■ SOCCER
Becks wants more caps
Former England captain David Beckham confirmed his desire to extend his international career yesterday. The 32-year-old said he is not planning to quit the national team with 99 caps. "I want to go on and I believe I can," he said. "I've got the experience and passion to still play for my country. I hope when the next manager comes in he will give me the chance."
■ SOCCER
Hamburg take points
Hamburger SV shook off the news last week that coach Huub Stevens will leave the team and beat Hansa Rostock 2-0 on Sunday in the Bundesliga. Rafael van der Vaart scored in the 19th minute and Ivica Olic headed in the second in the 61st as Hamburg moved even with Werder Bremen. Both are just a point behind leader Bayern Munich. Stevens, given much of the credit for turning Hamburg into a winning side, will coach PSV Eindhoven next season to be close to his ailing wife in the Netherlands. Van der Vaart finished Hamburg's first chance, taking a pass from Romeo Castelen and rifling a low shot inside the opposite post. Olic headed in Piotr Trochowski's cross as Hamburg had an easy time against Rostock, a slot above the relegation zone. Also on Sunday, FC Nuremberg extended Borussia Dortmund's winless streak to five matches with a 2-0 win.
■ Swimming
Bal clinches top spot
American swimmer Randall Bal won the 50m backstroke in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on Sunday to clinch first place in the overall short-course World Cup final. Bal clocked 23.62 seconds to total 186 points and take home US$100,000 in prize money. Stefan Nystrands of Sweden was second with 101 points. Thiago Pereira of Brazil, who won the 200m medley in 1 minute, 54.58 seconds, came third with 96 points. In the women's event, Therese Alshammar of Sweden, who won the50m butterfly in 25.69 seconds, took first place with 160 points to earn the same prize money. Natalie Coughlin, who won the 100m medley in 59.81 seconds on Sunday, was second with 110 points. Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands was third with 65 points. Sunday's event was the seventh and last meet of the competition that began on Oct.19 and was held in seven cities around the world.
■ Rugby Union
Henry to fight for job
Graham Henry has decided to fight for his job as All Blacks rugby coach, adding his name to a list of candidates for the position before applications closed yesterday. Henry and co-coaches Wayne Smith and Steve Hanson guided the All Blacks to outstanding success in three years from 2003, before presiding over New Zealand's worst-ever World Cup campaign in France this year. The New Zealand rugby union decided, after assessing the performance of the coaching trio earlier this month, to invite applications for the All Blacks job and to make the appointment of the next coach through a "contestable process" in which Henry was invited to participate. The union's decision amounted to a lukewarm endorsement of Henry, Smith and Hansen, who guided the All Blacks to 42 wins from 48 Tests over four years, and opened the position to other candidates. Successful Super 14 coach Robbie Deans has already applied along with Junior All Blacks coaches Ian Foster and Colin Cooper.
Fred Kerley is competing unaugmented against drug-fuelled athletes at this weekend’s Enhanced Games and still hopes to race in the 2028 Olympics, the suspended former 100m world champion said on Friday. Arguably the biggest name at the divisive event in Las Vegas, where doping is permitted, the US sprinter said he had chosen not to take any of the banned substances including testosterone and steroids that his competitors have been using. “I don’t need it. God gave me fast feet for a reason. And I’m here to showcase my talent,” Kerley said. Kerley last September became the first US competitor and first track
MLB is experiencing an epidemic of guys being dudes. At ballparks all across the US, groups consisting of mostly young men are joining in on the “Tarps Off” trend that is loud, goofy, infectious and new to the baseball world. Joining in on the fun is simple: Go to the section where the party is happening, take off your shirt and start twirling it above your head. Soccer-like chants or singing usually follow — injecting a jolt of energy for a sport that is occasionally chided for its lack of energy inside the stadium. After getting its start in St Louis, Missouri, on
West Ham United’s 3-1 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday left Tottenham Hotspur realistically only needing one more point to win the battle for English Premier League survival, while Bruno Fernandes made history in Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest. Spurs can avoid dropping out of the English top flight for the first time in nearly 50 years with victory at Chelsea today, but a draw would also likely suffice thanks to their much superior goal-difference over West Ham. “Overall bad performance. Too many things [went wrong], I think we gifted them the goals,” West Ham head caoch Nuno Espirito Santo
Hull City AFC are to play Middlesbrough for a place in the Premier League after Southampton on Wednesday failed in their appeal against expulsion from the Championship playoff final for spying on opponents. Southampton were thrown out of the final on Tuesday and handed a four-point deduction for next season after they had beaten semi-final opponents Middlesbrough. “The original sanction of expulsion ... remains in place, as does the four-point deduction to be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table and the reprimand in respect of all charges,” the English Football League said in a statement. The final is to be played at Wembley
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