■formula one
Glock receives all-clear
Timo Glock was due to test for Toyota in Spain yesterday after being given the all-clear following his big crash in Sunday’s German Grand Prix, the Formula One team said. The 26-year-old German, who was to join the team in Jerez, spent Sunday night in hospital in Ludwigshafen for precautionary checks and returned home on Monday before further medical tests. “Those tests have confirmed Timo suffered no injuries or concussion,” Toyota said in a statement. “Therefore he has been given the all-clear to return to the cockpit on Thursday before he competes in the Hungarian Grand Prix.” Glock said he felt fine and the accident had looked worse on television than in real life. “It was a really hard impact and my back hurt immediately after I got out of the car but now it is fine,” he said.
■tennis
Youngster wired for sound
An eight-year-old girl was ejected from a junior tournament in Christchurch New Zealand when officials discovered she was wearing a radio earpiece to receive instructions from her father. Tournament referee Rob Wilkinson said officials became suspicious because the match involving Ukranian-born Anastasiya Korzh featured a “heightened number of questioned calls.” Officials found the earpiece hidden under the girl’s headband, linked by a cord to a receiver under her shirt, The Press newspaper reported yesterday. Korzh’s father said the earpiece was only being used to help the girl keep score in the under-10 tournament. She was playing in her first tournament.
■tennis
Teen pulls off upset
Croatian teenager Petra Martic upset former champion Klara Zakopalova 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) on Wednesday to reach the Slovenia Open quarter-finals in her second WTA Tour event. The victory by 17-year-old Martic, ranked 237th, was her first over a top-100 player. Zakopalova won the inaugural Portoroz title in 2005. Martic broke into the top 300 only on Monday, a day after winning a satellite event, the Zagreb Ladies Open. She then beat Angelique Kerber of Germany in the first round for her maiden win on the main tour. In other second-round matches, third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark rolled past wild card Karolina Sprem of Croatia 6-1, 6-1, fourth-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain topped Julia Vakulenko of Ukraine 6-4, 6-4, and Vera Dushevina of Russia beat Katie O’Brien of Britain 6-3, 6-2.
■Soccer
Players accused of theft
Israeli team Bnei Sakhnin flew into Spain behind schedule yesterday, ahead of Saturday’s Intertoto Cup clash against Deportivo Coruna. The visitors should have arrived in Madrid late on Wednesday night but did not arrive until yesterday morning — because of accusations of shoplifting at Tel Aviv airport. According to the digital version of Marca, no less than seven of the club’s players were accused at the airport of stealing luxury perfumes, allegedly worth around 4,000 euros (US$6,301). The Israeli police were called in and statements taken from the accused players, all of which delayed the flight by several hours. The Israeli side lost the first leg 1-2, with youngsters Angel Lafita and Riki scoring for a Deportivo side that was animated by the return from injury of former Spain World Cup playmaker Juan Carlos Valeron. Deportivo, who finished ninth in La Liga last season, are keen to reach the UEFA Cup via Intertoto, after being absent from Europe for three years.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely