Friday, September 19, 2014
Local gymnast invited to USA training center
BOARDMAN
Giana Trolio, an 8-year-old who trains at Youngstown Gymnastics Center in Boardman, has been invited to the USA Gymnastics Talent Opportunity Program selection national testing at the USA Gymnastics National Training Center in Houston. Approximately 280 8-10 year-old girls will participate in the national testing Oct. 10-12.
Trolio is a second-grader at West Boulevard Elementary School in Boardman. She is coached by Sandy Sabo and Chad Cleland.
Brookfield Hall of Fame events set Sept. 26-27
BROOKFIELD
The Brookfield Athletic Hall of Fame banquet will be held Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at the high school. This year’s inductees are Harold Green, 1955; Ron Rotunno, 1964; Larry Patsey, 1976; Bo Reichart, 1990; and the undefeated 1949 football team.
All the inductees will be introduced at halftime of the football game on Sept. 26. Banquet tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the high school, at Laddies or at Logan & Company.
Special event scheduled at Sharon Speedway
HARTFORD
Sharon Speedway will be the site on Saturday of an effort by NASCAR driver Jimmy Weller to raise awareness for childhood cancer. Weller will organize “Joedance Film Festival, Night” with special activities for drivers and fund-raising opportunities for fans.
The event will feature several activities including a driver footrace, prize raffles, and others which will benefit Joedance Film Festival.
The track will conduct its usual Steel Valley Thunder race card beginning at 7 p.m.
Fan wanting to join Weller and Joedance Film Festival in the fight against rare pediatric cancers can do so by visiting Joedance.org.
2-time Grand Slam winner Li Na retires
WUHAN, China
Li Na, a two-time Grand Slam champion from China who took tennis in Asia to a new level, has retired due to recurring knee injuries. The 32-year-old Li posted the news on her microblog Friday, ending a week of intensifying speculation that she would announce her retirement ahead of the new WTA event at Wuhan, her home town.
Li won the 2011 French Open, becoming the first player from China to win a Grand Slam singles title, and clinched the Australian Open title in January in her third trip to the final at Melbourne Park.
She only entered seven tournaments after that, and hasn’t played since a third-round defeat at Wimbledon. She withdrew from three tournaments in August, including the U.S. Open, citing a right knee injury.
US women beat Mexico 4-0 in final warmup
ROCHESTER, N.Y.
Hope Solo extended her shutout record to 73, and Amy Rodriguez, Tobin Heath, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe scored to help the U.S. women’s soccer team beat Mexico 4-0 in an exhibition game Thursday night in chilly conditions. Hometown hero Abby Wambach played the second half in the Americans’ final exhibition game before World Cup qualifying. The crowd started chanting “We Want Abby! We Want Abby!” in the 30th minute, and the Rochester native took the field after halftime. The entrance to Sahlen’s Stadium was renamed “Wambach Way” in 2012.
Limelight Beach wins Little Brown Jug
DELAWARE
Limelight Beach won the Little Brown Jug on Thursday at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, beating Let’s Drink On It by 1 1/4 lengths in the second leg of the pacing Triple Crown. Driven by Yannick Gingras, Limelight Beach led from the start and was never really threatened, finishing in 1:50.4.
Limelight Beach was winless in 12 starts this year before taking the second elimination in 1:51.0. Let’s Drink On It, driven by Tyler Smith, won the first elimination, also in 1:51.0.
Staff reports/Associated Press