title, Bolt ran 19.55sec to best his American rival in the fastest time this year and win his 10th world championship gold. Gatlin, who like Bolt started strongly but was unable to cope when the Jamaican eased away down the home straight, finished second in 19.74.
Looking at their form this season, you might ordinarily have expected Gatlin to be favourite. But there is nothing ordinary about Usain Bolt. After the semi-finals, a reporter asked Gatlin what it would take to come out on top. Turning back and laughing over his shoulder, the 33-year-old said: “It takes to stay in front, that’s what it’s going to take!”
Ultimately, he was never able to do that, despite being neck and neck as they came round the bend as he tried to challenge down the home straight. The South African Anaso Jobodwana was third in 19.87, a new national record.
Bolt and Gatlin will meet again in the 4x100m relay on Saturday night for the third instalment of a head to head that has gripped the Bird’s Nest but also posed a host of complex questions for the sport and those in it. But Bolt has proved that despite an indifferent season, he is unmatched when it comes to the big occasion.
It seems extraordinary the pair had faced each other only once before over 200m and that was a decade ago, Gatlin winning in Helsinki in 2005. Ten years later, four of which the American sat out after serving a four-year ban for testing positive for testosterone, an awful lot of water had passed under the bridge.
Bolt came into the race off the back of that confidence-boosting victory in the 100m. After that contest Gatlin refused to take any questions on his doping past and subsequently said he would not speak to the BBC over its styling of the race as a “battle of good versus evil”.
Before the 200m, a relaxed-looking Bolt kissed the Jamaica badge on his vest and held his fingers in a V for victory sign. It was to prove prophetic.
Bolt had not gone under 20 seconds over the distance in 2015 before he arrived in Beijing but dipped beneath that mark in the semi-final. But nor had he lost in the 200m at a major championships since 2007, before his jaw-dropping arrival on the world stage at this stadium at the 2008 Olympics.
Two months ago, Bolt – struggling with joint issues - laboured to victory in his only 200m of the season in New York. Just behind him on that occasion was Zharnel Hughes, the Anguilla-born British athlete who became the youngest sprinter to win a Diamond League 200m when he triumphed in Lausanne this year.
Hughes, who trains with Bolt’s group in Jamaica, formally gaining British citizenship in June this year, finished fifth in a personal best of 20.02.

10 Seconds to Take Your Leadership From Good to Great

These are times that call for great leaders--people who are confident and courageous, certain in their leadership--to show us the way. It's not easy, but if we can learn to follow their example, we too can separate ourselves from the pack. Here are some of their lessons:

1. Create a compelling vision.

Great leaders focus on the future. They have a clear picture of what they want, and they make it happen. They are excited about the future and don't waste time being stuck in the past.

2. Articulate your vision to others.

Great leaders are able to describe the future and vision using words, images, and emotions that captivate and galvanize those around them. They freely share their leadership with those who look to them for guidance and support.

3. Be consistent in your character.

Great leaders do not change with the tides; they are flexible and open to new ideas but consistent in their beliefs and values. People know they can count on that consistency in thought and action.

4. Show genuine humility.

Great leaders know that without humility you are unable to learn. They admit mistakes, welcome feedback, and are open to suggestions. The best leaders are always interested in learning and improving.

5. Stay focused and forge forward.

Great leaders focus on results. They are immune to distraction, detours, and roadblocks, and they keep others focused and moving as well.

6. Demonstrate tenacity and courage.

Great leaders initiate action and work diligently. They don't change or get flustered when an issue arises, but take control with confidence. They move forward with conviction.

7. Connect the dots.

Great leaders are able to see the big picture and understand the connections between elements--a skill that takes great habits of mind to build.

8. Think strategically.

Great leaders have an eye for the future. They have a clear sense of what to do, and they anticipate and meet the future with strategic planning instead of short-term reaction.

9. Be agile and flexible.

Great leaders learn quickly. They know how to view things around them and make sense of them; they ask lots of questions. They know how to modify their behavior in response to changing situations without sacrificing consistency.

10. Be fair.

Great leaders are fair-minded and avoid taking sides in disputes. Others will always know where they stand, what's expected of them, and what they can expect in return.

Leaders have perfected the art of getting others to do something because they resonate with the message, the idea, or the vision. Great leaders do this with ease--and we can too if we make these traits a priority in our own development and growth.

Tips for Becoming a Brilliant Conversationalistc

No matter how meticulously you plan your words, you can never control how your message is received. However, several things are within your control, like timeliness, intensity and volume. Knowing what’s within your power and preparing in advance will help you to maximize each opportunity to communicate. Here are five keys to making your message count:

1. Never wing it.

Every conversation I’ve left with regrets shares a common denominator --- I didn’t think before I spoke. Most of us are at our best when we have ample time to process our thoughts before sharing them. If a conversation or meeting is worth your time to schedule, it’s worth taking a few minutes to develop an outline beforehand. For a particularly important dialogue, consider role-playing the conversation with a trusted colleague to remove the rough edges.

2. Think about it from the receiver’s perspective.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes when shaping your strategy. This ensures a balanced approach and will prepare you to not only support your position, but also to challenge any potential rebuttals.

3. Be prepared for different responses.

No one can predict with 100 percent certainty how everyone will respond. Increase your chances that a conversation goes well by anticipating negative or questioning replies. This lessens the likelihood that you’ll be caught off guard.

4. Approach with reason and logic.

A point that is introduced with logic and confidence is less likely to be met with hostility. The key is to approach each conversation with objective-minded reasoning supported by data or fact, if possible.

5. Don’t forget the emotional side.

While point number four stresses the need for objective conversation, it’s important to remember that emotions often trump logic. Don’t underestimate the influence emotions can play in the perception of a message --- and understand which ones your words may evoke.

Finally, strive to be not simply an effective communicator, but a brilliant one. Your point comes across clearer in a well-articulated conversation. While it may not be perfect -- at least right away -- aiming for brilliance is the best way to get there.

Shocker! Okagbare chickens out of 200m wetin de happen?

Shocker! Okagbare chickens out of 200m

Athletics Federation of Nigerian officials are reeling with shock, following Blessing Okagbare’s decision not to start the women 200m at the IAAF World Championships on-going in Beijing, China. This is against the background of her poor showing in the women 100m where she placed last. Before that race on Monday, Okagbare, had shown signs of distress.

Okagbare

Her coach was seen whispering words of encouragement into her ears. Yesterday, she was warming up for the heats of the 200m, but when the athletes were asked to report to the call room, she was nowhere to be found. “We don’t know for sure what happened to her. Personally, I have tried the lines of the technical officials and there wasn’t any response,” said Olukoyde Thomas the AFN spokesman in Beijing.

Prior to the championships, Okagbare had excluded herself from the national trials in Warri, with an  alibi that she was unfit and needed medical attention. She was given a wild card by the AFN. Her name is also missing from the start-list of the long jump event, which starts today.

She won a bronze in the 200m and a silver in the long jump at the 2013 championships in Moscow. “It is sad for the country that we are relying on one athlete. I don’t know what happened to Okagbare in Beijing, we can only hope that it is nothing that will tarnish the image of the country,” said an athletics coach yesterday.

Triple jumper, Tosin Oke is the other Nigerian that saw action yesterday. He jumped 16.74m, which was good enough to see him to the final, and it is a strong field of 17. 00m jumpers.

Facebook unveils M, an AI-powered personal digital assistant inside Messenger

It appears that Facebook is getting into the personal assistant space. In a post on the social network, vice president of messaging products David Marcus revealed that the company is testing M, a personal digital assistant inside of Messenger. There’s no specific timetable on when (or even if) the service will be released to the public.

Facebook joins a growing chorus of companies entering the personal assistant space. However, Marcus disputes that what his company is doing will be similar to anyone else: “Unlike other AI-based services in the market,” he wrote, “M can actually complete tasks on your behalf. It can purchase items, get gifts delivered to your loved ones, book restaurants, travel arrangements, appointments and way more.”

Marcus offers few details about the technology, but you’ll be able to ask for things like ordering flowers for your mother’s birthday, what are the best places to go hiking, and more.

It’s likely that the technology will pull information from your interests, Likes, location, check-ins, and more to provide you with relevant insights and information. It could also leverage the power of Facebook Search, which company chief executive Mark Zuckerberg disclosed completed 1.5 billion searches daily.

The addition of a personal digital assistant seems to mesh well with Messenger, especially as Marcus wants to show that the new Messenger Platform can work. Certainly the idea of being able to integrate with M could be enticing for developers, who may want to tap into Messenger and its 700 million monthly active users.

Additionally, we could see payments within Messenger be expanded beyond peers to helping users pay for goods and services through the app. If you’re looking for shoes and M gives you an option, you can simply tap “get” and the personal assistant will put in the order and process your payments for you.

Personal assistant technology seems to be the thing now, but there is a wide market spread. For example, the virtual assistants from Google and Apple have incredible dominance in the space — you can’t avoid having Siri or Google Now. Then there are those like Assist, Operator, and Magic, which contain a human component. Marcus believes that M will be different because it’s a combination of human and computer technology.

We’ve reached out to Facebook for additional comment and will update if we hear more.

15 die in Lagos-Ore road accident

By Dayo Johnson

Akure—No fewer than 15 persons were allegedly killed in an auto crash along Lagos-Ore Expressway in Ondo State yesterday, while two others sustained serious injuries.

File photo: FRSC operatives

Vanguard gathered that 14 of those who died in the accident that occurred about 35 kilometres from Ore town were males, with one female.

A white Toyota Hiace commercial bus, belonging to a transportation company (names withheld), had a head-on collision with a truck.

A source told Vanguard that the two vehicles were on high speed. 16 passengers, it was learned, boarded the bus in Lagos, en route Akure.

Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Head of Operations, Akin Adedipe, confirmed the crash, adding that the truck belongs to a cement company (names withheld)and the driver identified.

He said the corpses were taken to the General Hospital, Ore, while the injured were rushed to a private hospital in the town.

He added that four SIM cards, eight ATM cards, N39,699 and other personal effects were recovered: source vanguard

TV journalists' murderer kills himself

Here's what we know so far about the shooting.Police in the US state of Virginia say a man who shot dead two journalists who were broadcasting live on air at the time of the attack has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

How the attack unfolded

The attack unfolded live before viewers' eyes at about 06:45 local time (10:45 GMT) on Wednesday, as a local news crew filmed from a large shopping centre, Bridgewater Plaza, in the town of Moneta.

WDBJ reporter Alison Parker was just beginning an interview with local businesswoman Vicki Gardner about the 50th anniversary of a nearby tourism project - the Smith Mountain Lake - when gunfire suddenly erupted.

Image captionThe WDBJ7 news crew was attacked as they filmed a segment for a morning news show in Moneta, Virginia

The sounds of eight gunshots could be heard, as the camera spun and dropped to the ground, and the two women ran for cover screaming.

A fleeting image of the gunman, who was wearing black trousers and a blue top and holding a handgun, was captured in the footage.

Ms Parker, 24, and WDBJ7 TV cameraman, Adam Ward, 27, were both shot and died at the scene.

Ms Gardner was injured in the shooting, but police said she was in stable condition in hospital following surgery.

What happened next?

It didn't take long for Virginia state police to identify the suspect gunman as 41-year-old Vester Lee Flanagan, a former employee of the station.

They said Flanagan fled the scene of the fatal shooting, dumping his own car at a local airport and exchanging it for a vehicle he had rented a month ago.

Image captionFlanagan's hire car was spotted by police on the I-66 highway several hours after the shooting

Some five hours later, he was spotted by Virginia state police on the Interstate 66 highway but refused to stop and drove away from an approaching police car.

Minutes later, he ran the vehicle off the road and crashed. When police approached, they found the suspect suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to hospital, where police said he died at around 13:30.

Who is the gunman?

Several hours after the shooting came to light, Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe told Washington radio station WTOP the suspected gunman had been identified as a disgruntled current or former station employee.

Flanagan, who was known professionally as Bryce Williams, worked with the local WDBJ news station for a year until 2013.

Image captionA man claiming to be Bryce Williams (pictured) posted messages on Twitter after the murders

He had a background working with local TV stations in North Carolina, Florida and Georgia and studied broadcast media at San Francisco State University.