■ ICE HOCKEY
Sharks to hire McLellan
PHOTO: AP
The San Jose Sharks are set to name Todd McLellan as their new head coach, the National Hockey League team said on its Web site on Wednesday. The Sharks were expected to introduce McLellan at a news conference yesterday, general manager Doug Wilson said. He will replace former head coach Ron Wilson. McLelland worked last season as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings. A fifth-round pick of the New York Islanders in 1986 who recorded a goal and an assist in five games with the team in 1987-1988, McLellan has also coached the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League and the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. He was named WHL Coach of the Year in 2000 and also won the league’s Executive of the Year award in 1997 while serving as both coach and general manager of the Broncos. The Sharks fired Ron Wilson on May 12 after the team failed to reach the Western Conference finals for a third straight season despite capturing the Pacific Division title for the second time in four campaigns. On Tuesday, Ron Wilson was named coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
■ FOOTBALL
Saints, Will Smith ink deal
New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith signed a contract extension that will make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid defensive players. Smith signed a six-year deal worth about US$70 million, said a person familiar with the deal who requested anonymity because the terms had not been made public. The deal makes Smith the NFL’s third highest-paid defensive end, behind Kansas City’s Jared Allen and Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney.
■ ICE HOCKEY
Canucks ace Linden retires
Trevor Linden, the heart and soul of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks for nearly two decades, retired on Wednesday. Linden, 38, spent more than 15 of his 19 NHL seasons with the Canucks, and announced his retirement on the 20th anniversary of the day the club drafted him second overall. He retires as the second-leading scorer in club history. In 1,140 games with the Canucks he registered 733 points — a mark that was surpassed by teammate Markus Naslund last season. In all Linden played in 1,382 career games, recording 375 goals and 867 points. “Today is an emotional day and exciting day for me as an athlete and a person,” he said. “It closes one chapter of my life — my playing career — while opening up another one, which I am very much looking forward to.” Linden inked a one-year contract with the Canucks last season, but his productivity dropped off markedly during the 2007-2008 season. Linden, from Medicine Hat, Alberta, will be best remembered for leading the Canucks on their dramatic run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994, when they lost to the New York Rangers in seven games. Linden scored both Vancouver goals in its 3-2 game seven loss at Madison Square Garden.
■CYCLING
Valverde wins time trial
Spanish ace Alejandro Valverde pulled on the race leader’s yellow jersey at the Dauphine Libere stage race after winning the third stage time-trial on Wednesday. Valverde put his pre-Tour de France form on display for the second time this week by averaging over 41kph for the undulating and technical 31km course in Saint-Paul-en-Jarez, France, that had been hit by an earlier storm. US rider Levi Leipheimer of Astana finished second at 19 seconds with Australian Cadel Evans, of Silence, in third a further second back. It is Valverde’s second stage victory in the race.
■ SOCCER
Rooney ties the knot
England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was married to Coleen McLaughlin yesterday in the small Italian seaside town of Santa Margherita, the ANSA news agency reported. The vice mayor of the Liguria town conducted the ceremony at Villa Durazzo, a 17th-century villa nested in a park dominating the waterfront of the town. Bodyguards and local police held reporters and photographers at the gate of the villa as relatives and friends of the newlyweds arrived on two minibuses.
■ DOPING
WADA warns on gene cheats
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wants to stay ahead of the game on gene doping. While there’s no hard evidence that athletes are doing it, WADA is concerned about the potential for gene doping — the illegal use of gene therapy, which typically alters a person’s DNA to fight diseases — to enhance performance. The agency used a conference in St Petersburg, Russia, on the issue to call on the worlds of sports and science to work together to raise awareness of the issue — and find ways to catch and punish anyone involved. While most experts do not think gene transfer is being misused by athletes yet, “we know that there is a growing interest in the sports world in the potential for gene doping,” WADA vice president Arne Ljungqvist said on Wednesday after the two-day symposium.
■ CYCLING
Australia unveils new bike
A new bicycle, designed with aerospace expertise, will give Australian cyclists the edge at this year’s Beijing Olympics, team organizers said in Melbourne yesterday. The “BT Blade” will be ridden by Australia’s track endurance cyclists in events including the individual and team pursuit, while sprint cyclists will use the “BT Stealth” variation, Cycling Australia said at the unveiling. Coach Martin Barras said the research and development of the bicycle would ensure Australia’s cyclists line up with the most technologically advanced bikes at the Olympics in August. Sal Sansonetti, a former Olympian and director of the company that developed the bike, said a huge amount of design, testing and experience went into the new bicycle.
■ RUGBY UNION
Carter re-signs on the quiet
Flyhalf Daniel Carter has joined All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in re-signing with the New Zealand Rugby Union through the 2011 World Cup, but may miss next season’s Super 14 while on a playing “sabbatical” in France. News of Carter’s signing emerged with little fanfare from the New Zealand union office in Wellington yesterday, contrasting with McCaw’s loudly trumpeted announcement last week. Carter had indicated his intention to sign a deal which will allow him to spend six months playing in France next year, probably under former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga at Toulon. That short stay in France, which will keep him out of New Zealand rugby from January to June, is expected to earn the 26-year-old Carter around NZ$1.4 million (US$1.04 million). Carter will play his 45th test for New Zealand against England at Auckland tomorrow.
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