■ Rowing
Cambridge take Boat Race
Cambridge scored a one-sided victory in the 150th annual Boat Race on Sunday but had to survive a strong Oxford protest after two clashes of oars near the start. The two crews went far too close in the early stages, once with Oxford slightly ahead and the other with Cambridge going ahead. The Cambridge crew then powered away to win the 7.2km race by six lengths in 18 minutes 47 seconds to stop the Dark Blues of Oxford winning for the third year in a row along the River Thames. The score in the race, first held in 1829, now has Cambridge leading 78-71 with one race in 1877 ending in a dead heat.
■ Tennis
Serena wary of terror threat
Serena Williams says the threat of terrorism at the Olympics might keep her home, even though she wants to compete in Athens. "My security and my safety and my life are a little bit more important than tennis," Williams said Sunday after winning in the third round of the Nasdaq-100 Open. "And so if it became a real to concern to where I personally wouldn't feel comfortable, then I wouldn't go to Athens." Williams teamed with her sister Venus to win the gold medal in doubles at the 2000 Sydney Games. She hopes to play singles and doubles at the Aug. 13 to 29 Athens Olympics. "You can't stop living your life because you're scared something's going to happen," she said. "But at the same time, I'm very aware of things that are going on in the world. ... It's definitely a concern of mine. I'd be kind of naive to say it isn't."
■ Soccer
Celtic sees off Rangers
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill was full of praise for David Marshall after the young goalkeeper continued his superb form in the unbeaten Scottish premier league leaders' 2-1 Glasgow derby win over Rangers on Sunday. Henrik Larsson headed Celtic's 19th-minute opener and Alan Thompson added the second on 52 but 19-year-old Marshall, outstanding in Thursday's 0-0 draw in Barcelona that secured Celtic a UEFA Cup quarterfinal place, did just as much to ensure a fifth straight Old Firm victory. Marshall prevented Stanislav Varga scoring an own goal when he tipped on to a post, clawed out Alan Hutton's header and saved from Michael Mols with the home side searching frantically for an equalizer. "We've got in front and he's made vital saves for us," said O'Neill, whose side are a massive 19 points clear of Rangers with eight games remaining.
■ Tennis
Clijsters still injured
Kim Clijsters will have to keep her left wrist in a brace for three more weeks, further jeopardizing the run-up to the French Open for the world's No. 2 player, her Web site reported yesterday. The Belgian pulled out of the Indian Wells tournament two weeks ago with a torn tendon and had hoped she would have been able to start full training for her spring campaign by now. "Her wrist is not healed yet," according to an update posted at www.kimclijsters.be. "The world No. 2 will have to wear a brace around her left wrist for another 20 days." Clijsters still hopes to be able to play an April 17 exhibition match against her fiancee Lleyton Hewitt, but the prolonged injury will cut preparations very short. A week after the exhibition, she is slated to play Fed Cup for Belgium against Croatia in her home town of Bree. Her injury was first diagnosed as a stress reaction before it became clear she had a tear of 1.5cm in her left wrist. She has been wearing a brace up to her knuckles ever since.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care