Cabrera's double in 10th lifts D-backs over Dodgers 6-5 - Toronto Star

PHOENIX (AP) — It was far from certain that Asdrúbal Cabrera would be wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform on Friday night.

But MLB’s trade deadline during the afternoon came and went, and the last-place Diamondbacks didn’t deal him to a contender. So the veteran infielder was in the lineup, reached base five times and delivered the game-winning hit.

Cabrera’s soft, looping double into left field scored Daulton Varsho in the 10th inning and the Diamondbacks beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5. The 35-year-old Cabrera said the at-bat went just like he planned.

“I was looking for something I could hit to left field,” Cabrera said. “I was seeing the ball really good today, walked three times, trying to put the ball in play to bring that run in.”

Varsho started the 10th inning on second base. Jimmy Nelson (1-2) retired Josh VanMeter on a slow liner for the first out and then Cabrera followed with a blooper that fell in front of left fielder A.J. Pollock. He couldn’t fire home fast enough to catch the speedy Varsho, who scored standing up.

“Thankfully for us, Asdrubal’s still here and he got the big hit,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said.

The Diamondbacks still have the worst record in the majors at 33-71, but have played better since the All-Star break with a 7-5 mark. VanMeter had three doubles and three RBIs. Cabrera had two hits and three walks.

Matt Peacock (4-6) got the win by pitching a scoreless 10th inning. Los Angeles fell to 1-11 in extra-inning games.

“We clearly haven’t played well in extra innings,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The Dodgers trailed 5-2 going into the seventh. Billy McKinney and Matt Beaty hit back-to-back singles before Chris Taylor drove them home with a triple to deep right center, making it 5-4.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Phoenix.

But then the Diamondbacks brought in lefty Miguel Aguilar — who was making his big-league debut — and the 29-year-old promptly struck out Max Muncy, retired Justin Turner on a pop out and the coaxed Corey Seager into a groundout to strand Taylor at third.

The Dodgers rallied again in the eighth and Albert Pujols hit a two-out, pinch-hit single — the 3,287th hit of his career — to tie the game at 5-all.

D-backs starter Zac Gallen pitched six innings and gave up two runs on five hits and one walk. He struck out eight. Gallen was cruising until the sixth when Chris Taylor led off with a solo homer. The Dodgers then loaded the bases but only pushed one more run across on A.J. Pollock’s sacrifice fly that made it 3-2.

The Dodgers were playing their first game since acquiring three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and All-Star Trea Turner earlier Friday in a deal with the Washington Nationals. They also added left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy in a trade with the Royals.

None of those players were with the team on Friday. Scherzer and Duffy are expected to arrive on Saturday, while Turner is out on the COVID-19 injured list and expected to miss at least one more week. Roberts said Scherzer would likely make his first start for the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin walked the bases loaded in the second and Josh VanMeter made him pay with a two-out, two-run double to give the D-backs a 2-0 lead. Gonsolin then walked Asdrubal Cabrera and was pulled from the game after just 1 2/3 innings.

“Just wasn’t sharp with his stuff, the walks,” Roberts said of Gonsolin. “Any game, walks are gonna hurt you. We had nine tonight. That’s just not good enough.”

Phil Bickford got out of the jam by getting Kole Calhoun to fly out to left for the third out. Gonsolin walked five and threw just 24 strikes out of 55 pitches.

D-BACKS COVID-19 ISSUES

The Diamondbacks are dealing with their first COVID-19 outbreak of the season after reliever Noé Ramirez and outfielder Stuart Fairchild tested positive for the virus. Lovullo said both players are experiencing symptoms.

Three other players — pitchers Joe Mantiply and Riley Smith, along with Pavin Smith — were also put on the injured list due to contact tracing.

That was partially the reason for a flurry of D-backs roster moves. C Carson Kelly, RHP J.B. Bukauskas, LHP Miguel Aguilar, LHP Ryan Buchter, RHP Stefan Crichton and INF Drew Ellis were all activated. INF Jake Hager also was available for the D-backs after being claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.

SEAGER RETURNS

The Dodgers activated Seager from the 60-day injured list on Friday and he was in the starting lineup, playing shortstop and batting cleanup. Seager missed more than two months with a broken right hand after being hit by a pitch on May 15.

NICE DEBUT

Drew Ellis hit a pinch-hit, line drive single to left field in his first big league at-bat in the sixth inning. The 25-year-old Ellis was the team’s second-round draft pick in 2017 and played in college at Louisville.

Ellis scored later in the inning to give the Diamondbacks a 4-2 lead.

UP NEXT

The Diamondbacks will send RHP Merrill Kelly (7-7, 4.39 ERA) to the mound on Saturday. The Dodgers haven’t announced their starter and manager Dave Roberts said it will likely be a bullpen game.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Cabrera's double in 10th lifts D-backs over Dodgers 6-5 - Toronto Star
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Badminton-Taiwan wins gold in men's doubles - Reuters

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Badminton - Men's Doubles - Gold medal match - MFS - Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, Tokyo, Japan – July 31, 2021. Lee Yang of Taiwan and Wang Chi-Lin of Taiwan celebrate winning the match against Li Junhui of China and Liu Yuchen of China. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

TOKYO, July 31 (Reuters) - Taiwan's Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin won the badminton men's doubles Olympic gold medal on Saturday by beating China's Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen 21-18 21-12 at the Tokyo Games.

The Chinese duo therefore claimed silver, while Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik bagged the event's bronze medal.

Reporting by Richa Naidu Editing by Christian Radnedge

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Canada’s Vincent De Haître is a double threat — Quadzilla competes in both Summer, Winter Olympics - Toronto Star

Officially, there are 36 instalments in the Godzilla movie franchise. Whether in the homeland of everyone’s favourite radioactive monster or in Hollywood, directors haven’t yet run out of opponents for the big guy.

Fresh from knocking off King Kong in his latest outing, maybe Godzilla fancies switching it up, taking his first run at a Canadian challenger. To make things easier, Quadzilla is already in Japan.

Vincent De Haître’s gargantuan legs may mark him out as a different life form but the Ottawa native is, in fact, just human. A human who happens to have a real problem finding comfortable trousers.

“The downside to it all is trying to get good pants,” smiled De Haître. “You want a waistband that’s neat but then larger at the glutes and quads. You want them to taper down or else you’re just wearing like crazy, floaty, old-man boot cut jeans. So … joggers. I wear a lot of joggers and shorts. It’s hard. You don’t always want to wear a belt because if the pants don’t taper back in to your waist, you end up with all this excess material bunched above your butt.”

Luckily, Team Canada uniform suppliers opted against bunched-butt boot cut jeans for De Haître’s Olympic debut in Tokyo’s Izu Velodrome on Monday. Well, it’s not quite his debut. Call it a second debut. Because while spending any sort of quality time chatting with the 27-year-old will confirm that he is a warm, engaging, focused but very funny human, the life journey he has set himself is nothing of the sort. It’s superhuman. And then some.

Vincent De Haître the track cyclist will take on the world with his Canadian pursuit team Monday. Just 180 days after Tokyo’s closing ceremony, Vincent De Haître the speedskater, who represented Team Canada on the rink in the Winter Games of Sochi and Pyeonychang, will do it all again at Beijing 2022. Around the rings in a breakneck six months. At least his legs are up for it.

“Growing up, I was always not that great at anything really,” this relentless dual Olympian told the Star with a straight face. “I always just tried to find ways to use the tools that I had to make up the difference. Nothing was given along the way. Nothing was easy.”

Nor will it get any easier. De Haître is not the first Canadian to complete the winter-summer double. He’s the 13th. Remarkably he doesn’t face the shortest turnaround. That belongs to Sue Holloway, cross-country skier in Innsbruck in February of 1976 and canoe sprinter that summer in Montreal. However, he will be the only one trying to pull it all off in the midst of a global pandemic and, with the greatest respect to Holloway and others in the less recent past, at a time when elite, high-performance sport has never been more demanding.

“We’ve been working really hard on it,” De Haître says of the sports science approach to his quest. “I think we’ve learned a lot not only about me as an athlete but how sports interact with each other. I think the physios find it almost motivating, inspiring in a way that like, they want me to be able to do it. I’ve almost given them the challenge.”

De Haître, who has been based in Calgary for almost a decade now, spent the winter season speedskating. Due to chronic mechanical issues at the Olympic Oval, he trained for a time at an outdoor rink in Red Deer, Alta. In spring his apartment, with bicycles mounted to every inch of wall space, became an elite-level lockdown spin studio. But balancing the sports hasn’t been easy. He admits “putting the body through hell.”

Canada's Vincent De Haitre competes in the men's 1,000m time trial final at the UCI track cycling world championship at the velodrome in Berlin on Feb. 28, 2020.

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“Because in cycling, you actually want to strain your back and in skating, you want to round your back, things have got tough,” he said. Tough, apparently, is sufficient a term to cover him not being able to make it out of bed on three different occasions as his back adjusted from one sport to the other.

But this has always been his way. He is neither a speedskater nor a track cyclist but an athlete, first and always. Devout determination is his most versatile skill.

“In my first meeting with the cycling coaches, I made sure they knew that I’m not here to participate, I am here to compete,” he said “I’m not here to do anything else. So if I’m not on par with what I should be, you need to tell me right away, because I have other things I could be competing in.”

The Star caught up with De Haître before he’d left Calgary for Tokyo in the days when a punishing heat dome had turned Western Canada into a sauna. He had just lost three per cent of his body weight on a training cycle despite drinking four litres of water in the saddle. These are the costs and De Haître doesn’t even check the bill.

He wishes he had more time to see his family in Ottawa but knows they understand. He endeavours to make as much quality time as possible for his girlfriend, Olympic fencer Alanna Goldie, also in Tokyo. There are other hopes and dreams but they get boxed up for now.

“I’ve had all these goals that just were in the way, that’s how I saw it,” said De Haître. “In the way of me achieving what I want to achieve. Sometimes I wish I could just do more shenanigans, you know. But then I realize I’ve got to go to the Olympics. I get to compete at the highest level.”

De Haître will endure all there is to endure at the Izu Velodrome alongside Derek Gee, Michael Foley and Jay Lamoureux as Canada’s men try to follow the trail blazed by its track endurance women, medallists in London and Rio. He had a special word for the team’s alternate Adam Jamieson, from Barrie.

You ask him just one more question and then another and he runs with them, those quads not showing an inch of strain. So you ask him about rest. When will there be rest?

“Well, 2022 isn’t the end for me personally,” he said. “The goal is to get to 2026. Now whether there’s another in there — 2024 — depends on how well things go and where the cycling is at and, you know, who knows after that. And after 2026. Maybe bobsleigh? I’ve always liked the idea of ski cross.”

And on and on Vincent De Haître goes. Godzilla will have to wait.

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Active COVID-19 cases in Sask. nearly double in last 10 days - CTV News

REGINA -- Active COVID-19 cases across Saskatchewan rose to 448 Friday, which is the highest number since the province dropped all public health measures on July 11 and 206 more than the province had 10 days ago.

The government reported 56 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The confirmed cases are in the Far Northwest (eight); Far North Central (one); Far Northeast (11); Northwest (two); North Central (two); Central West (four); Saskatoon (13); Regina (two); South Central (two) and Southeast (one) zones. Five cases are pending residence information.

Forty-six per cent of active cases and 36 per cent of new COVID-19 cases are in the Far North zones.

According to the province, there were 1,779 COVID-19 tests processed on Thursday. The seven-day average of daily new cases is 45 – up from 27 ten days ago.

There are 46 COVID-19 patients are in hospital; 12 are in ICU in the North Central (one); Saskatoon (six); and Regina (five) zones.

VACCINATIONS

The province said health-care workers have administered an additional 5,345 vaccines since the last update. Of those doses, 4,263 were second shots and 1,082 were first.

As of Friday, 75 per cent of residents age 12 and older have their first dose and 63 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said the August long weekend is the last opportunity for children between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their first dose if they want to be fully immunized before school starts.

According to public health, children should get the shot by Aug. 1, then wait the minimum 28 days to get the second. The SHA noted it takes around two weeks for the second dose to be fully effective.

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

The government said a total of 12,353 COVID-19 cases have been identified as variants of concern. Of those cases, 8,050 have been whole genome sequenced; 7,041 are Alpha (B.1.1.7), 573 are Delta (B.1.617.2), 426 are Gamma (P.1), and 10 are Beta (B.1.351).

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FIRST-PERSON: A double-minded horse ride - Kentucky Today

By DAWN REED

Jesus’ brother, James, wrote of being double-minded in James 1:6-8: “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

Written concerning “wisdom” (vs. 5), it applies to much more.  Double-minded is split-thinking:  I want to believe.  I want to trust, yet I don’t.  How many times have I asked but doubted?  For me, being double-minded connects to horseback riding.

             
My son suggested a horse ride last week while we were on vacation. I jumped at the chance-sort of.  I had secretly wanted to ride a horse for years but was scared. 

             
I quickly began to overthink the whole shebang.  On the outside, I looked excited.  On the inside, I was growing more unsure by the second.  Could I face my fear and have a carefree time of horse-riding with my grown son? 

He made the arrangements for us. We would ride the next day.

             
Our guide’s name was Brayden.  He spoke in hushed tones to our mounts.  We began a leisurely walk along the beach.  Almost immediately, my horse lost its footing in a wave and mushy sand.  I held my breath.  Regaining his step, we picked up the pace.  I prayed for our safety. Didn’t a guy have a compound fracture a few years ago while riding here? I pondered.  I was pretty sure he had.

             
Focus! I told myself, trying not to picture a cast.

             
My son was clearly enjoying himself.  I was remembering that we didn’t really know the guy who was taking us on this jaunt.  Could we take him if necessary?  (I read mysteries.)

             
Neither my son nor I had ridden in decades but we seemed to fall right in sync with our horses.

             
We turned to venture into the woods.  Again, I remembered that we barely knew this horse guy, Brayden.  Many of my thoughts included the phrase, “knocked in the head”.  (I read a lot of mysteries.)

             
The tropical vegetation was beautiful.  No longer concerned about a compound fracture, I wondered when my husband would realize we were missing.

             
While not typically a fearful person, this time I had caved to a spell of double-mindedness!  On the outside, I was smiling,  On the inside, I was a mess.  My imagination was running amok.  Two hours later, we returned unharmed to the place we began.  I was exhausted and not from bouncing in the saddle.

             
I wanted to kick myself!  How many times have I not enjoyed “the ride” because I was thinking of all that could possibly go wrong?

             
When James penned the double-minded verses, had he remembered the story of Simon Peter (Matthew 14)?  At first, Peter was extremely courageous, jumping out of the boat to get to Jesus.  For just a few steps he walked on water!  When he saw the wind and the waves, his faith flickered. Down he went, but that wasn’t the end.  Without hesitation, Jesus grabbed his sinking hand, asking, “Why did you doubt?”  The same question applies to this cowgirl wannabe:  Why do I doubt?

             
Father, please help me trust in You and not doubt. Help me to pray and let You work!   I don’t want to be double-minded ever again!

             

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FIRST-PERSON: A double-minded horse ride - Kentucky Today
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Getting Lost in the Music: The Perspective From a Double Bassist - BrownGirlMag

3 min read

Picture it. The sounds of a full orchestra harmonizing together. The fresh smell of pine sap as you rosin up your bow. Dressed to the nines in tuxedos, black dresses, bowties, cummerbunds, cufflinks and more. A conductor stepping onto their podium, getting the orchestra ready to perform a symphony. A new year has begun.

Flashback.

There is something indescribably magical about being involved in the performing arts during middle school and high school years. I myself was a double bass player. I loved getting lost in the music as my fingers would hit the vibrating steel strings shifting along the neck of the bass as I bowed. The sounds of the pops and zings while playing pizzicato plucking the strings mesmerized me. I especially liked the warm sound my bass would produce while I used vibrato. Thinking back, my instrument was an object that shaped me.

The double bass was an instrument that sat at the back of the orchestra. Any instrument which represented the bass sound was seen as a background instrument and helped build the foundation for a piece. I always wanted the instrument to be seen as more than just the low-pitched member of the orchestra, as I saw myself in a similar way. I wanted to see the double bass at the forefront of the orchestra and in turn, see myself hitting high notes I had never hit before. I knew in my soul that the instrument was capable of far greater feats and I was determined to find them.

YouTube had started getting bigger around the time I was in high school. I started being exposed to some of the greatest musical pieces around the world. I found bassists from different corners of the planet performing difficult pieces at skill levels I had never seen before. These pieces were created by some of the most talented composers from Dragonetti, Rossini, Dittersdorf, and more. I found musicians meshing all kinds of music together, like the group Nuttin’ But Stringz, who performed a fusion of hip-hop classical music. Artists like these challenged my preconceived notions of what instruments in a string orchestra sounded like, as I looked to them as a form of inspiration to create my own covers on electric bass.

[Read Related: ‘Rise up! We are Just Getting Started: Rapper Fateh Doe Talks Representation’]

One of the most exciting phenomena that intrigued me was composer A.R. Rahman who combined South Asian instruments and Western classical instruments to form a full, unique, and lush orchestral sound. This conceptually inspired me so much to the point that I started experimenting with South Asian sounds and reconnecting with my cultural roots as South Asian sheet music was not readily available at the time I built up my chops by learning melodies by ear. I kept building up and memorizing what I had heard until it was muscle memory to me. This sentiment stayed with me for years to come as I started uploading music on YouTube, which fully reflected what I wanted to sound like.

[Read Related: ‘Young the Giant’ Lead Vocalist Sameer Gadhia Talks Identity, Touring and Realities of Music Ownership’]

The double bass is very similar to our physical body and our mental health. When the weather is cold, an instrument may sound flat and when the weather is hot, an instrument may sound sharp. We need to tune ourselves each day and adjust according to the new piece we are given. We sight-read new pieces with the prior knowledge we obtained in the past and by identifying the patterns in the music. We learn to be an accompaniment or we stand up and take the melody depending on the situation. A gentle touch can lead to the sound of a beautiful harmonic when performed correctly. Being a part of an orchestra taught me to be in tune with myself.

Arun S.

Arun fell in love with music at young age by way of his middle school music teacher Mr. D. Whether it is creating covers on YouTube or writing about musicians, Arun believes music is a magical force without any boundaries. His goal is to create soul-like connections with artists around the world and provide a glimpse into their creative minds through lively discussions. To follow Arun's other writing, visit his blog: https://ift.tt/3yfUwGv and to follow his music visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRr6yMRDCk9m9isRvEgan_A

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European economy grows 2%, ending double-dip recession - Investment Executive

The growth figure for the April-June quarter announced by the European Union’s statistics agency Eurostat compared to a drop of 0.3% in the first quarter of 2021, as eurozone nations endured a double-dip recession after a rebound in mid-2020. The second-quarter growth figure was stronger than the 1.5% foreseen by market analysts.

Much of the improvement came from southern European countries that had earlier been hit hard by large Covid-19 outbreaks and a loss of tourism revenue.

Italy, which endured 128,000 pandemic deaths and a deep recession, was a major positive surprise in the last quarter, growing 2.7% as consumer spending revived. Portugal boomed with 4.9% growth. Meanwhile, growth returned in Germany, the EU’s largest economy, which saw output increase by 1.5% after a sharp drop of 2.1% in the first quarter.

German auto companies in particular have shown strong profits despite a shortage of semiconductor components as global auto markets recover, particularly for the higher-priced vehicles sold by Mercedes-Benz and by Volkswagen’s Audi and Porsche luxury brands.

In another sign of rebounding activity, European plane maker Airbus this week raised its outlook for deliveries this year.

Yet, over the long haul, the eurozone recovery lags the one in the U.S., where the economy surpassed its pre-pandemic level during the second quarter in 2021 with growth of 1.6% over the previous quarter.

Friday’s figures leave the eurozone 3% smaller than before the virus outbreak, according to Capital Economics. China, which was hit first by the outbreak of coronavirus, was the only major world economy to continue growing during the pandemic year of 2020.

The stronger performance in southern Europe may be the result of households increasing their spending as restrictions are eased, said Andrew Kenningham, chief Europe economist at Capital Economics.

Spain, with growth of 2.8% and consumer outlays up 6.6%, illustrated the rebound as well as underlining how far it has to go. Gross domestic product there remains 6.8% below where it was before the pandemic.

A slow vaccination rollout held back the European economy in the first months of the year. But Europe has made steady progress since, in recent days passing the U.S. in total vaccinations adjusted for population.

Still, the spread of the highly contagious delta variant has led to predictions that it may slow, though not derail, Europe’s economic upturn. Travel and tourism are recovering but remain subdued.

“Given its reliance on tourism, the Spanish economy looks especially vulnerable to the delta variant that is forcing several regions in the country to impose new restrictions, while foreign governments are discouraging trips to the Iberian Peninsula,” said Edoardo Campanella, economist at UniCredit Bank in Milan.

Other figures released Friday showed eurozone unemployment at 7.7% in June, down from 8.0% in May. Inflation rose to 2.2% in July from 1.9% in June.

The eurozone economy has been sustained by heavy government spending on pandemic relief, including subsidies for companies that keep furloughed workers on the payroll.

The European Central Bank is adding monetary support by keeping interest rate benchmarks at record lows and by purchasing 1.85 trillion euros (US$2.2 trillion) in government and corporate bonds through at least March 2022. That step drives down longer-term borrowing rates and helps keep credit flowing to businesses and governments.

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Double whammy warnings again | Columbia Valley, Cranbrook, East Kootenay, Elk Valley, Kimberley, Ktunaxa Nation - E-Know.ca

Environment Canada this morning issued a heat warning and special air quality statement covering the East Kootenay.

A heat warning is in effect for the Columbia Valley, Kimberley and Cranbrook areas.

And a special air quality statement is in effect for Cranbrook, Kimberley, Elk Valley and Kootenay National Park areas.

Temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius combined with overnight lows near 18 degrees Celsius are expected for the next two days.

“A strengthening ridge of high pressure will lead to rising temperatures across interior B.C. Daytime highs near 35 degrees Celsius combined with overnight lows near 18 degrees are forecast for today and Saturday,” Environment Canada stated.

Relatively cooler temperatures are expected Sunday into Monday.

Additionally, many regions of B.C. are being impacted or are likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke over the next 24-48 hours.

Extreme heat affects everyone.

The risks are greater for young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic illnesses and people working or exercising outdoors.
Watch for the effects of heat illness: swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the worsening of some health conditions.
Drink plenty of water even before you feel thirsty and stay in a cool place.
Check on older family, friends and neighbours. Make sure they are cool and drinking water
Reduce your heat risk. Schedule outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day.
Seek a cool place such as a tree-shaded area, swimming pool, shower or bath, or air-conditioned spot like a public building.
Shade yourself with an umbrella or a wide-brimmed hat.
Never leave people or pets inside a parked vehicle.
Ask a health professional how medications or health conditions can affect your risk in the heat.
Watch for the symptoms of heat illness: dizziness/fainting; nausea/vomiting; rapid breathing and heartbeat; extreme thirst; decreased urination with unusually dark urine.
Keep your house cool. Block the sun by closing curtains or blinds.
Outdoor workers should take regularly scheduled breaks in a cool place.

Environment Canada and local Medical Health Officers expect an increase in health and safety risks from heat and are advising the public to take precautions.

Wildfire smoke

“Individuals may experience symptoms such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath. Children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk,” Environment Canada said.

If your home is not air-conditioned, be sure the house doesn’t get too warm when doors and windows are closed to keep out smoke. Exposure to too much heat can also result in illness.

If you or those in your care are exposed to wildfire smoke, consider taking extra precautions to reduce your exposure. Wildfire smoke is a constantly-changing mixture of particles and gases which includes many chemicals that can harm your health.

For more details.

e-KNOW

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Double weapon XP weekend now live in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Warzone - Dot Esports

Ottawa reports double-digit increase in COVID-19 cases, uptick in single-dose vaccinations - Global News

Ottawa broke from the daily trend of single-digit COVID-19 case counts it had sustained for most of July with 10 new cases added on Friday.

Ottawa Public Health’s daily COVID-19 report shows there are 50 active cases of the virus in the city, down slightly from the day before.

No new deaths related to COVID-19 were reportedly locally on Friday. One person is now in hospital with the virus in Ottawa, one fewer than the day before.

Read more: Ontario reports more than 200 COVID-19 cases for 2nd straight day

Daily COVID-19 case counts in Ottawa have largely been below 10 since the start of July, though OPH’s cleaned-up data on its dashboard shows some days have reported actual figures of between 10-12 infections in recent weeks.

Ottawa’s estimated reproduction number, which refers to the average number of secondary infections related to a typical COVID-19 cases, remains above one on Friday. R values greater than one suggest the spread of the virus is speeding up rather than slowing down.

Ottawa’s medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches said Thursday that COVID-19 levels in the city remain low, but vaccination rates are not yet high enough to prevent a potential resurgence of the virus locally in the months ahead.

Trending Stories

• Ontario reports more than 200 COVID-19 cases for 2nd straight day

• Canada facing the start of a Delta-driven 4th wave, top doctors warn

0:57 Canada may experience 4th COVID-19 wave driven by Delta variant: Dr. Tam

Canada may experience 4th COVID-19 wave driven by Delta variant: Dr. Tam

Canada’s top health officials said Friday that the country is likely at the beginning of a fourth wave of the virus driven by the more-transmissible Delta variant, but the extent of the spread and impact on the country’s health-care system will depend on the level of vaccine coverage nationally.

In Ottawa, 71 per cent of residents aged 12 and older have received both doses of the vaccine as of Friday.

Some 84 per cent of eligible residents have also received at least a first dose, a slight tick upward from OPH’s last vaccination update.

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© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Region breaks ground on airport expansion, which will double its size - KitchenerToday.com

Demand to fly in and out of Waterloo Region is expected to soar in the coming years.

On Thursday, the Region of Waterloo broke ground on an ambitious expansion to twice its current size. 

"This expansion will add jobs to our economy, help attract businesses and talent to our region, and support the tourism industry as we begin to move past the pandemic," said Regional Chair Karen Redman. "We live in one of the fastest growing communities in the country, and will remain a growth leader in the coming years and decades."

Communitech and the Waterloo Region tech ecosystem are also pleased with the expansion.

"Tech ecosystems are always looking for talent, capital, and customers," said Matt Bondy, VP of External Affairs at Communitech. "We're going to get more of all three with the doubling of YKF."

The expansion will cost about $17 million, and could be part of an overall commitment of up to $44 million.

The work includes the construction of an addition to a passenger hold room, along with a bag claim building.

According to staff, this will improve capacity with an expected increase to passengers, with the arrival of Flair Airlines.
 

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These 3 Tech Companies Could Double Their Revenues by 2025 - Motley Fool

Many tech companies regularly update their growth forecasts for the current quarter and full fiscal year. Yet only a handful of companies are confident enough to set longer-term goals for the next few years.

So when a tech company sets an ambitious multi-year growth target, I pay attention -- it indicates the company's core business is strong, it will benefit from secular tailwinds, and it isn't fearful of macro challenges.

Some of these companies even claim they can roughly double their annual revenues within the next five years. Let's take a look at three of these bold companies -- Salesforce (NYSE:CRM), Veeva Systems (NYSE:VEEV), and PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) -- and see why have such rosy expectations for the future.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Salesforce

Last December, Salesforce -- the world's largest cloud-based CRM (customer relationship management) service provider -- told investors that it would generate more than $50 billion in annual revenue by fiscal 2026. That would be more than double its revenue of $21.25 billion in fiscal 2021, which ended this January.

Salesforce expects that growth to be driven by demand for cloud services across all five of its core markets -- sales, service, marketing & commerce, platform, and analytics & integration. It expects the total addressable market (TAM) for those five markets to grow at a combined CAGR of 11% between fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2025 to $175 billion.

It expects its own revenue -- driven by market share gains, new investments, and acquisitions -- to outpace the broader market with a CAGR of 19% between fiscal 2021 and 2026.

Salesforce's cloud-based services help companies streamline their sales and customer support teams, automate repetitive tasks, crunch data to make AI-driven decisions, and reduce their dependence on human employees. Demand for these services will likely continue climbing as companies optimize their operations -- regardless of the macroeconomic tailwinds or headwinds.

2. Veeva Systems

Salesforce's former senior VP of technology, Peter Gassner, co-founded Veeva in 2007 to address the unmet need for dedicated CRM and cloud services among life science companies. Today, Veeva's services -- which are powered by Salesforce -- serve over 1,000 customers, including pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and AstraZeneca. These companies use Veeva's services to manage their sales teams, track the latest clinical trials and regulations, and store and analyze large amounts of data.

Veeva doesn't face any meaningful competitors in this niche market, and escalating competition between drugmakers keeps its customers tightly locked in. It ended last year with a revenue retention rate of 124% -- which indicates it generated 24% more revenue from its existing customers.

That's why Veeva believes it will more than double its annual revenue from $1.47 billion in fiscal 2021 (which ended this January) to $3 billion in calendar 2025 (which includes most of fiscal 2026). Like Salesforce, Veeva expects to benefit from the long-term digitization of businesses -- albeit with a much tighter focus on the life sciences market.

3. PayPal

PayPal, one of the world's top online payment companies, ended last quarter with 392 million active accounts. But this February, it told investors it would nearly double that figure to 750 million by 2025.

PayPal also expects to more than double its annual revenue, from $21.45 billion in 2020 to over $50 billion in 2025, and for its earnings to grow at a CAGR of 22% during that period. It expects the growing acceptance of QR code and NFC payments worldwide, the expansion of its ecosystem with new financial services, and higher engagement rates within its apps to all feed that long-term growth.

PayPal faces a growing list of competitors in the online payments market, but it recently raised its processing fees in the U.S., which indicates it still has plenty of pricing power. PayPal's Venmo also remains a popular app for peer-to-peer payments, and could serve as a foundation for more fintech services -- just as Square expanded its Cash App into a cryptocurrency and stock trading platform.

PayPal's goals are ambitious, but the ongoing war on cash and rising mobile penetration rates suggest this high-growth fintech company still has plenty of room to grow.

The key takeaways

Investors should take these forecasts with a grain of salt, but Salesforce, Veeva, and PayPal have all consistently beaten Wall Street's expectations and churned out robust growth through economic downturns.

All three companies established first-mover's advantages in their respective markets, own forward-thinking technological platforms, and face very few meaningful competitors. I believe these core strengths could help all three companies meet -- or even beat -- their goals of doubling their revenues within the next five years.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. We’re motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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Telus posts double-digit profit and revenue growth in second quarter - Toronto Star

VANCOUVER - Virtual care offerings and new customers helped Telus Corp. post double-digit profit and revenue increases in its latest quarter, which it released a day after announcing it was acquiring new spectrum licences.

The Vancouver-based telecommunications company and owner of one of Canada’s three national wireless networks said Friday that its net income attributable to common shareholders climbed 15.5 per cent to $335 million in the second quarter from $290 million a year earlier.

That equalled 25 cents per share for the three months ended June 30, two cents per share better than the second quarter of 2020.

Executives from the company attributed the results to a wave of new customers and investments it made in health technology.

Telus reported 223,000 new customer additions in the quarter, up 82,000 from last year. The new additions included 89,000 mobile phones, 84,000 connected devices and 30,000 internet, 19,000 security and 11,000 TV customer connections.

Telus’ health services, an area where it has focused more intensely during the COVID-19 pandemic because people became more comfortable connecting with doctors through video conferencing, was also a bright spot.

Members of the company’s virtual care programs totalled 2.2 million by the end of the quarter, up by about 1 million over the past 12 months.

Digital health transactions amounted to 137.1 million, up 13.0 million over the second quarter of 2020.

“At Telus Health, our team drove 26 per cent year-over-year health services revenue growth in the quarter, with robust key operating results, including earning one million new virtual health care members over the last twelve months, representing an 83 per cent increase over last year,” said Darren Entwistle, Telus’ chief executive, in a release.

The company’s health business helped push Telus’ adjusted profits to $348 million or 26 cents per share, compared with $316 million or 25 cents per share in the prior year quarter.

Revenues increased 10.3 per cent to $4.1 billion, from $3.7 billion, driven by an increase in customer, mobile phone and fixed customer net additions.

Telus was expected to report 26 cents per share in adjusted profits on $4.08 billion of revenues, according to financial data firm Refinitiv.

Telus released its quarterly results after it revealed Thursday that it was acquiring $1.95 billion in new spectrum licences in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

Combined with spectrum it acquired privately in January 2021, Telus now holds licences to an average of 25 MHz of 3500 spectrum nationally and 40 MHz in its key markets, at an average price of $2.53 per MHz for each person the licence covers.

Entwistle positioned the new licenses as key for expanding 5G technology throughout Canada and connecting Canadians from coast to coast, but he also used the announcement as a warning.

“Canada’s position as a global leader in broadband networks is vulnerable to burdensome regulations governing access to spectrum,” he said in a release.

“Going forward, if we are to truly benefit all Canadians, accelerate the government’s innovation and affordability agendas, and transition successfully into a 5G digital world, we need responsible, forward-looking and predictable regulatory policy that ensures affordable, fair and expeditious access to this national asset.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:T)

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Alberta NDP fundraises double the donations of the UCP in first six months of 2021 - CBC.ca

The Alberta NDP has out-fundraised the governing United Conservative Party for the third consecutive quarter, new figures show.

It's a pattern one political scientist calls "remarkable" for a governing Canadian conservative party.

"These 2021 numbers are staggering," said Mount Royal University Prof. Duane Bratt.

For the first six months of this year, the NDP has pulled in about $2.7 million — more than double the UCP's fundraising of $1.3 million during the same time.

He said it's a noteworthy reversal from 2018, when the NDP was in government and UCP donations were twice as high as their political foes.

Conservative, governing parties tend to lead in fundraising, since many of their supporters are business people, who can afford to donate the maximum amounts allowed, Bratt said.

The governing party's challenges are numerous, Bratt said.

"They've got a problem in caucus," he said. "They're already removed two people. There remains some discontent. They've got a problem with the public, in public opinion polls, and they've got a problem with their donors."

No one with the UCP responded to phone calls or emails on Thursday afternoon.

Bratt says while some financial support may have migrated to the NDP, many disenchanted voters may just keep their wallets closed, he said.

Unpopular government policies prompt NDP donations

Last year, fundraising by the two parties was on par, with NDP donations surging near the end of 2020. Both parties brought in slightly more than $5 million each.

Although the NDP has had more lucrative quarters during the last four years, the party claimed the latest figures from Elections Alberta as a victory.

"I think that they show that Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP have momentum and have sustained momentum," provincial secretary Brandon Stevens said. "And I think Albertans are seeing Rachel as a leader who's ready to be premier and who has a positive vision of where this province needs to go coming out of the pandemic."

Donations are growing on multiple fronts, he said. An unpopular policy or decision by the government will often prompt a rash of one-time, small donations from frustrated members of the public, he said.

Since being booted from government in 2019, the Alberta NDP has more than doubled the amount of money it brings in from monthly donations, he said. They also toned down fundraising efforts during the heights of the pandemic.

Stevens said the party is using the money to hire more staff, conduct research, invest in technological campaign tools, and save for the next provincial election campaign, expected in 2023.

In a distant third place for fundraising during the second quarter of this year is the Pro-Life Alberta Political Association, according to Elections Alberta. 

With more than $124,000 in donations so far, the anti-abortion group has out-fundraised the Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta, the Alberta Party and the Alberta Liberals. The pro-life party declared no donations between 2018 and 2020.

Bratt said they are a likely beneficiary of people who feel disenchanted with the UCP.

He said the UCP can catch up on fundraising in the second half of this year, which is likely the goal of provincial tours this summer by the premier and cabinet ministers.

The governing party is aiming to win back support by re-opening the economy and dropping pandemic restrictions faster than any other Canadian jurisdiction, he said.

Bratt says what the public won't know until next year is how much money is flowing to political action committees — third-party political advertisers who can accept corporate and union donations, unlike individual politicians.

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​Telus posts double-digit profit and revenue growth in Q2 - BNN

Telus Corp. posted double-digit profit and revenue increases in its latest quarter a day after announcing the acquisition of new spectrum licences for $1.95 billion.

The Vancouver-based company and owner of one of Canada's three national wireless networks says its net income attributable to common shareholders climbed 15.5 per cent to $335 million in the second quarter from $290 million a year earlier.

That equalled 25 cents per share for the three months ended June 30, two cents per share better than the second quarter of 2020.

Adjusted profits were $348 million or 26 cents per share, compared with $316 million or 25 cents per share in the prior year quarter.

Revenues increased 10.3 per cent to $4.1 billion, from $3.7 billion, driven by an increase in customer, mobile phone and fixed customer net additions.

Telus was expected to report 26 cents per share in adjusted profits on $4.08 billion of revenues, according to financial data firm Refinitiv.

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European economy grows 2%, ending double-dip recession - Alaska Highway News

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe emerged from a double-dip recession in the second quarter with stronger than expected growth of 2.0% over the quarter before, according to official figures released Friday, as restrictions eased, consumers started spending built-up savings and major companies showed stronger results.

But the economy in the 19 countries that use the euro currency still lagged pre-pandemic levels and trailed the faster recoveries in the U.S. and China, with the delta variant continuing to cast a shadow of uncertainty over the upturn.

The growth figure for the April-June quarter announced by the European Union's statistics agency Eurostat compared to a drop of 0.3% in the first quarter, as the 19 countries that use the euro endured a double-dip recession after a rebound in mid-2020. The second-quarter growth figure was stronger than the 1.5% foreseen by market analysts.

Much of the improvement came from southern European countries earlier hit hard by large outbreaks and loss of tourism.

Italy, which saw 128,000 pandemic deaths and a deep recession, was a major positive surprise, growing 2.7% as consumer spending revived. Portugal boomed with 4.9%.

Meanwhile growth returned in major economy Germany, which saw growth of 1.5% after a sharp drop of 2.1% in the first quarter.

German auto companies in particular have shown strong profits despite a shortage of semiconductor components as global auto markets recover, particularly for the higher-priced vehicles sold by Mercedes-Benz and by Volkswagen's Audi and Porsche luxury brands.

In another sign of rebounding activity, European plane maker Airbus this week raised its outlook for deliveries this year.

Yet the recovery lags the one in the U.S., where the economy surpassed its pre-pandemic level during the quarter. Friday’s figures leave the eurozone 3% smaller than before the virus outbreak, according to Capital Economics. China was the only major economy to continue growing during pandemic year 2020.

The stronger performance in southern Europe may be the result of households increasing their spending as restrictions are eased, said Andrew Kenningham, chief Europe economist at Capital Economics.

Spain, with growth of 2.8% and consumer outlays up 6.6%, illustrated the rebound as well as underlining how far it has to go. Gross domestic product there remains 6.8% below where it was before the pandemic.

A slow vaccination rollout held back the European economy in the first months of the year. But Europe has made steady progress since, in recent days passing the U.S. in total vaccinations adjusted for population.

Still, the spread of the more-contagious delta variant has led to predictions that it may slow, though not derail, the economic upturn. Travel and tourism are recovering but remain subdued.

“Given its reliance on tourism, the Spanish economy looks especially vulnerable to the delta variant that is forcing several regions in the country to impose new restrictions, while foreign governments are discouraging trips to the Iberian Peninsula,” said Edoardo Campanella, economist at UniCredit Bank in Milan.

Other figures released Friday showed eurozone unemployment at 7.7% in June, down from 8.0% in May. Inflation rose to 2.2% in July from 1.9% in June.

The eurozone economy has been sustained by government spending on pandemic relief including subsidies for companies that keep furloughed workers on the payroll.

The European Central Bank is adding monetary support by keeping interest rate benchmarks at record lows and by purchasing 1.85 trillion euros ($2.2 trillion) in government and corporate bonds through at least March 2022. That step drives down longer-term borrowing rates and helps keep credit flowing to businesses and governments.

David Mchugh, The Associated Press

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'League of Legends' maker Riot Games to 'double down' in China as gaming growth continues - CNBC

SHANGHAI — Riot Games, the maker of the popular "League of Legends" game, will "double down in China," the company's vice president told CNBC on Friday.

The U.S.-headquartered game maker announced a new studio in Shanghai on Friday with a focus on developing new games for a global audience.

"In China we have a lot of passionate players for 'League of Legends' and for Riot Games," Leo Lin, VP and head of China for Riot Games told CNBC.

"So as a result, we would like to double down in China and continue to invest here including not only working on e-sports, but for example, game development and other things like entertainment."

The Shanghai studio will hire "hundreds" of roles, according to a video message posted by Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent.

Riot Games is 100% owned by Chinese gaming giant Tencent.

Experts have raised concerns about the level of influence Chinese firms may have on companies they invest in or acquire, even if they are foreign.

Lin said that Tencent's role is as a publisher.

"We are happy about the current partnership, and we will continue working closely. But that won't change the fact that Riot Games operates independently and Tencent respects a lot of that … we are very confident that we will move forward together in China to serve our players," Lin said.

Mobile e-sports league ahead

China is a very important market for Riot Games because of the popularity of PC gaming which accounts for more than 32% of game revenue and nearly 45% of gamers, according to Niko Partners.

Riot Games' flagship game "League of Legends" is a PC game. And the company has turned the title into a very popular e-sports, or competitive gaming, competition.

A screen shows the All-Star Match during the 2020 LPL "League of Legends Pro League" All-Star Weekend on January 2, 2021 in Chengdu, China.

Xu Xiaofan | Red Star News | Visual China Group | Getty Images

The League of Legends world championship was held in China in 2020 and will be held again in the country in 2021. Newzoo estimates that this year the e-sports market will generate over $1 billion in revenue globally for the first time, with China expected to be the biggest region.

But mobile games are also wildly popular in China and account for the biggest portion of overall gaming revenue in the country.

Riot Games has tried to latch onto this trend and launched a mobile game called "League of Legends: Wild Rift" last year in some regions, taking advantage of its well-known brand. It is yet to fully launch in China.

This is a change for Riot Games which previously focused on PC games. But Lin said it would be a one of the "most important" areas.

"At Riot Games, we would like to focus on (mobile gaming) moving forward … because our players now, a lot of them are playing on mobile. And 'Wild Rift' is a big move we are taking and it's a big bet. Currently, we are very confident, it's a very good product for our players," Lin said.

While Riot Games runs PC-based competitive gaming leagues, Lin said that the company "will be opening up a mobile e-sports league very soon … in China."

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Wilson, Stewart post double-doubles as USA women surge past Japan - NBC Olympics

Make it 51.

Team USA women's basketball built on its 50-match Olympic win streak on Friday, coming back from a first-quarter deficit to beat host Japan 86-69.

Japan scored 30 points in the first half but just 39 the rest of the way as the U.S. put its defensive house in order to move to 2-0 on the tournament.

Breanna Stewart and A'Ja Wilson both had double-doubles in the win, Wilson making it consecutive games with double-digit rebounds and points in the tournament by scoring 20 and grabbing 10 boards.

"We still have a lot of work to do," Wilson told NBC's Corey Robinson after the game. "Japan gave us a good run. All of us bigs had to guards the guards so it kinda challenged us in our way but we went to our strengths and we got the dub."

Stewart had 15 and 13, adding two blocks and a team-high six assists, though Rui Machida nearly doubled that assist total with a game-high 11 to go with nine points.

Saki Hayashi led Japan with 12 points, while Monica Okoye chipped in 11 in the loss. 

Japan falls to 1-1 after beating France in its opener.

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Crawford back with 2-run double as Giants blank Dodgers 5-0 - Toronto Star

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brandon Crawford doubled home two runs in his first at-bat after coming back from a left oblique strain and the majors-leading San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Wilmer Flores, Austin Slater and LaMonte Wade Jr. also drove in runs for San Francisco, which extended its NL West lead over Los Angeles to three games. The Dodgers were shut out for just the third time this season.

“We have so much respect for those guys, obviously,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “They’re a very good ball club. They’ve earned this right now to this point.”

Johnny Cueto (7-5) earned his first win since June 25. He struck out five in 5 2/3 innings while walking two and allowing four hits.

“I kept telling myself that I needed to be very aggressive against these hitters because they’re difficult and hard hitters,” Cueto said through a translator.

“I thought it was Johnny’s best outing in a long time,“ Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “I also thought his stuff was especially crisp. ... The fastball was as good as we’ve seen it in a long time.”

Relievers Jarlin Garcia, Dominic Leone, Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee combined for 3 1/3 perfect innings with six strikeouts to close the Giants’ 12th shutout.

San Francisco jumped on David Price (4-1) for four runs, three earned, in 4 1/3 innings. He is 0-3 in his career against the Giants.

Crawford, who missed nine games while on the 10-day injured list, put the Giants up with his double to left in the first.

“The crowd was into it already there in the first,” Crawford said. “To be able to do something in that at-bat was pretty fun.”

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, right, walks off the mound as he was taken out during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a baseball game Thursday, July 29, 2021, in San Francisco.

Flores added an RBI double in the second and Slater singled home a run in the fourth.

The Dodgers were down 4-0 when they loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but lefty García struck out Cody Bellinger on three pitches to end the threat.

“That was a pivotal spot,” Roberts said. “Could’ve changed the game, but they made the pitch when they needed to.“

Wade tacked on an insurance run for the Giants with an RBI double in the seventh, his first career hit off a left-handed pitcher. He was previously 0 for 31.

TRADE

The Dodgers obtained LHP Danny Duffy and cash from the Kansas City Royals for a player to be named. The 32-year-old Duffy (4-3, 2.51 ERA) is on the 10-day injured list for the second time this season with a left flexor strain. He grew up in Lompoc, northwest of Los Angeles.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: SS Corey Seager, out since May 15 with a fractured right hand, is expected to return this weekend. “What day sort of depends on the training staff, but I do see him activated this weekend,” Roberts said. ... Roberts also anticipates that OF Mookie Betts (right hip inflammation) will come off the injured list Sunday when he’s eligible to return.

Giants: C Buster Posey missed the game after taking a foul ball off his mask Wednesday night, but Kapler said he did not have a concussion and was optimistic he could return to the lineup Friday. ... Crawford was activated from the 10-day IL earlier Thursday. ... RHP Aaron Sanchez (right bicep tightness) was reinstated from the 60-day IL. To make room on the roster, San Francisco optioned RHP John Brebbia to Triple-A Sacramento and designated OF Mike Tauchman for assignment.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Tony Gonsolin (2-1, 2.38 ERA) starts in the opener of a three-game series in Arizona on Friday night. The Dodgers are 9-1 against the Diamondbacks this season.

Giants: RHP Kevin Gausman (9-4, 2.21) looks for his first win since July 11 in the opener of a three-game home series against Houston.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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KenGen seeks to double geothermal capacity by 2030 - ThinkGeoEnergy

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Double gold: China's Zhang becomes a breakout star at pool - Toronto Star

TOKYO (AP) — Zhang Yufei had a much busier morning than she was expecting at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

It was worth the effort.

She left with a pair of gold medals and a couple of records, too.

Zhang started off Thursday with a dominating victory in the women’s 200-meter butterfly, finishing more than a body length ahead of two Americans in an Olympic-record time.

“My coach told me I didn’t have to think too much,” Zhang said through an interpreter. “Just be myself. I really wanted this medal.”

About an hour later, the 23-year-old returned to the deck to swim for China on the 4x200 freestyle relay.

It was a race she hadn’t planned for. It was a race her teammates never expected to win.

After all, the Australians had double-gold medalist Ariarne Titmus taking the opening leg. The Americans countered with freestyling star Katie Ledecky handling their anchor. The final was expected to be a duel between those two powerhouse teams.

Instead, it was the Chinese touching first in a race where all three teams eclipsed the previous world record.

China’s time of 7 minutes, 40.33 seconds is the one that will go into the record books, sending Zhang to the top of the medal podium at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre for the second time.

“I didn’t know I was doing it until I’d finished the 200 butterfly and our coach told me, ‘You’re in the relay,’” she said. “I didn’t even know how to swim the 200 free, although I have the training qualities and levels for the 200 distances.“

Clearly, she’s a quick study.

Zhang will go down as one of the breakthrough swimming stars at the Tokyo Games. She also won a silver in the 100 butterfly.

Not bad for someone who had never claimed a major international title before these Olympics.

Zhang’s best showing in three appearances at the world championships is third. Her lone race at the 2016 Rio Games produced a sixth-place finish in the 200 fly.

Now, she’s a double Olympic champion.

“We knew Zhang would be swimming in the relay, but the coach told us not to tell her,” said Li Bingjie, who swam the anchor leg for China. “She was the last one to know.”

Li conceded that her team went into the race merely hoping to get a bronze.

“We didn’t expect to win the gold,” she said. “We just tried to finish third because Australia and the United States are very strong.”

The Chinese led the entire race, holding off a hard charge by Ledecky at the end.

Zhang, swimming the third leg, posted the slowest time among China’s four swimmers. But it was a gusty performance after her individual victory.

“We were inspired by her 200 butterfly and we were excited,“ Li said. “It made us determined to do our best at the relay.”

___

Paul Newberry is an Atlanta-based national writer and sports columnist covering his 14th Olympics. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and his work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry

___

More AP Olympic coverage: https://www.apnews.com/OlympicGames and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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