■BOXING
Amir Khan sacks trainer
British lightweight Amir Khan has sacked Jorge Rubio, the Cuban trainer who oversaw his first professional defeat earlier this month. The 21-year-old Commonwealth lightweight champion lost his 18-bout unbeaten record when he was knocked out by Colombian puncher Breidis Prescott on Sept. 6. Rubio was subsequently blamed for failing to prepare Khan properly as well as having suggested Prescott as a suitable opponent. The Cuban was only in charge of Khan for that one fight having taken over following the sacking of Oliver Harrison earlier in the year. Khan may now turn to experienced US trainer Freddie Roach to help him rebuild his career.
■GOLF
MacKenzie ‘spaces out’
Will MacKenzie lost three strokes — two for a rules infraction — on the final hole to give the Viking Classic lead back to Mark Turnesa on Saturday. MacKenzie’s 8 on the par-5 18th left him tied for second with Brian Gay, two strokes behind Turnesa on the Annandale course. MacKenzie was penalized for moving impediments in the hazard while his ball was also in the hazard. Turnesa, who also topped the second-round leaderboard, shot a 6-under 66 for a 17-under 199 total. MacKenzie and Gay had 67s. MacKenzie, who has one tour victory, the Reno-Tahoe Open in 2006, opened with birdies on the first two holes and made the turn at 32. His only stumble before 18 was a bogey on the fourth hole. MacKenzie said he “spaced out” after a day of being able to lift, clean and place his ball because of wet conditions. There were a few blades of grass near his ball, not anything that would be a problem, he said. MacKenzie said he brushed them away with his hand, then he realized what he had done and told an official, who assessed the penalty. Turnesa chased MacKenzie over the back nine with four birdies.
■CYCLING
Voigt takes Tour de Pologne
German rider Jens Voigt won the Tour de Pologne on Saturday, while Robert Foerster was fastest on the shortened final stage. Voigt, who rides for Team CSC, captured the yellow jersey on Friday and held onto it by staying with the main group, finishing with a combined time of 21 hours, 13 minutes and 18 seconds. CSC also won the team standings, followed by Liquigas of Italy and Spain’s Caisse d’Epargne. Foerster, a German who rides for Gerolsteiner, covered the 95km from Wadowice to Krakow in 2:06:28 after winning a sprint. Like the two previous stages, Saturday’s ride was shortened because of cold, rainy weather. The start took place in Rabka Zdroj, after which the cyclist were taken by cars to Wadowice.
■MARATHON
Maritim wins fourth Sydney
Julius Maritim won his fourth straight Sydney Marathon yesterday, finishing five minutes ahead of fellow Kenyan Benson Mbithi in mostly ideal running conditions. Maritim finished in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 1 second, about five minutes slower that his personal best of 2:14:17. Mbithi improved on his seventh-place finish in the Los Angeles Marathon held in March, while Sydney runner Jeremey Horne was third in temperatures around 21ºC. The first woman finisher was Lisa Flint of Australia, who ran a personal best of 2 hours, 47 minutes and 43 seconds in her fourth marathon. The main event attracted 960 runners from 41 countries, while more than 25,000 runners and walkers also took part in a half-marathon, a 9km bridge run and a 4km family walk.
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