The Int'l Association of Athletics Federation said that "it plans to launch a World Relays competition in the Bahamas in May '14." The two-day competition will "bring together the world's best athletes," in a schedule that includes the 4x100m and 4x400m races as well as the 4x200m, 4x800m and 4x1,500m relays. The event "will be open to all IAAF member countries and have prize money of about $1.4M" (AP, 8/12).
GOLDEN STATE: San Francisco will host a new major Professional Squash Assosiation World Tour event when the PSA Int'l 70 NetSuite Open is staged outdoors on an all-glass court from Oct. 17-23. The $70,000 event has already attracted England's world champion Nick Matthew, four-time world champion from Egypt Amr Shabana, and world No. 3 French Gregory Gaultier (PSA).
WHAT A MESS: The Chinese city of Nanjing will play host to the Youth Olympic Games in '14. Tourists in Nanjing, a city with a history of 2,500 years, will enjoy a better scenery next year "when the government plans to meet its newly announced environmental goals." The capital of Jingsu province "has presented a massive plan to deal with the city's current environmental problems, such as waste classification, dilapidated buildings and illegal construction." Nanjing officials hope to finish the renovation of dilapidated and old buildings along the main roads, famous scenic spots and areas surrounding the Games' venue before the start of the event (CHINA DAILY, 8/14).
