■ AUTO RACING
Kahne incident investigated
Police are investigating an incident that took place at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, on Friday involving NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne and an unidentified security guard. A spokesman for Kahne said he was rushing to his motorhome in a secure lot at the track following Friday's final practice when he was stopped by the guard, who refused to let Kahne through the entrance without a credential. Kahne, still in his driving uniform, attempted to walk around the guard and, according to the spokesman, the two bumped and, when Kahne turned around, the guard was on the ground. Police were called and Kahne spent several minutes in handcuffs before being released. The security guard was checked and released at the infield medical center.
■ GOLF
Poulter shoots one under
England's Ian Poulter shot a 1-under-par 69 yesterday to win the Dunlop Phoenix golf tournament by three strokes. Poulter claimed the US$364,250 winner's purse after holding on at the Phoenix Country Club to beat out Spain's Gonzalo Fdez Castano, who shot a 68 in the final round. Defending champion and overnight co-leader Padraig Harrington of Ireland finished six strokes off the pace after a final round 69. Harrington beat Tiger Woods with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff last year.
■ GOLF
Armour leads at Del Monte
Tommy Armour III shot a 7-under 65 at Del Monte Golf Course at Pebble Beach, California, to take a two-stroke lead over Nick Watney after the third round of the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational on Saturday. The 48-year-old Armour, a two-time PGA Tour winner who finished 110th on the money list this season, has a 14-under 202 total. "I had a good overall round," said Armour, who began the day three strokes behind 36-hole leader Ronnie Black. "Actually, I've played well all three days, so I'm really looking forward to the final round at Pebble Beach."
■ EQUESTRIAN EVENTS
Woman dies after horse fall
An US-based British woman died after her horse stumbled during a cross country jumping event and crushed her on Saturday. Eleanor Brennan, 21, was competing in the 2007 Horse Trials, an international horse event, at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala, Florida, a statement from the Marion County Sheriff's Office said. Brennan was riding an 11-year-old male named Mister Barnabus. The horse struck a gate during the event, tumbled onto his neck and landed on Brennan, the statement said. The horse died instantly, and Brennan died a short time later at a hospital. Marion County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Heather Danenhower said Brennan had head and chest injuries.
■ SPEEDSKATING
Kramer beats world record
Dutch speedskater Sven Kramer shattered the world record in the 5,000m, knocking more than 4 seconds off the mark in a World Cup on Saturday. Kramer finished in 6 minutes, 3.32 seconds at the Olympic Oval to erase the previous record of 6:07.40 set by Italy's Enrico Fabris on Nov. 10 in the season-opening World Cup in Salt Lake City. Fabris was second on Saturday in 6:06.42, and Dutchman Carl Verheijen was third in 6:11.15. Kramer was so exhausted after crossing the finish line that he collapsed into the safety barriers around the Oval.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB