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Bolt adds 1st Commonwealth gold to 6 Olympic wins

By WTOP Staff

ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — On a wet track following torrential rain, Usain Bolt gave the Commonwealth Games a display of showmanship and speed as he anchored Jamaica’s 4×100-meter relay team to gold and glory on Saturday.

Jamaica raced ahead of England in a games-record 37.58 seconds as the six-time Olympic gold medalist became a Commonwealth champion for the first time, enhancing the status of an event that can appear an anachronism in the modern world.

“Even though it was cold, the energy was warm,” Bolt said.

Many doubted whether Bolt would turn up in Glasgow, having skipped the last two editions and being sidelined with a left foot injury earlier in 2014. The individual sprints were avoided, but the world’s fastest man made it clear that he craved a Commonwealth gold in his already illustrious medal haul.

Now Bolt has that gold from a Hampden Park experience he undoubtedly savored following a week when he was forced to deny making disparaging comments about Glasgow.

“The only bad thing about this place is the weather,” Bolt said. “But I expected it.”

There was, however, a pause in the showers when the biggest star of these games appeared on a track scattered with puddles and produced theatrics even more exuberant than usual. Before running 100 meters, Bolt danced along to the lyrics of Scottish pop anthem “500 Miles.”

“It kind of helped me keep hyped up for the race,” Bolt said.

After legs by Jason Livermore, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade, Bolt continued running beyond his 100 meters, draping himself in a Jamaican flag, a Scottish Saltire and tartan hat as he entertained the crowd and posed for pictures.

“This new thing about selfies is really making these laps of honors really long,” Bolt said. “It used to be autographs, now everyone wants a selfie.”

But it is likely to be the last one at a Commonwealth Games for Bolt, who plans to retire after the 2017 world championships — before Australia’s Gold Coast hosts the games in 2018.

“I want to be there but maybe not as an athlete,” he said.

In other news from the penultimate day of the 2014 games:

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JAMAICAN DOUBLE: Jamaica’s women also won their sprint relay, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce running the final leg as the women’s team won in 41.83 seconds.

DOPING: A former 400-meter world champion has become the second Commonwealth Games athlete to fail a doping test in Glasgow. Amantle Montsho of Botswana tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine after surrendering her Commonwealth title on Tuesday by coming fourth in the women’s 400-meter final.

The Commonwealth Games Federation announced that Montsho had been suspended at a hearing on Saturday in Glasgow. Montsho requested that her backup sample be tested, which will happen on Monday in London. The CGF announcement came a day after 16-year-old weightlifter Chika Amalaha was stripped of her gold medal after a doping hearing.

HISTORY-MAKER: Two years after winning the inaugural Olympic title, Nicola Adams on Saturday also become the first female Commonwealth Games boxing champion. The 31-year-old Adams from England beat Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh in the four-round flyweight contest via a split decision.

“Again I’ve managed to create history,” Adams said. “It’s on to Rio (2016 Olympics). It’s the next step. I’ve been thinking of this since the London 2012 Olympics. To think I’ve finally got it is unbelievable. It’s a massive sigh of relief and now I can relax a bit.”

It was England’s 50th gold in Glasgow, and the country ended Saturday with 56, which guarantees top place in the medal standings for the first time since 1986 and also ends Australia’s 20-year Commonwealth dominance.

REPEAT FINAL: India will have a chance on Sunday to avenge its loss to Australia in the men’s hockey final at the New Delhi Games in 2010. While Australia eased past England 4-1 in the semifinals, India had to come from two goals down to beat New Zealand 3-2.

“We will look at the (2010) video and analyze our mistakes and do better this time,” India captain Rupinder Singh said.

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AP Sports Writer Dennis Passa contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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