■ GOLF
Stricker leads at Bob Hope
US Ryder Cup player Steve Stricker seized the lead at the Bob Hope Classic in La Quinta, California, on Saturday with a 10-under 62. Stricker’s effort, on the heels of an impressive 61 on Friday, gave him a 33-under total of 255 after four rounds of the 90-hole event. He moved three shots clear of Pat Perez, who had led since shooting a first-round 61. Perez posted a five-under 67 on Saturday for a 30-under total of 258.
■CRICKET
Afghanistan suffer, HK cheer
Afghanistan’s hopes of reaching the 2011 World Cup suffered an early setback on Saturday with a 13-run defeat at the hands of Uganda in the World Cricket League Division Three. But Hong Kong got off to a flyer with a handsome seven-wicket win over hosts Argentina, while Papua New Guinea defeated the Cayman Islands by six wickets. The top two teams in the six-nation event will reach the 2011 World Cup qualifier in South Africa in April from where four countries will go on to the game’s showpiece one-day event. Uganda made 216-8 off their 50 overs before Afghanistan endured a nightmare start to their reply where they slumped to 23-5 and then 53-6 before a 121-run stand for the seventh wicket between Rais Ahmadzai (74) and Samiullah Shenwari (53) brought them in touching distance. Hong Kong coach Aftab Habib praised his side after they dismissed Argentina for 107 and then reached their target with 22.4 overs to spare. Papua New Guinea skipper Rarua Dikana took 5-14 as his side enjoyed a comprehensive six-wicket victory against the Cayman Islands. Papua New Guinea reached their target of 122 with 29.1 overs to spare after the Caymans were bowled out for just 121. Man-of-the-match Vani Morea hit 64 off just 51 balls to guide his team to victory.
■FIGURE SKATING
Lepisto wins European title
Laura Lepisto rewarded the enthusiastic Helsinki home crowd on Saturday, holding off Carolina Kostner to win Finland’s first women’s title at the European Figure Skating Championships. Teammate Susanna Poykio won the bronze, the first time two Finnish skaters have been on the European podium. Kostner won the free skate, but still fell short of winning her third straight European title. Lepisto finished with 167.32 points while Kostner had 165.42. Earlier during the championships, the men’s title went to Brian Joubert of France, who at age 24 took his 12th medal in world or European championships. Defending European champion Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic fell to sixth place. In the pairs, defending champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy from Germany won by a wide margin. Russia’s Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski claimed their first ice dance title in a watered-down field. World champions Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France didn’t compete because she’s recovering from a shoulder injury and defending European champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin withdrew after compulsories because Shabalin fell and injured his knee.
■ATHLETICS
Shibui wins in Osaka
Japan’s Yoko Shibui won the Osaka international women’s marathon yesterday, eight years after claiming her debut marathon victory in the race. The 29-year-old moved up a gear shortly before the 29km mark and steadily outpaced the last challenger, fellow Japanese runner Yukiko Akaba, to cross the finishing line in two hours, 23 minutes and 42 seconds. Akaba came in second, 58 seconds behind, followed by 2007 champion Yumiko Hara, also of Japan, in third place with 2:26:57.
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
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
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