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in Introduce Yourself As A Pony! Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:54 am
by corse178 • 1.660 Posts

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Even defeat ultimately felt like victory for Yolande Bukasa and Popole Misenga.The two refugees, originally from Congo, competed in judo Wednesday at the Olympics, and they showed that despite losing their country and their families, their spirit remained strong.Bukasa went out in the first round after losing to 11th-seeded Linda Bolder of Israel. Although Bukasa tried to land a strong grip on Bolders uniform, the Israeli quickly took control and threw Bukasa once before holding her down for 20 seconds to score an automatic win.After the match, which took under two minutes, Bukasa said she was joyful simply making it to the Rio Games.Im very happy even having lost, because I had the chance to fight at the Olympics, she said. Someday I think there will be a plaque commemorating the fact that I took part in the 2016 Olympics.Misenga, 24, fared slightly better than Bukasa, winning his first bout against Indias Avtar Singh after landing one throw for a single point.His second-round fight, however, pitted him against the top-ranked judoka in the division, world champion Donghan Gwak of South Korea. With the crowd chanting his name, Misenga fought relentlessly for about four minutes until Gwak scored an ippon victory.Smiling despite his loss, Misenga said it was an honor to face a world champion and that he was proud to have lasted as long as he did -- especially since some of the most lopsided bouts this week were over in seconds.Misenga hasnt seen his family in 15 years after being separated from them at age 9 during the war in Congo. Once in the capital of Kinshasa, he learned judo at a center for displaced children.He soon began competing, but he was treated harshly whenever he lost, with his coach locking him in a cage for days with little to eat or drink. Bukasa was treated the same way by her coach after poor performances.When the two came to Rio for the world championships three years ago, they deserted the team hotel and sought asylum in Brazil, eventually gaining refugee status. Since then, they have been training at a renowned judo school run by Brazilian Olympic bronze medalist Flavio Canto. He is the coach of judoka Rafaela Silva, who on Monday won Brazils first gold of the Rio Games.Claude Marshall, the sports coordinator for the U.N. refugee agency, said they are working to try to reunite Misenga and Bukasa with their families but havent had any luck. He described their performances as overwhelming and was struck by their reluctance to focus on themselves.Even here at the Olympics, they dont like to talk about themselves, Marshall said. They talk about doing this for the 10 million refugee kids out there and about the healing power of sport. He described the athletes losses in the preliminary rounds as no big deal and said that as far as (the U.N.) is concerned, they won.Misenga said he was proud that people around the world are watching refugees compete at the Olympics, and said that while he isnt in contact with his family, hes sure they have seen him on television.Ill send a kiss to them wherever they are, he said, adding that he intends to keep competing and hopes to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.Judo is my life, he said. I will one day win a medal.Bukasa also plans to continue her training, and while she mourns having lost touch with her family, said she has found a new one in Brazil.Its not a blood family, but the people cheering for me here in Rio are like a new family, she said. I miss my family a lot, but Im fighting not only in judo, but for my life. I hope my family and the people of Congo will do the same. Air Jordan Cheap Authentic . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Nike Air Jordan Shoes Wholesale . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. http://www.airjordancheapireland.com/ .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. Cheap Air Jordan For Sale . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. Discount Air Jordan Shoes . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Arizona CoyotesOverall: 41 Title track: 76 Ownership: 59 Coaching: 26 Players: 47 Fan relations: 32 Affordability: 5 Stadium experience: 88 Bang for the buck: 57 Change from last year: +3The Coyotes havent finished with a winning record since 2013, but they remain among the top 50 franchises in these standings -- pretty good for a team that was under NHL ownership in 2009, almost left the state in 2013 and has gone 59-89 since then.Whats goodHow do you sell a subpar team to the fans? Make everything really, really cheap -- well, except the hats. Arizonas ball caps go for $29.99, but Coyotes games are the third-cheapest to attend in the NHL at an average $44.68 per ticket. That value will get NHL fans in the seats. Consider this, too: Arizona Cardinals games cost about $105 a pop on average, and Phoenix Suns games are a bit more than $80. Just make sure youre getting your cap elsewhere. (No, seriously -- only two other teams, across all sports, charge more than the Coyotes.)Whats badOther than recent results? Well, the teams relationship with its host, for one: Tensions between Glendale, Arizona, and the Coyotes reached a peak in May 2016, when a letter from team president Anthony LeBBlanc to a city official noted The Arizona Coyotes have every intention of leaving Glendale as soon as possible after the city voided a 15-year contract with the team that was signed in 2013.dddddddddddd Ouch. An 88th-place ranking in stadium experience is by far the Coyotes worst showing, and no surprise, since Gila River Arena is a lame-duck stadium -- and it hasnt drawn well either. Arizona will hope to get more traffic from an in-state home such as Phoenix or Tempe in the future.Whats newLeBlancs stance on the move shows a strong front and a commitment to finding stability for the team, which is about all fans can ask for from a struggling franchise (fans clearly appreciate his effort: Ownership jumped 29 spots this year). The team is in the midst of finding an improved locale and trying to stockpile talent. Theres been incremental improvement: After going 24-50 in 2014-15, the Coyotes finished four games under .500 this past season, and the list of transactions Arizona has made in 2016 can make your head spin. Its a sign that the team is seeking answers, both on the ice and in its front office.Next: Detroit Red Wings?| Full rankings ' ' '

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