■ Cycling
Armstrong engaged to Crow
American cycling hero Lance Armstrong and singer Sheryl Crow announced on Monday that they are engaged, said Mark Higgins, a spokesman for Armstrong. The two got engaged while they were holidaying in Sun Valley, Idaho. There is no wedding date as of yet. It will be the second marriage for Armstrong, who has three children with ex-wife Kristin. Rock star Crow has never been married. Armstrong retired in July after winning his seventh straight Tour de France. Last month French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported that urine samples taken from Armstrong in 1999 during his first Tour triumph tested positive for the banned substance EPO. Armstrong has denied taking any performance-enhancing drugs.
■ Cricket
Aussies asked to talk to team
Cricket Australia yesterday appealed to Australian cricket fans to get behind their team ahead of the final Ashes Test against England starting at The Oval tomorrow. Australia trail 2-1 in the series and must beat England in the last match of the series to maintain their 16-year hold on the Ashes urn. Cricket Australia have organized a link on their Web site for fans to send messages of support to their favorite player or to the team. "We encourage Australian cricket fans to send their message of support to our team as they prepare for this important contest," CA chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement yesterday. Messages of support can be sent to the team via australianteam@ashes.cricket.com.au
■ Rowing
Poland to host championship
The city of Poznan in western Poland was selected to host the 2009 World Rowing Championships, the International Rowing Federation (FISA) announced at its 113th annual congress. In a vote by delegates from 56 countries on Monday, Poznan defeated Amsterdam, the Netherlands, by a vote of 104-37. Poznan successfully hosted last year's World Rowing Under-23 Championships and also one stage of last year's Rowing World Cup. This year's World Rowing Championships wrapped up on Sunday in Kaizu, Japan.
■ Soccer
Australia win Oceania series
Australia edged the Solomon Islands 2-1 yesterday on Brett Emerton's 59th-minute goal to win the Oceania Football Confederation's World Cup soccer qualifying series. Australia won the opening match 7-0 on Saturday in Sydney and advances 9-1 on aggregate. Yesterday's match was played in humid conditions before a capacity crowd of 20,000 at Lawson Tama Stadium. Australia now plays a two-match series against the fifth-placed South American team on Nov. 12 and Nov. 16 for the right to play in next year's World Cup in Germany. It was Australia's 100th -- and final -- match in the Oceania confederation after 40 years. Australia will compete in the Asian Football Confederation from next year.
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