■SOFTBALL
US thrash Australia
Natasha Watley and Jenae Leles drove in three runs each to lead the US to an 11-3 win over Australia on Friday in the Japan Cup softball tournament in Sendai. The Americans took a 9-0 lead over the first three innings before the game was called after the fifth inning under the tournament’s mercy rule. Jennie Finch picked up the win after taking the mound in the second inning and holding the Australians to four hits while walking none in three innings. The US were set to face Taiwan in round robin play yesterday before taking on Japan in a rematch of the gold medal game at the Beijing Olympics, which Japan won 3-1. In an earlier game on Friday, host Japan beat Taiwan 4-0 in its first game of the tournament.
■BASKETBALL
Hansbrough out injured
Indiana Pacers rookie forward Tyler Hansbrough could miss as much as two months with an injured right shin, but the NBA club expects to have him ready for the start of next season. The Pacers announced on Friday that Hansbrough, who hurt his shin last season while leading the University of North Carolina to the US national college crown, is expected to miss six to eight weeks ahead of the upcoming campaign. The team will gather late next month and have workouts and pre-season games throughout October, so the US college star’s fitness could be an issue even though the opening games are about three months away.
■FIGURE SKATING
Kwan to skip 2010 Games
Five-times world champion Michelle Kwan has decided not compete this season and try to earn a spot on the US 2010 Vancouver Olympic team, US Figure Skating said on Friday. Kwan, who has not skated competitively since 2005, said in a statement she would instead attend graduate school, where she will pursue a master’s degree in international affairs. “Skating will always be a part of me,” the 29-year-old skater said in a statement. “But in the bigger picture of my life, I have always wanted to find a career that will allow me to make a positive contribution and difference in the world.”
■WATER POLO
US win second straight gold
The US won its second straight gold medal in women’s water polo at the world championships on Friday, beating Canada 7-6 on Kelly Rulon’s penalty shot with 3:42 left. The Americans have won three of the last four championships at the worlds. They captured the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. “This was not the best game we played,” US coach Adam Krikorian said. “It was not even close to one of our best.” But Rulon scored two goals and Elizabeth Armstrong denied Tara Campbell on a blistering shot by with 17 seconds remaining to preserve the victory. Armstrong stopped 11 shots.
■BOXING
Diaz loses decision to Cayo
Former IBF lightweight champion Julio Diaz lost a unanimous decision to undefeated Victor Cayo in a junior welterweight non-title bout on Friday. Cayo, of the Dominican Republic, frustrated Diaz with fast combinations during the 10-round fight. Early in the fight, the 24-year old Cayo was intent on scoring from the outside as he landed solid left jabs and left hooks to the head. Diaz finally cut punching range in the fifth round and was effective with combinations to the body. But Cayo took Diaz’s best shots from short range and countered with rights to the head. All three judges scored the bout for Cayo, 97-93, 96-94 and 98-92. There were no knockdowns.
■SOCCER
Wolfsburg stroll to easy win
Bundesliga champions VfL Wolfsburg started the season with a comfortable 4-1 win away to third division Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the German Cup on Friday. Brazilian striker Grafite fired Wolfsburg ahead after 25 minutes and Bosnian Zvjezdan Misimovic scored a second four minutes before halftime. Striker Edin Dzeko’s third just after the re-start was immediately followed by a penalty save from Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, who denied Marcel Ziemer. Misimovic’s second goal in the 56th minute secured Wolfsburg coach Armin Veh a debut win with Wehen’s Steffen Bohl grabbing a consolation strike just after the hour mark. Regional league team VfL Lubeck pulled off the night’s major upset with a 2-1 extra-time win over Bundesliga outfit Mainz.
■SOCCER
Gudmundsson is bankrupt
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, the former owner and chairman of English Premier League side West Ham United, has been declared bankrupt, an Icelandic court ruled on Friday. Judges in Reykjavik agreed with Gudmundsson’s argument that he had no reasonable expectation of any future income and did not have sufficient assets to service his debts. “Reykjavik District court has today accepted Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson’s request that his estate be entered into insolvency proceedings,” his spokesman and former West Ham vice chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson said in a statement.
■SOCCER
Marseille sign Heinze
Real Madrid confirmed on Friday that they have reached an agreement with Marseille to sell Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze to the French club. “Real Madrid and Olympique Marseille have reached an agreement to transfer the player, Gabriel Ivan Heinze, to the French club,” Real said in a brief statement which did not mention a transfer fee. Marseille said on Thursday that the 31-year-old international, with a reputation for an aggressive style of play, would join the club for three years once his medical examination and contract details had been completed.
■RUGBY UNION
Aussie coach’s father dies
Australia coach Robbie Deans’ arrival in South Africa was delayed after the death of his father in New Zealand, local media reported yesterday. New Zealander Deans did not travel with the Wallabies team when they left for South Africa on Friday, instead making a dash across the Tasman Sea to see his gravely ill father Anthony. The Press newspaper in Christchurch reported on yesterday that Deans senior had died on Friday, aged 83. Deans was initially expected to leave New Zealand today to rejoin the team tomorrow as they prepare for their Tri-Nations encounter with the Springboks in Cape Town next weekend.
■RUGBY SEVENS
Indian players told to eat up
India’s rugby sevens side must bulk up if they hope to make an impact at next year’s Commonwealth Games, eating seven meals and at least 15 eggs a day, the country’s South African coach said on Friday. “I have told them [the players] they must eat at least 15 eggs a day, six for breakfast and the remaining nine any time, any how, during the day,” coach Norman Laker told the Telegraph newspaper on Friday. “The players have three meals a day and that’s not enough. In South Africa, elite rugby players have seven meals a day.”
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
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