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■ SWIMMING

Klochkova retires at 26

Ukraine’s Yana Klochkova, winner of four swimming Olympic gold medals, announced her retirement from competitive sport on Thursday at the age of 26. “It wasn’t easy for me to take this decision,” Klochkova told reporters in Kiev. “I believe that there is life beyond sport, and that it, too will be interesting, though perhaps a little different. I achieved all I could. Now I want to be a success in ordinary life too.” Klochkova won gold in the 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley at the 2000 Games in Sydney and repeated the feat four years later in Athens. She also picked up a silver in the 800m freestyle in Sydney. She made way for her younger teammates for last year’s Games in Beijing. She said she would continue to work with a foundation set up last year to develop and popularize swimming in Ukraine.



■ RACE WALKING

Yurin avoided urine tests

Ukrainian race walker Andriy Yurin was suspended from competition for one year after missing three doping tests. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said in a statement on Thursday that Yurin was banned by the Ukrainian Athletic Federation. The IAAF said he was found guilty of a doping violation after missing three out-of-competition tests between May 2007 and May last year. Yurin, who finished 11th in the 20km walk at the 2005 world championships in Helsinki, will be banned until Feb. 16 next year, and his results from May 24 last year have been disqualified, according to the IAAF.



■ BOXING

Pacquiao dumps TV station

Philippine boxing superstar Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao faces a potential scrap with two local television stations after he abruptly dumped one of them ahead of his May 2 showdown with Ricky Hatton. Listed GMA Network said in a statement it was “very disappointed” with his decision to transfer to rival ABS-CBN after ending a broadcast contract with cable television outfit Solar Sports, which buys air time from GMA. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, GMA said Pacquiao switched to the rival network after it allegedly offered him “full media support” in next year’s elections. The boxer is expected to launch a second bid for a congressional seat in the polls. GMA said offering him such an option would be against the law. Spokesmen for Pacquiao and ABS-CBN could not be reached for comment.



■ GYMNASTICS

US pioneer dies aged 87

Glenn Marlin Sundby, an acrobat who co-founded USA Gymnastics and the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, has died. He was 87. Sundby had been in failing health the past year and was admitted last week to Tri-City Hospital in Vista, California, USA Gymnastics said. He died on Wednesday. “The US gymnastics family has lost one of its pioneers,” USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny said on Thursday. “He was an original, and his lifelong love and passion for gymnastics helped transform the sport into what it is today.” As a high school gymnast, Sundby created a traveling acrobatic act with George Wayne Long that became the Wayne-Marlin Trio when Sundby’s sister, Dolores, joined in 1945. Four years later, Sundby drew national attention by walking down the steps of the Washington Monument on his hands. In 1962, Sundby helped found the US Gymnastics Federation — now USA Gymnastics — and served as its vice president. He also co-founded the US Sports Acrobatics Federation and the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.



■ CYCLING

Schleck out after crash

Saxo Bank’s Frank Schleck has been sidelined with several injuries from a training ride crash, compromising the Luxembourg ace’s chances of being in prime condition for next month’s spring classics. Schleck, the older brother of Tour de France white jersey winner Andy, skidded with his front wheels during a training ride and crashed in a curve going downhill, a team statement said. “Seven stitches on the chin and a heavy contusion on his left wrist was the immediate damage, but further examinations were needed yesterday afternoon at a clinic in Luxembourg to rule out any fractures,” it said. Schleck, who would normally be aiming to be fit for one-day classics such as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, is now scheduled to return to action at the two-day Criterium International in France at the end of this month. “This doesn’t come at a convenient time, since I’m in really good shape after Paris-Nice and I hope to get back into racing as soon as possible,” Schleck said.



■ SOCCER

Gerrard’s charges dropped

Prosecutors dropped accusations of assault against England and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard yesterday but the player will still face a charge of affray over a bar brawl. The Liverpool captain was arrested in the early hours of Dec. 29 after police were called to the Lounge Bar nightclub in Southport, England. Company director Marcus McGee, 34, required hospital treatment after receiving facial injuries in the incident. At Sefton magistrates court yesterday, Gerrard, 28, was told he would no longer face a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm. The incident occurred following Gerrard’s man-of-the-match performance in a 5-1 win over Newcastle United, in which he had scored twice. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has said the club are fully behind Gerrard.



■ BASEBALL

Kawakami’s start delayed

Atlanta Braves right-hander Kenshin Kawakami was scratched from his scheduled spring training start on Thursday because of arm fatigue. Kawakami, the first Japanese player signed by the Braves, is expected to be Atlanta’s No. 2 or No. 3 starter in the rotation behind Derek Lowe when the season begins. “The regular season isn’t here yet, so I wanted to take it easy,” Kawakami said through an interpreter. “Yesterday [Wednesday] something just didn’t feel right. Today, it’s usual. I’m not concerned at all.” Kawakami has pitched in four games this spring, allowing seven runs and 14 hits in 13-and-two-thirds innings. He has a 1.86 ERA in three starts. “He could have pitched today,” Cox said. “So I’m not concerned at all.” Cox said he expected Kawakami to make his next start on Tuesday.



■ HOCKEY

Court rules against Brodeur

Days after breaking the NHL record for wins by a goalie, the Devils’ Martin Brodeur has been dealt an alimony setback by a New Jersey appeals court. The court ruled that Brodeur must pay his ex-wife US$500,000 a year until 2020. A lower court originally awarded Brodeur’s ex-wife, Melanie DuBois, limited alimony. Brodeur appealed, asking that he only be required to pay alimony until he retires, which he estimated to be in 2012. DuBois asked for alimony payments until 2024, when their youngest is anticipated to graduate from college. The court ordered Brodeur to pay alimony until 2020, the year the youngest child graduates from high school.


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