Allgemein » including backup goaltender Roberto Luongo,

NEW YORK -- The New York City Marathon returned after a one-year absence with big crowds, heightened security and a familiar champion. Geoffrey Mutai successfully defended his title Sunday, while fellow Kenyan Priscah Jeptoo came from behind to win the womens race. Bronx resident Buzunesh Deba finished runner-up for the second straight time in her hometown event. Fans again packed the 26.2-mile course, undaunted by the events of the past year. The 2012 NYC Marathon was cancelled because of the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, but not before many New Yorkers were enraged by initial plans to hold the race. After the bombings at Aprils Boston Marathon, bomb-sniffing dogs roamed the course, and barricades limited access points to Central Park. A record 50,740 runners started the race through the five boroughs. Mutai pulled away around Mile 22 and beat Ethiopias Tsegaye Kebede by 52 seconds. On a windy morning, Mutais time of 2 hours, 8 minutes, 24 seconds was well off his course record of 2:05:06 set in nearly perfect conditions two years ago. Hes the first man to repeat in New York since Kenyas John Kagwe in 1997-98. Kebede, the London Marathon champ, clinched the $500,000 bonus for the World Marathon Majors title. South Africas Lusapho April was third. Jeptoo trailed Deba by nearly 3 1/2 minutes at the halfway point. But she started making her move as the race entered Manhattan and passed the Ethiopian with just over 2 miles to go. Jeptoo, the 2012 Olympic silver medallist and 2013 London Marathon Champ, won in 2:25:07 to clinch the $500,000 World Marathon Majors bonus. The womens race played out almost identically to the last NYC Marathon two years ago. But this time, Deba was the pursued, not the pursuer. In 2011, Mary Keitany pulled away to a big early lead, and Deba and countrywomen Firehiwot Dado chased her down. Dado, who won that day, was 14th Sunday as the defending champ. This time, Deba and training partner Tigist Tufa separated themselves right from the start. Deba wound up finishing 48 seconds behind Jeptoo, while Tufa fell back to eighth. Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia, the 2005-06 New York champ, placed third at age 37. Security was tight from the moment the runners arrived on Staten Island. They were corralled into long bag-check lines, and officers and volunteers repeatedly reminded them to keep cellphones out. "Security is 100 per cent tougher than what Ive seen at other races," said Chris Patterson of Rochester, N.Y., who was signed up for New York last year and ran Boston in April. Elizabeth Hutchinson of Seattle recalled the joy at the starting line in Boston this year. People were handing out sunscreen, Band-Aids and energy gels with a smile. On Staten Island, she said, "the machine-guns are very visible." "The atmosphere is so different," she said, "It kind of makes me sad." Charles Breslin, who lost his home in the storm and was volunteering at the marathon, welcomed the races return. "I dont know how the rest of Staten Island feels about, but it can only be a good thing," he said. "You have to get back to normalcy." As the professional women approached Central Park, only a sprinkling of onlookers stood at the police barricades. Ginny Smith, a Manhattan resident who comes to watch each year, said she felt "very frustrated." Three hours after she first arrived at the park, she was finally allowed to walk in. At Columbus Circle, near the 26th and last mile of the route, police kept her waiting for two hours. "It was difficult, it was horrible -- for something thats basically for the people," she said. "Its unbelievable; you would think there was a war in the city." Ashley OBrien of Brooklyn was ready with a bullhorn to cheer members of her running group, the Hudson Dusters. She got teary-eyed remembering the events of the past year. "Its a nice time to all come back together," she said. "You still remember why it was cancelled last year and you remember Boston. So its a little bittersweet." Sean Johnson USA Jersey . "We were left with the overall impression that the team wasnt trending toward being able to compete for a Stanley Cup," Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said in a news conference at the clubs arena. "And that was just a clear signal and why it was time to make those changes. John Brooks USA Jersey . "Im going to send Webbie a six-pack (of beer) tonight," she said. Webb wasnt sure that would help. "Ill probably drink one and go to sleep," the Australian veteran said. The two players set up a Sunday showdown between former HSBC champions after finishing off their third rounds with identical birdies over three of the last five holes Saturday to separate themselves slightly from the rest of the crowded leaderboard. http://www.soccerusateamonline.com/Nick-Lima-America-Jersey/ . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Tim Howard Jersey . Its not intended to be some magical formula and doesnt apply any context, like, for example, taking injuries into account. This remedial statistical method has gone 9-5 in picks through the first three rounds. Wil Trapp Jersey . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U. SOCHI, Russia -- Team Canadas best players brought their best game and left with gold. On the worlds biggest stage, Jonathan Toews and Sidney Crosby made good on their strong tournaments and controversial roster pick Chris Kunitz sealed the victory as Canada won its second straight Olympic gold medal in mens hockey with a 3-0 win over Sweden on Sunday. Canada did not trail at any point in the final or over the course of the entire tournament and finished as the first undefeated gold medallist since the Soviet Union in 1984 in Sarajevo, beating Norway, Austria, Finland, Latvia, the United States and Sweden along the way. Until Sunday, Toews and Crosby were two of Canadas best players through the first five games but did not have a goal to show for it. Canadian coach Mike Babcock brushed off concerns about a lack of offence from his forwards, figuring they would come but hoping the stars wouldnt "run out of time." Toews, who opened the scoring with a deflection in the first period, and Crosby, who beat Henrik Lundqvist on a breakaway in the second, delivered just in time. Putting up two goals meant Sweden would have had to score as many goals in the third period as Canada gave up in its first five games of the Olympics. That defensive dominance continued against Sweden, which was without first-line centre Nicklas Backstrom, a late scratch. NHL stars accustomed to more offensive roles continued to display the kind of hard-working defensive intensity Babcock needed out of them, limiting Swedens scoring chances in the process. Goaltender Carey Price made 24 saves for his second straight shutout to cap off his impressive tournament in which he allowed just three goals in five starts. By beating Sweden, Canada became the first back-to-back gold-medal winner since the NHL began sending its players in 1998. It was the first time Canada won gold in two straight Games since 1948 and 1952. And this didnt take a fortunate bounce Quality chances came fast and furious in the games first few minutes. Crosby generated the first one 57 seconds in when he batted the puck down and found Patrice Bergeron for a shot from between the circles that Lundqvist got in front of. Canadas Jamie Benn and Swedens Niklas Kronwall traded shots before Bergeron picked off a pass from Johnny Oduya three minutes in and shot it right into Lundqvist. Swedens best chance of the first period was a minute later, when Gustav Nyquists shot from close range hit the left post behind Price. Canadas starter looked behind him to see the puck inches from the goal line before covering it up. Bergeron continued his tremendous start by shooting off the shaft of Lundqvists stick and hitting the post 11 minutes in. That helped Canada turn the tide after being on the receiving end for a handful of shifts. It was the line of Patrick Marleau, Jeff Carter and Toews that has been together the longest thaat got Canada on the board at the 12:55 mark.dddddddddddd Carter skated down the right wing almost to the goal-line and found Toews streaking to the net. Able to keep his stick free from Patrik Berglund, Toews got it on the puck and deflected it off the inside of Lundqvists right pad and in. With Martin St. Louis inserted onto the fourth line in place of Patrick Sharp, Canada generated a couple of scoring chances and got a power play after Matt Duchene drew a penalty on Swedish defenceman Jonathan Ericsson. Unable to score in those two minutes, Canada went on the kill late in the first into the second after a Kunitz high-sticking penalty and got the job done. Canada had the lions share of chances throughout the second period, save for a couple of opportunities by Loui Eriksson and Erik Karlsson, who came into the day tied for the tournament lead in scoring. Karlsson also made a good stick check on Crosby to thwart the captain in open ice. But Crosby wasnt going to be denied at the 15:43 mark, when he poked the puck away from Ericsson at Canadas blue-line and blew right by Alexander Steen to get a breakaway. Crosby had just enough time to think, go backhand and bank the puck off Lundqvists left pad an into the net. It didnt have the drama of Crosby beating Ryan Miller for the golden goal in Vancouver four years ago, but as he raised his arms in the air it looked like Canada couldnt be beaten on this day. Kunitz, who made the team because of his natural chemistry with Crosby, did it all by himself to provide Canada with breathing room. Kunitz took the puck away from Daniel Sedin, skated over the blue-line and beat Lundqvist clean at the 9:04 mark of the third period. Because Canada gave up just three goals all tournament, that set off quite the celebration on the bench. Eleven players, including backup goaltender Roberto Luongo, won gold for the second straight Olympics. Crosby, Toews, Rick Nash, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Marleau, Bergeron, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber and Drew Doughty got to celebrate twice. Some of the biggest contributors in getting Canada to the final came from newcomers, including Carter and Benn. But two of the three goal-scorers against Sweden -- Crosby and Toews -- were the same ones who scored to beat the United States in Vancouver in 2010. NOTES -- With Backstrom out, Sweden inserted defenceman Henrik Tallinder into the lineup because it did not have an extra forward. The Swedes were already without captain Henrik Zetterberg because of a herniated disk. ... Canada had no lineup surprises, scratching injured forward John Tavares and healthy defenceman P.K. Subban along with third goaltender Mike Smith. ... Brad Jacobs gold-medal-winning mens curling team was among the 11,076 in attendance at Bolshoy Ice Dome and interviewed on the video screen at the first intermission. ' ' '