■ 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.
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
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was