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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Kenyan sprinter Carvin Nkanatas biggest race this week was the 12-hour dash from Florida to the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro to make the starting blocks for the 200-meter heats.He did OK in that first race. In the one on the track? Not so great. He came last.He said it was still worth it.If youre unsure how much the Olympics mean to some athletes, Nkanatas story might help make up your mind:Initially ruled ineligible to compete for Kenya, Nkanata put in an appeal and then, without knowing the result of that appeal, took a chance.He booked his own flights Monday afternoon, made the overnight journey from Tampa to Miami to Rio, and arrived at the Olympic Stadium straight from the airport the next morning just in time to line up. The timeline for Tuesday morning was: Arrived in Brazil at about 9:30. Got to the stadium about 11:30. Ran in the Olympics at about 12:30.That run lasted 21.43 seconds -- not a great time, but he hardly slept on the plane and didnt have time for a proper warmup at the track. Bottom line, Nkanata is down quite a few dollars and exhausted, all for less than 22 seconds of action at the Olympics.Its a dream. This opportunity dont come around every year. So, I just had to (do it), Nkanata said soon after coming off the track. I worked so hard to get here. I put in a lot of man hours, sweat, injuries to get here. So, I was like, I got to get here. I cant give up.Nkanata has an American passport and Kenyan nationality and heritage. But Kenyan officials messed up his accreditation for the Olympics. Hed given up on getting to Rio, Nkanata said, until a lawyer in the United States heard about his story and offered to help him submit an appeal.Nkanata said he didnt know the outcome until he landed in Brazil. The gamble paid off and he learned he was cleared to run after he landed, he said.Now, hes going to get his luggage out a storage room at the stadium, check in to his room at the athletes village, and enjoy the Olympics.Oh, there was one more drama, too, in his race to make his race. His flight out of Miami left late, and this was no time for a delay.I tried to sleep (on the plane) but I couldnt, he said. I closed my eyes. I drank some water. I just prayed.---Follow Gerald Imray on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP---Follow the Rio Games at http://www.summergames.ap.org Cheap Cardinals Jerseys . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. 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John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead.Despite speculation that Tyler Bozak would follow fellow Leaf Mikhail Grabovski out the door and sign elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent, the centre said he was never as close to leaving as was being rumoured and in fact, did not field any official offers from other NHL teams. Speaking with Mike Hogan and Jeff ONeill on Leafs Lunch Friday afternoon on TSN 1050, the 27-year-old also weighed in on the Leafs off-season additions and the critics who question whether he is a number one centre. "We werent talking to many other teams," Bozak said. "We actually agreed with the Leafs before the Noon (eastern free agency deadline) time even started, so I wasnt able to field any offers. My agent had talked to some teams in that period where you are able to but my number one choice was to stay, so that was our main focus." He said both the Leafs and his representatives were on the same page, making the negotiations relatively pain free. "I wanted to stay and they wanted to keep me so we were able to get to a number that we both agreed on pretty easily." Although Bozak contributed just 28 points in 46 games while receiving first line minutes, he said his value comes on his ability to play an all-around game and in making his linemates better. "Ive had two coaches that had the opportunity to not play me in that role and have, so if theres a few fans on Twitter that still think Im not able to play, Ill take the coaches opinion over theirs every time," Bozak said. In addition to resigning Bozak to a five-year, $21 million contract, Leafs general manager Dave Nonis has had a busy off-season, adding players through trades and free agency. Up front, David Clarkson was added and is expected to fill a top-six forward role. Bozak said he thinks the Mimico, ON-native brings a number of different elements to the game that will be welcomed. "I think hes going to be a huge addition to our team," Bozak said. "Every time you play against him hee can hurt you every shift hes out there with scoring a big goal or laying a big hit.ddddddddddddHes a guy youre aware of when youre on the ice. I think hes gotten better as a player every year hes played…and I think hes going to help us a lot." Coming off scoring the winning goal to clinch his second Stanley Cup, Dave Bolland was acquired for one second round pick and two fourth round selections and Bozak thinks he will help a young team lacking much playoff experience. "I think he brings a ton of leadership," Bozak said. "Hes been there before, he knows what it takes and I think were a pretty young team so we need a guy like that." Between the pipes Nonis also made a move, trading forward Matt Frattin and backup goaltender Ben Scrivens for Los Angeles second stringer, Jonathan Bernier. Despite Reimers success last season, Bozak commented that he wasnt too surprised the team made the move considering all the rumours and speculation that surrounded the Leafs interest in another goalie who could push and possibly supplant the Leafs incumbent. "I think him and Reimer are going to battle and push each other and I think itll help make them both better players," Bozak said. Bozak was optimistic that those three additions would go a long way to helping the team come playoff time, especially after the Leafs were able to end their nine-year drought and gain some valuable post-season experience last season. "It was tough," Bozak said of his and many of his teammates first NHL playoffs. "The game intensifies quite a bit. Every play is a little bit more important…I think it was just a great experien