■PARALYMPICS
Japan grab first gold medal
Cross-country skier Yoshihiro Nitta gave Japan their first gold medal of the Paralympics on Thursday when he won the 10km classic (standing) in a time of 26 minutes, 29.5 seconds. The 29-year-old, who was 10th in the 3km biathlon, finished ahead of Kirill Mikhaylov of Russia, who won the 20km event, and Ukraine’s Grygorii Vovchynskyi. Until Thursday, Japan had won three bronze medals at the Games, all in Alpine skiing. “I have dreamed of this moment for the last year and this season I had imagined this victory every day before going to sleep,” said Nitta, the skipper of Japan’s team who had his right arm amputated when he was three after it was caught in a rice-shelling machine. Meanwhile, Canada’s Brian McKeever won his second gold medal of the Games when he clinched victory in the 10km cross-country for the visually impaired. McKeever, with brother Robin as his guide, won in a time of 26 minutes, 1.6 seconds to add to his win in the 20km event. Norway’s Helge Flo was second, with Nikolay Polukhin of Russia taking bronze. It was McKeever’s sixth career gold medal and ninth in total.
■SURF LIFESAVING
Teen dies at championships
A teenage surf lifesaver has died during the Australian championships, apparently when hit by his own surf ski in rough seas. Surf Life Saving Australia said yesterday that Saxon Bird of Sydney died after going missing late in the morning on Kurrawa Beach in an under-19 competition. Paramedics resuscitated Bird on the beach, but he died several hours later in hospital. The championships were suspended. Robert Gatenby, a 15-year-old,drowned at the 1996 nationals at the same beach when a cyclone hit. Yesterday, Cyclone Ului was creating strong rip tides and up to 2m waves.
■ICE HOCKEY
Wisniewski suspended
Anaheim Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski has been suspended for eight games for hitting Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook in the head, the NHL said on Thursday. The incident occurred late in the second period of Anaheim’s 4-2 victory on Wednesday. Wisniewski was given a minor penalty for charging and a dazed Seabrook was forced from the game. Wisniewski, 26, was suspended for two games in November for a wicked hit on Phoenix right wing Shane Doan.
■BASEBALL
Manager admits drug use
A day after acknowledging he failed a drug test for cocaine last year, Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington said he used marijuana and amphetamines while he was a player. Washington calls his past drug use a “youthful error.” He did not detail on Thursday how often he used those drugs. Washington says his mistakes from years ago have nothing to do with the situation now.
■BASEBALL
Mets head to Puerto Rico
The New York Mets will face the Florida Marlins in a three-game series in Puerto Rico in June, Major League Baseball (MLB) said on Thursday. Florida will be considered the home team for the series, to be played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan from June 28 to June 30. Bithorn Stadium hosted MLB’s Opening Day game in 2001 when the Toronto Blue Jays played the Texas Rangers. The Mets are no strangers to playing outside the US, having faced San Diego in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1996 and the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo in 2000.
■SOCCER
Riera slams ‘sinking ship’
Spanish international Albert Riera says he is considering leaving Liverpool, which he likened to a “sinking ship” under manager Rafael Benitez, because of the lack of time he gets on the field. “I would like to be here for the rest of my career, but players live to play. My objective is to go to the World Cup and for this I have to play,” he said during an interview on Thursday with Spain’s Radio Marca. “Right now the only market open is the Russian one, I have offers from two teams and, looking at my situation, that has made me reflect a lot.” The 27-year-old has made just two appearances for the club since January, both of which were in the Europa League. “When you stop counting on me in this way, it has to be something personal, that is the way things are,” he said. “If I’m doing something badly and you are my boss, and you value me, then you are going to come and tell me what I must to do to play again. This is what hurts me. I have been here two years and I know how he [Benitez] is. He has never sorted out a situation with a player by talking with him. He thinks he’s in charge and everything else falls on deaf ears. His dialogue with the players is practically nil.”
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