SPORTSLINE (08/28/05)

SPORTSLINE

Tour de France

Yaroslav Popovych, 25, a native of Drohobych, Ukraine, was awarded the title of the Tour de France's best young cyclist. He was a member of the American Discovery Channel team, which included seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong. The honor is given to the top rider under the age of 26.

Popovych's performance also impressed The New York Times, which included the Ukrainian among a list of five riders cited as early favorites to win the 2006 Tour de France, considered to be road cycling's premier event. "The best young rider in this Tour, he may succeed Armstrong as team leader," The Times wrote on July 25. "Popo, as he is known, was strong in the mountains."

Track and field

In a huge upset, Ukraine's Yurii Krymarenko took first place in the men's high jump at the (IAAF) World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, beating out a host of favored competitors. Krymarenko cleared a height of 7.61 feet, while Cuban Victor Moya and Russian Yaroslav Rybakov tied for second place with a jump of 7.51 feet. Ukraine's Andrii Sokolovskyi took 13th place with jumps of 7.22 feet.

Ivan Heshko of Ukraine took fourth place in the men's 1,500-meter event, finishing with a time of 3 minutes and 38.71 seconds. Bahrain's Ramzi Rashid took first place with a time of 3:37.88. Kaouch Adil of Morocco took second place with a time of 3:38.00, while Silva Rui of Portugal took third place with a time of 3:38.02.

Tetiana Tereschuk-Antipova of Ukraine took seventh place in the women's 400-meter hurdles, finishing the race in 55.09 seconds. Russia's Yuliya Pechonkina took first place with a time of 52.90, Lashinda Demus of the United States took second place with a time of 53.27, while her teammate Sandra Glover took third place with a time of 53.32.

In the women's high jump, Viktoria Palamar of Ukraine took fifth place with a jump of 6.33 feet. Kajsa Bergqvist of Sweden took first place with a jump of 6.63 feet. Chaunte Howard of the United States took second place with a jump of 6.56 feet, and Emma Green of Sweden took third place with a jump of 6.43 feet. Viktoria Styopina of Ukraine took seventh place with a jump of 6.33, and her teammate Iryna Mykhalchenko took 12th place with a jump of 6.07.

Ukraine's Yuriy Bilonoh took fourth place in the men's shot put with a throw of 68.54 feet, which Adam Nelson of the United States won with a throw of 71.29 feet. Rutger Smith of the Netherlands took second place with a throw of 69.85 feet, and Ralf Bartels of Germany took third place with a throw of 68.86 feet.

In the women's 4x400-meter relay, the Ukrainian team of Antonina Yefremova, Oksana Ilyushkina, Liliya Pilyuhina and Natalia Pyhyda took fifth place with a time of 3 minutes and 28 seconds. Russia took first place with a time of 3:20.95, while Jamaica took second place with a time of 3:23.29. Great Britain took third place with a time of 3:24.44.

Iryan Sekachova of Ukraine took sixth place in the women's hammer throw with a toss of 228.51 feet. Russia's Olga Kuzenkova took first place with a throw of 246.39 feet, Yipsi Moreno of Cuba took second place with a throw of 239.76 feet, and Tatyana Lysenko of Russia took third place with a throw of 237.73 feet.

Olena Antonova of Ukraine took eighth place in the women's discus with a throw of 194.78 feet, while Franka Dietzsch of Germany took first place with a throw of 218.37. Russia's Natalya Sadova took second place with a throw of 211.06 feet, and Vera Pospisilova-Cechlova of the Czech Republic took third place with a throw of 207.32.

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zyuskov took eighth place in the men's long jump with a leap of 26.44 feet, while Dwight Phillips of the United States took first place with a jump of 28.22 feet. Ignisious Gaisah of Ghana took second place with a jump of 27.36 feet, and Tommi Evila of Finland took third place with 27.07 feet.

In the men's triple jump, Ukraine's Viktor Yastrebov took ninth place with a jump of 55.45 feet. Walter Davis of the United States took first place with a jump of 57.64 feet. Cuba's Yoandri Betanzos took second place with 57.15 feet, and Marian Oprea of Romania took third place with 57.09 feet.

Ukraine's Serhiy Lebid took first place in the men's 8.5-kilometer race at the Amatrice-Configno road race in Rieti, Italy, on August 20, with a time of 23 minutes and 43 seconds. Kenya's Rodgers Rop took second place with a time of 23:53, and his teammate Solomon Bushendich took third place with a time of 23:58.

Rhythmic gymnastics

Ukraine's Anna Bessonova took first place in the women's rope event at the 2005 World Games in Duisburg, Germany. Vera Sesina of Russia took second place, while Ukraine's Natalia Godunko took third.

Bessonova took second place in the individual ball event, while Russia's Olga Kapranova of Russia took first place. Her teammate Sesina took third place, while Ukraine's Godunko of Ukraine took fifth place, and Inna Zhukava of Belarus took fourth place.

Ukraine's Godunko took second place in the individual ribbon, while her teammate Bessonova took third place. Russia's Sesina won the event.

Bessonova of Ukraine took second place in the individual clubs, while Aliya Yussupova of Kazakhstan took first place. Russia's Sesina Kapranova took third and fourth places, respectively. Ukraine's Godunko took sixth place, while Svetlana Rudalova of Belarus took fifth place.

Chess

The Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (USCAK) will hold the 2005 Ukrainian American Chess Championship on Saturday, September 24, at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Philadelphia. The entry fee for the tournament is $25. Play will begin at noon. The tournament is not rated by the United States Chess Federation. For more information about the tournament, readers may contact the Rev. Marijan Procyk at (716) 852-7566 or Dr. Orest Popovych at (732) 363-1589.

Golf

The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum announced recently that it will induct the first Ukrainians into the Hall of Fame, according to the association's website.

Wilfred (Wilf) Homenuik and Robert (Bob) Panasik will be inducted to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame as a part of the class of 2005.

As a pro golfer Homenuik amassed eight international professional victories and earned two CPGA Tour Championship titles in 1965 and 1971. While playing on the PGA Tour, Homenuik competed in 99 competitions placing in the top-10 11 times.

At the age of 15, Panasik made history at the 1957 Canadian Open by becoming the youngest player to make a cut at a PGA Tour event - a record that still stands today. So far Panasik, of Windsor, Ontario, has collected two CPGA Championships, three CPGA Senior Championship titles and 15 various provincial titles.

In addition to his many championship titles, Panasik successfully qualified on nine different occasions for the U.S. Open Championship.

Homenuik and Panasik will officially be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in their home communities in the early fall.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame traditionally celebrates the induction of its new members at a location determined by the inductee.

Homenuik's induction will take place on September 24, while Panasik's induction is expected to take place on September 17. Tickets may be purchased for each of these events by calling the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame at (905) 849-9700, ext. 411, or e-mailing [email protected].

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