VOLLEYBALL
Brazil to play for third title
Brazil will play for a third consecutive world volleyball championship against Cuba after beating host Italy in the semi-finals in Rome on Saturday. Brazil won 25-15, 25-22, 23-25, 25-17 in its bid to become the second team to win three straight world titles. Italy won in 1990, 1994 and 1998. The Soviet Union won a record six titles. Victory in yesterday’s final would add to a remarkable run for Brazil. As well as the 2002 and 2006 world titles, the South Americans won the Olympic gold in 2004 and silver in 2008. Top-ranked Brazil earned its 12th straight win over Italy since 2003 with a focused effort in front of a sellout crowd of more than 12,000 in the PalaLottomatica. Vissotto topscored for Brazil with 24 points, while Alessandro Dei scored 20 in Italy’s first loss of the tournament.
EQUESTRIAN
Belgian wins championship
Belgium’s Philippe Le Jeune won the individual show jumping championship on Saturday at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, with a flawless run. Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al Sharbatly was second and Canada’s Eric Lamaze finished third. Four competitors took part in the final, which has a unique format for this level of competition. All riders were required to jump the course four times. They competed on their own mounts first, and then rode each of their competitors’ horses. Le Jeune was the only person to post four clear rounds. Al Sharbatly finished the night with eight faults, while Lamaze had nine. The fourth competitor, Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa, had 12.
IRONMAN
Aussie takes second win
Australia’s Chris McCormack won the Ironman World Championship for the second time in four years in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on Saturday, finishing the 226.3km triathlon in eight hours, 10 minutes, 37 seconds. The 37-year-old McCormack held off a late challenge from Germany’s Andreas Raelert, with the two running side by side into the final kilometers of the marathon following a 3.9km swim and 180k bike ride. Raelert was second in eight hours, 12 minutes, 17 seconds. Belgium’s Marino Vanhoenacker finished third in eight hours, 13 minutes, 14 seconds.
AUTO RACING
Banned driver injured
Shane Hmiel, banned for life from NASCAR in 2006 after failing three drug tests, was critically injured on Saturday during qualifying for the US Auto Racing Club’s (USAC) Silver Crown race at Terre Haute Action Track in Indiana. The USAC said the 30-year-old Hmiel, from Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, was airlifted to Indianapolis’ Methodist Hospital, where he was in critical condition with head injuries. “We are very concerned about Shane and offer our resources and our support to his family during this time of healing,” USAC president and CEO Kevin Miller said. Hmiel’s father, Steve, is director of competition for NASCAR’s Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
AUTO RACING
Holden wins Bathurst 1000
Holden drivers Craig Lowndes and Mark Scaife won Australia’s premier motor race, the Bathurst 1000, beating Jamie Winchup and Steve Owen in the first one-two finish by teammates since 1984. Lowndes won the 1,000km endurance race for the fifth time and Scaife for the sixth, beating the fellow TeamVodafone Holden combination of Jamie Whincup and Steve Owen by 0.173 seconds. Garth Tander and Cameron McConville of the Holden Dealer Team were third, a further second behind.
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
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
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely