Britains Katarina Johnson-Thompson moved a step closer to qualifying for the Rio Olympics after shining in Gotzis on day one of the heptathlon. The 23-year-old, looking to bounce back from the agony of last years World Championships when three fouls in the long jump dashed her medal hopes, was in fine form after recording three personal bests (PB) to leave her in second place at the Hypo-Meeting.She excelled in the 100 metres hurdles, high jump and 200m to build a total of 3932 points on Saturday. She trailed Canadas Brianne Theisen-Eaton, the world indoor champion, by 40 points, with the long jump, javelin and 800m to come on Sunday.The Liverpool athlete needed 2,268 more points to get the Olympic qualifying standard of 6,200.That looked comfortably achievable, with her overnight score nine more than it was when she set her overall PB of 6,682 points on the way to winning in Gotzis in 2014.Fellow Briton Morgan Lake, however, ended a disappointing day in 29th place on 3,498 points, while Jessica Ennis-Hill was absent, not ready for a heptathlon following her Achilles injury.Johnson-Thompson got her day off in Austria to a perfect start with an equal PB in the 100m hurdles of 13.37 seconds before she cleared 1.92m in the high jump, an outdoor PB. Johnson-Thompson clocked a personal best in the 100m hurdles Having lead the competition after two events, a poor showing in the shot put - her best throw of 11.55m was the worst in the field and well below the 13.14m PB she set earlier this month - saw her drop to sixth overall.But she responded brilliantly to clock 22.79secs in the 200m, the final event of the first day, to win her race ahead of Theisen-Eaton and was well-placed to lay down a serious marker ahead of Rio.Johnson-Thompson told the BBC: This is my first big competition, especially after a knee operation last autumn, so I just want 6,200 points and to be injury free and to be going home with my ticket for the Olympics. Also See: Ennis-Hill has sights on Rio Health experts say Rio should be cancelled Johnson-Thompson woe at worlds British Athletics website Discount Air Max Shoes . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Cheap Air Max 720 China Discount . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.cheapairmaxchinadiscount.com/ . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Air Max Outlet . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Discount Air Max Sale . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Theo Epstein is rising to a new reality.For the last few years Ive had a semi-recurring dream, maybe five or six times, where Ive woken up, wow, we just won the World Series with the Cubs. Thats unbelievable, he recalled Monday night.And then about 10 seconds later I realize it was just a dream, and then the rest of the day stinks, right? Its a pretty great feeling and then back to reality. The last five days or whatever its been, Ive been waking up with the same realization and then it takes a couple seconds. Wow! It really happened!Days after the team he designed ended a long championship drought, Epstein was voted The Sporting News Major League Baseball Executive of the Year for revitalizing the Chicago Cubs.Balloting by 56 big league executives took place before the postseason. The Cubs led the majors with 103 wins during the regular season, then beat Cleveland in a seven-game World Series last week for their first title since 1908.During the parade I kept telling my wife we need to go home to change some diapers and do some laundry, because this is not real life, he said. Weve got to get our feet back on the ground.Epstein was presented with the award at the start of the annual general managers meeting. He received 13 votes, followed by Clevelands Chris Antonetti (nine), the New York Yankees Brian Cashman (eight), Texas Jon Daniels (seven), Clevelands Mike Chernoff and Washingtons Mike Rizzo (three each), and Baltimores Dan Duquette and the Cubs Jed Hoyer (two apiece).Now 42, Epstein was the youngest general manager in major league history when Boston hired him at age 28 in November 2002. He helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series, their first title since 1918, and a second championship in 2007.Winning at 42 vs. 30, I have a greater appreciation for how hard it is and how many people have to contribute and how lucky you have to get along the way, too, he said.Epstein left Boston after the 2011 season to become president of baseball operations with the Cubs, who lost 91 games that year. As he rebuilt the team, the Cubs dropped 101 games in 2012, 96 the following year and 89 in 2014. They won 97 games last year to gaiin a wild card, returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 only to get swept by the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series.ddddddddddddThis year, Chicago defeated San Francisco in the Division Series, overcame a 2-1 deficit against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series and then became the first team to rally from a 3-1 World Series deficit since the 1985 Kansas City Royals.Chicagos 10th-inning rally in Game 7 was sparked by Albert Almora Jr., the first player drafted under Epsteins regime, taken sixth overall in 2012. Third baseman Kris Bryant was drafted in 2013 and outfielder Kyle Schwarber in 2014, and the Cubs traded for pitcher Jake Arrieta (from Baltimore), first baseman Anthony Rizzo (San Diego) and shortstop Addison Russell (Oakland).Jon Lester was signed as a free agent after the 2014 season and fellow pitcher John Lackey, all-purpose player Ben Zobrist and outfielders Dexter Fowler and Jason Heyward were signed last offseason.Chicago gave Epstein a new five-year contract in September. Now the challenge is to win two in a row and match the 1907-08 Cubs.It does make you hungry just to validate it. When you can win two, I think it means even more, he said. Wed love to be the type of organization that national baseball fans think of when you think of October baseball.Aroldis Chapman, Fowler, Jason Hammel and Travis Wood have become free agents. Epstein already has been thinking about roster alterations.The mix has to change a little bit, he said. If you look to just bring back every single component and try to recreate the past, its going to change by definition. Group dynamics change. Human beings change. And so maybe its better to change it in some small ways on your terms and some intent behind it rather than just let it come back exactly the same and be stale. ... Well make some smaller changes, but I do have a feeling this nucleus is going to stay intact a lot longer than what we did in Boston.Founded in 1886, TSN ended its print edition in 2012 but remains available online. ' ' '