TORRANCE TRIBUNE August 25, 2016 Page 5 Usain Bolts Toward Immortality By Adam Serrao As he waited in the tunnel underneath Olympic Stadium, the crowd could be heard from miles away, throbbing like a heartbeat. Everyone was there to see one person. Everyone was there to witness greatness. As the chanting started in the crowd, all eyes were fixed toward the tunnel, waiting to see his tall, daunting visage emerge. “USAIN BOLT, USAIN BOLT!” the crowd excitedly roared. They all knew what they wanted to see and “Over the course of the past three Olympics, Bolt has not only dominated the 100 meter race, but has also completely conquered the 200 meters and the 4x100 relay, as well.” all of a sudden, there he was, emerging as if a gladiator stepping into the arena. Usain Bolt has never been short on confidence, nor has he been shy on talent. As he emerged onto the track in Rio, dancing and smiling to the brim, he knew he was going to win, it was just a matter of how much he was going to win by. By taking home his ninth gold medal in this year’s Rio Olympics, Usain Bolt has done what he had originally set out to do. Usain Bolt has become a legend. Early on in his career, no one would have ever guessed that Bolt would have grown into the champion he has now become. In 2004, a young, 17-year-old Bolt traveled to Athens to participate in his first Olympics. As skinny and frail as they came, Bolt did exactly what everyone thought he would do. He aggravated an ankle injury, lost in the 200 meters, and went back home. That trip home proved to be a life changing one for Bolt. He didn’t take losing lightly, and from then on he would be motivated to become the world’s best ever. Fast forward to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Bolt was back, in his prime, and this time, he was ready to make an impact. With a remarkable time of 9.69 seconds in the 100 meters, he did just that by completely dusting the world record. Nine gold medals later and domination in three straight Olympics has made the sprinter out of Jamaica the legend that he has become today. “I would have never thought I could go back-to-back-to-back Olympics,” Bolt explained. “The first one, I was just happy. The second one was a challenge, and the third one is just unbelievable.” Over the course of the past three Olympics, Bolt has not only dominated the 100 meter race, but has also completely conquered the 200 meters and the 4x100 relay, as well. Basically, if he steps foot on the track, he is going to win a short distance race. When Bolt steps foot on the track, every single person who knows about it is going to stop and watch. Winning gold medals isn’t as effortless as Bolt makes it seem, though. The hard work and dedication that he puts into his training is what has made him the great athlete that he has become today. “Competition is the easy part,” Bolt said. “Behind the scenes, is where the work is done. I think a lot of people, they see you run and they say, ‘Oh, it looks so easy’. Before it gets to that point, it’s hard work. It’s day in and day out sacrifice, day in and day out, just dying.” The sacrifice has paid off. Not only has Bolt been the world’s fastest man for over 12 years now, but he has also become a legend that we will all likely one day tell our children and grandchildren about. “What else can I do to the world to prove I am the greatest? I’m trying to be one of the greatest,” Bolt said after winning his latest 200 meter gold in Rio. “Be among Ali and Pele. I hope after these Games, I will be in that bracket.” Bolt doesn’t only have nine gold medals to fall back on to symbolize his greatness. He has also broken a significant amount of world records, as well. 2008 proved to be Bolt’s coming out party. He set the world record in both the 100 and 200 meters that year, running the 100 in 9.72 seconds and the 200 in 19.3. Bolt later broke his own 100 meter world record twice, running it in 9.69 seconds in the Beijing Olympics and then again in 2009 by running it in 9.58 at the World Championships in Berlin. Bolt also broke his own 200 meter world record at the same World Championships, decreasing his time from 19.3 to 19.19. Bolt and the Jamaican relay team also hold the world record for fastest time in a 4x100 meter relay, setting it at 36.84 seconds at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Though Bolt has shown no signs of slowing down and could certainly add more gold medals to his mantle if he wanted to, he has assured the national media that his career in racing competitively is over. The sports world is so used to seeing our superstars hang on until they absolutely cannot play anymore, but for Bolt, it is important to go out on top. “I’ve proven to the world I’m the greatest,” he said. “I really put Jamaica on the map. I’ve really got people taking a look at where the talent is coming from. I’ve done all I can do.” It has now become Bolt’s time to sprint off into the shadows. The world’s fastest man has nothing left to prove and will now forever be a legend in the eyes of anyone who ever reflects upon his illustrious career. • Tartars Football Looking to Break Through By Adam Serrao The Torrance Tartars have been a football team that has been on the outside looking in for quite some time now. The Tartars last made the playoffs in the 2014 season, taking a first round loss to Oxnard at the time, but Torrance has not finished in first place in the Pioneer League standings since 2011. It was then that the Tartars made it into the CIF Southern Section semifinals before losing to the eventual champions, the Lompoc Braves. Head coach Rock Hollis is back and ready to lead his team to the glory they once experienced. A tough non-league schedule, paired together with some extremely talented Pioneer League and inner-city opponents should provide a decent number of obstacles for Hollis and his Tartars, but a talented team with a clean slate to start the season will look to prove that they can live up to any challenge. The Tartars had themselves a pretty unimpressive season last year, highlighted by tough losses and a league-play schedule that turned out to be rather unfavorable, to say the least. The bad omens began for Torrance in just the first game of the season. Matched up against the Mira Costa Mustangs in the opener, the Tartars didn’t stand a chance. No Pioneer League team winds up being good against their Bay League opponent, but the Mustangs put on a show, eventually winning by a final score of 60-12. The rest of Torrance’s non-league schedule wasn’t any better. A matchup against another Bay League opponent in Peninsula yielded another loss before El Segundo put up 41 on the Tartars to send the team to 1-3 just before league play began. When it came to inter-division battle, Torrance’s luck didn’t get much better. They opened up league play by traveling to South High to take on the Spartans. Though the Tartars scored the first 14 points of the game and led by two touchdowns at the half, South was able to rally in the second half and beat Torrance by a final score of 21-14. Leuzinger continued the trend by running over the Tartars, 60-17. The Tartars were able to get a win over the last place, one-win, Centennial Apaches, but a 69-0 blowout loss at the hands of North High and a 52-21 shellacking by West rounded out the season and cemented Torrance’s standing in fifth place in the Pioneer League. Despite the difficult and challenging season last year, the Tartars are back behind coach Hollis and finally feel like they have the talent to compete with the rest of the league. Among key returning starters is last year’s starting quarterback, Ryan Carroll. Carroll will be a senior this season and has gained a significant amount of experience behind center through his time starting for the team last year. In Torrance’s lone league-play win last season against Centennial, it was Carroll who led the way with 236 yards passing and three touchdowns. It played the biggest part in guiding the Tartars to a big second half and ultimately, the victory. In addition to Carroll, the extremely young Tartars’ team of a year ago will also be returning some of the supporting cast, too. Daniel Desmond was one of Torrance’s starting running backs last season. Now a senior, Desmond will return to help form a balanced charge out of the backfield, while Jerome Duhon, Ryan Kirkwood and Devin Nash should all help to form an experienced and solid attack through the air, catching passes from Carroll. Also, keep your eye out for Eric Suarez. Though he was just a freshman last season, he had some incredible games and simply popped off of the field as one of the team’s youngest, yet greatest athletes out there. Although coach Holt and the rest of the Tartars team will be returning a lot of talent from a year ago, they will be facing almost the exact same schedule as a year ago, as well. That means in their quest for a more successful season, Torrance will have to open things up against Mira Costa before they hit the road and travel to Peninsula and El Segundo. If the Tartars make it past all of those tough opponents relatively unblemished, they will certainly be tested against the usual suspects of the Pioneer League. Centennial will be the first opponent for Torrance, while North and West High will round of the regular season schedule, respectively. This year’s Torrance Tartars have the talent that it will take to compete in what is and always has been an extremely competitive Pioneer League. While the team’s talent is not in question, though, their ability to overcome a very challenging schedule is. Coach Holt will have his hands full this season, but if he can rally his troops who already have the experience necessary for success this year, then Torrance just may be able to capture their first Pioneer League title in five years. • Up and Adam City Council from front page Torrance Voters PAC to Support Pat Furey for Mayor 2014, and Roesch and McKinnor of any wrong doing; still, requests to rebid the original contract were voiced by residents and supported by at least Councilmembers Ashcraft and Griffiths. In addition to McCormick’s satisfactory performance to date, the RFP process is expensive not a task that the majority of the council expressed interest in undertaking. “I too was sitting up here when this was talked about in February. I think it was councilman [Geoff] Rizzo who brought it up and the reason he brought it up was so that we could have an RFP by December and you’re not backed into a corner,” Kurt Weideman said. “You could vote no and if this body decides to vote no, then this RFP process will start immediately because this contract is not over until Dec. 17. I thought that is why we brought it in August. Right now you have a choice, you can vote yes to extend it and not go through the RFP; or you can vote no and go through the RFP.” The fire department notified McCormick via letter of the council’s meeting to exercise the option to extend the agreement. The terms to the original agreement will stay take effect immediately after the approval and will be up for renewal again in in August of 2017. “For the last two years or so it appears that this company has been providing top level service to this community that this community expects and that is why I expected of this contract when I voted, and I voted for the extension,” Councilman Rizzo said. “My decision point at this particular junction is the same decision point that I had last time and that question is directed to the fire chief: is this the company that is providing the best level of service to the community?” Fire Chief Serna confirmed the information in the staff report that McCormick not only met the level of service demanded, but surpassed it in all areas. He also explained there are no conflicts between the company and his department and recommended that the contract be extended one more year. • Aetna from page 3 Medicare Advantage enrollees in the country, more than any other health-care insurer. The Department of Justice on July 21 blocked the merger, prompting California’s insurance commissioner to issue a congratulatory announcement to federal antitrust regulators who agreed with him. The original health plans in the state’s exchange are still participating, and a 12th company joined after the first year and has since dropped out, according to Covered California’s spokeswoman. The existing plans are offered by Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Chinese Community Health Plan, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente, L.A. Care Health Plan, Molina Healthcare, Oscar Health Plan of California, Sharp Health Plan, Valley Health Plan, and Western Health Advantage. They are competing for 1.4 million residents enrolled with Covered California. Almost all California enrollees will have three or more plans to select from next year, officials said, and even without Aetna the state’s health-insurance marketplace is strong for low-income and improverished residents, according to officials. The concern elsewhere in the country is that insurers are retreating from states and communities, where health coverage is needed most and where poverty rates are among the highest. “This is really going to be felt in Southern states and rural areas,” predicted Cynthia Cox, who is associate director of health reform and private insurance the Kaiser Family Foundation. •
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