■ Ski Jump
Ahonen sets hill record
Finland's Janne Ahonen soared to a hill record in Willingen, Germany on Sunday and won a World Cup ski jumping event for the 11th time in 13 tries this season. Ahonen was sixth after his first leap of 135m, but then landed a second jump of 152m in front of 25,000 spectators. The Finn was awarded 279.1 points, while Austrian Martin Hoellwarth earned 274.8 off jumps of 137m and 146.5m. Ahonen's second jump broke the hill record set by Poland's Adam Malysz by a half-meter, but television replays seemed to show he actually jumped further. With the wind conditions optimal for the first time in two days at Willingen, Ahonen appeared to land well past the 150m mark on the slope. His jump was first ruled 155.5m, then reduced although many observers felt he clearly jumped further.
■ Speedskating
Two world records set
Shani Davis of Chicago broke two world records in Salt Lake City, Utah on Sunday at the North American long track qualifying meet for the World All-Around Championships. Davis won the men's 1,500m in 1 minute, 43.33 seconds, .62 seconds faster than Olympic gold medal winner Derek Parra, who set the mark at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. Davis also set the mark for overall points with 149.359. Fellow American Chad Hedrick had 150.478 at the worlds last year in Norway.
■ Cycling
Bates wins more gold
Katherine Bates of Australia won her third gold medal in three days when she won the women's scratch race at the track cycling World Cup in Manchester, England on Sunday. Olympian Bates won the points race on Friday and the individual pursuit on Saturday. Following Bates were second-placed Rebecca Quinn of the US, and third-placed Virginie Moinard of France. Britain's team sprint trio bounced back from its Olympic disappointment. Chris Hoy, Jason Queally and Craig Maclean won in 44.493 seconds.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was