The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

D6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, August 8, 2001 iAPPLE AutoGlass Rd. r UPHOLSTERY... SEATS, BOAT TOPS, CONVERTIBLE TOPS... 1033 S peers 842-6060 SportsiWednesday D c H RY 2388 Roval Windsor Dr., An Oakville Beaver Feature Editor: NORM NELSON Phone:845-3824, ext 255 Fax:337-5567 E-mail:nnelson@haltonsearch.com Bailey: his last day at work By Norm Nelson BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR onovan Bailey has called it a career. And wasn't it a blast. As expected, he didn't go out in a blaze of glory at the world track and field championships on Canadian soil in Edmonton over the August 4/5th weekend. But if you could blaze your way to glory at the world championships in one of the world's most exciting sports -- the 100 metre sprint -- then why would you retire? He's 33 and injury ravaged in a pure power sport that pushes the body to its very limits. Witness Maurice Greene's triumphant three-time world championship win on Sunday in Edmonton, where the biggest adver sary he overcame might not have been his onrushing country mate Tim Montgomery, but his own fast failing leg. Bailey also raced on Sunday, but unfortunately -- having easily quali fied through Saturday's first two open ing rounds -- could not make it out of the semifinals, finishing sixth in 10.33 seconds. In Saturday's quarterfinal heat, Bailey finished third in 10.11 seconds. In his opening heat, also on Saturday, Bailey finished second in 10.20s. Bailey, clearly, showed he could still run with the world's best -- just not lead the pack anymore. And, hey, he does go out as the AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert Canadian national champion, which is no small feat, except, perhaps, in a resume as stellar as Bailey's. For Bailey, his retirement should restore his star to its rightful lustre in the Canadian sports pantheon. His relationship with the media, which started out as a love-in during his heyday in the mid-nineties, was more a love-hate thing during the past few years. He was in a no-win situation. His star rose about as fast as his feet down the track. In '94, much to his chagrin, he wasn't even chosen to run the 100 metres for Canada at the Commonwealth Games (although he did help Canada win gold in the 4x100m, for which he was honoured with a small ceremony at Town Hall). In '95 he was the 100m world champion. In '96 he was the 100m Olympic champion, setting the then world record of 9.84 seconds. And in '97, he was the 100m world silver medalist, beating all the favourites but nudged out by a then under dog, Maurice Greene. ALLSPORT/Ezra Shaw And in all of those above years he TOP PHOTO: M aurice Greene (right) takes the lead over Ato Boldon of Trinidad (second picked up additional gold medals, from right) and Donovan Bailey (third from right) and the others during Saturday's quar anchoring Canada's triumphant world terfinals at the world track and field cham pionships at Com m onwealth Stadium in champion 4x100m relay team. Edm onton. The three runners advanced to the sem ifinals. BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT How do you top that? PHOTOS: Bailey in the im m ediate afterm ath o f Sunday's sem ifinal ouster. As it turns out, he couldn't, really. ALLSPORT/Ezra Shaw Actually for that matter, only one other person in the world could even come close -- and that was current world record holder Maurice Greene, With it having no affect on the round loss, Oakville recorded wins of Oakville's provincial champion Oakville actually closed out the pre who has basically won all the world junior Little League team has made liminary round on Tuesday with a standing, Swinton said "w e're taking it 6-2 over Calgary Centennials, 13-1 and Olympic 100m gold medals since, over Quebec and 13-5 over the it to the national semifinals which game against the B.C. team that went lightly, giving the boys some rest." including the 97, 99 and 2001 worlds Besides their lone preliminary Mari times. they are slated to play today against beyond our press deadlines. and the 2000 Olympics. host Medicine Hat. One interesting way of looking at it Host Medicine Hat accounted for is that since '95 -- in other words, for Oakville's lone preliminary round loss, the last seven years -- all of the world by a 9-7 margin. The third annual A dam Fedoruk M em orial Sullivan has expressed his pleasure at the excellent and Olympic 100m titles have been "After that game there was some Tournament will hit the basepaths of Oakville, High Park response to this tournament from both sides o f the border. held by only two men. very negative comments made by their and Dundas this weekend (Aug. 10-12). "This tournament is growing each year. Only a lack of And one of them went to Q.E. Park coach so our boys will be fired up for The tournament is in honour of a Little League player baseball diamonds has kept this year's event at 16 and later Sheridan College where he that game," said Mel Swinton who is who lost his life in a tragic house fire three years ago. teams." actually suited up, for one year, for Sullivan also announced that John Fedoruk, father of assisting head coach Augie Bonnano. This year, the tournam ent has taken on a true Can-Am our local Sheridan Bruins men's col Adam, will present the trophy to the winning team at the A win would vault Oakville into the flavour with several U.S. teams. lege basketball team. New York state w ill field four teams (Am herst, championship final game which goes on the field at Post national final on Thursday, likely Bailey's '96 Olympic 100m tri Fairport, Seneca River and Geneva), Michigan four Ridge Park, Sunday, 1 p.m. against the B.C. representative. umph, in particular, stands out as a The trophy is kept in the permanent possession of "And honestly we have a very, very teams (Ysplanti 3 and Commerce) and Pennsylvania one high water mark in Canadian sport. Adam's father. team. good shot of beating B.C ." said The defining still photo, still etched in With the schedule still being fine tuned, the Oakville Canadian entries include Oakville, High Park, Dundas, Swinton. "T hey're the tournam ent our consciousness, shows Bailey's Majors will open the tournament at Our Lady o f Peace favourites. But our boys are ready. Ancaster, Brant-W entworth, Stoney Creek and Kanata. unmasked joy -- the primal victory Little League president and tournament chair Terry diamond against Seneca River on Friday, 6 p.m. We're prepared." Oakville Little Leaguers in national semis today Memorial tournament on tap this weekend (See 'Bailey' page D3) 0UNDAS& \ TRAFALGAR ROAD 0AKT0W N SHOPPING PLAZA ^ 5 5 1 1 K err S k f i d t x 400 Dundas St. E. 2 5 7 -T IR E 257-0429 SERVICE HOURS; M r ^ * T * i7 a m - 9 lW v 8 4 4 -0 2 0 ^ STORE HOURS: Mon. -Fn. H:30.im-9pm Sat. 9ant8pm 'dur flyer in Frid a y ! Oakville