■SKELETON
Trott claims gold medal
Marion Trott of Germany won the women’s competition at the skeleton world championships on Friday. Two weeks after winning her first World Cup title in Park City, Utah, the 24-year-old Trott had another gold medal dangling from her neck, this time at the US team’s home track at Mount Van Hoevenberg. “It’s unbelievable,” Trott said. “I think next week maybe I’ll know what I’ve accomplished.” Trott entered the day with an imposing 0.40 second lead over teammate and defending champion Anja Huber and easily won, finishing with a four-run time of 3 minutes, 47.97 seconds, more than half a second ahead of Amy Williams of Britain. Kerstin Szymkowiak of Germany took the bronze. Huber faded to fourth.
■BOXING
Johnson defeats Judah
Former light-heavyweight champion Glen Johnson won a convincing unanimous decision over Daniel Judah on Friday, possibly putting himself in line for another title shot. Jamaican Johnson, who turned 40 on Jan. 2, stayed busy through 10 rounds and used effective body punching to win a landslide decision in a rematch of an April 2003 bout that ended in a draw. The fight, at which Judah was on the light heavyweight limit and Johnson just over, was scored by two judges as 99-90 for Johnson, while the third had Johnson winning 99-89. The only knockdown came late in the first round when Johnson landed a right to the head of the American.
■BASEBALL
Bonds trial to be delayed
Federal prosecutors will appeal a judge’s decision to exclude evidence of three positive drug tests from Barry Bonds’ perjury trial, likely delaying its start for several months. Prosecutors notified the judge of their intention to appeal a couple of hours after Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, said at a Friday court hearing that he would not testify at the slugger’s trial. US District Judge Susan Illston had barred prosecutors from showing the drug tests to the jury unless Anderson took the witness stand to authenticate them. The trial had been scheduled to begin tomorrow with potential jurors filling out lengthy questionnaires. Bonds is accused of lying to a grand jury in 2003 when he denied that he knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.
■BASKETBALL
Celtics suspend Pruitt
The Boston Celtics suspended guard Gabe Pruitt for two games on Friday after he was arrested in Hollywood for misdemeanor drunken driving. The team said the second-year guard was being suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team.” Pruitt said in a statement he knew his behavior was “inappropriate” and that he accepted the consequences. Pruitt was detained early on Thursday, hours after the Celtics lost to the Los Angeles Clippers, for stopping at a green light and having dark tinted windows, which are illegal in California. Police said Pruitt then failed a field sobriety test.
■FOOTBALL
Vikings sign Rosenfels
The Minnesota Vikings acquired quarterback Sage Rosenfels from the Houston Texans on Friday and signed him to a two-year US$9 million contract. Rosenfels’ agent, Rick Smith, said his client “is extremely excited for this opportunity.” The 31-year-old Rosenfels will compete with incumbent Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job. It’s the second season in a row that the Vikings have tried to trade for Rosenfels. Last year, the two teams could not agree on compensation, so Minnesota brought in veteran Gus Frerotte as a backup.
■SKING
Norwegians strike gold
Petter Northug again helped Norway win the men’s cross-country relay and Switzerland’s Andreas Kuettel got some help from the weather to take the large hill ski jump on Friday at the Nordic skiing world championship in Liberec in the Czech Republic. Northug showed why he’s considered the best finisher in the sport by sprinting away from Germany’s Axel Teichmann shortly before the home straight to give Norway its fifth straight relay gold. Kuettel, meanwhile, jumped 133.5m for 141.3 points in the first round, which proved to be enough for his first world title when the second round was called off because of heavy snow fall and strong winds. Martin Schmitt of Germany was second on 140.9 points, and Norway’s Anders Jacobsen took bronze with 139.5.
■SUPERBIKE
Spies claims pole position
American Ben Spies rode his factory Yamaha to pole position for today’s opening round of the World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island. Spies clocked the quickest lap yesterday during the Superpole elimination format, holding off the Aprilia of Italian veteran Max Biaggi. The top 20 qualified riders raced over three 12-minute sessions. Spies, in his first season on the tour, had a time of 1 minute, 31.069 seconds on the 4.45km circuit, while Biaggi clocked 1:31.402. Jonathan Rea of Britain was third-fastest on a Honda in 1:31.596. Two races will be held today to open the 14-round 2009 series.
■SKIING
Suter wins first downhill
Fabienne Suter contributed to the collection of Swiss victories in the Alpine skiing World Cup this season by winning the downhill in Bansko, Bulgaria, on Friday. Suter finished 1.15 seconds ahead of Austria’s Andrea Fischbacher with Italy’s Naia Fanchini and the American Lindsey Vonn sharing third place 1.24 seconds behind. “Bansko is hosting a World Cup event for the first time and it’s my first downhill victory,” said the 24-year-old Suter, who has struggled with injuries in recent seasons. Double world-champion Vonn leads the overall World Cup standings by 346 points from Germany’s Maria Riesch, who could only finish 18th on Friday.
■SOCCER
Tardy Ronaldo hit with fine
Brazilian striker Ronaldo, yet to make his debut for Corinthians, has been fined for turning up late at the team hotel at the end of a day off. The club said in a statement that Ronaldo, who is traveling with the team for a series of away games, failed to meet an 11pm curfew on Thursday night. “For failing to obey this rule, Ronaldo will be punished by the directors in accordance with the internal rules of the club’s department of football,” Corinthians said. Ronaldo, who has fully recovered from a serious knee injury he suffered in a match for AC Milan in February last year, is expected to make his debut this month.
■CYCLING
Bennati takes overall lead
Liquigas rider Daniele Bennati took the overall lead on Friday in the Tour of Sardinia after he won the 147km fourth stage to Cagliari to establish a six second lead over compatriot Oscar Gatto. Bennati timed 3 hours, 28 minutes, 59 seconds, edging out fellow Italians Mirco Lorenzetto (Lampre), Mattia Gavazzi (Diquigiovanni) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) as well as Ukrainian Yury Metlushenko (Amore & Vita) in a dash for the line. Ballan is 10 seconds off the pace in third spot overall.
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and