MOTO GP
Stoner takes pole position
Casey Stoner took pole position ahead of new champion Jorge Lorenzo for the final race of this year’s MotoGP season, with a sizzling lap in qualifying on Saturday in Valencia, Spain. The Australian was the only rider to break the 1 minute 32 second barrier, rounding in 1 minute 31.799, with Lorenzo of Spain in second. Stoner’s fourth pole of the campaign came after he suffered an early runoff in qualifying and puts him in a strong position to finish his four-year stint with Ducati on a high before switching to Honda for next season. Lorenzo, who wrapped up the world title in Malaysia last month, is gunning for his first ever win in any class in Valencia.
HORSE RACING
Blame swipes first place
Zenyatta’s bid to end her career unbeaten was denied by the narrowest of margins on Saturday as Blame edged the superstar mare to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in Louisville, Kentucky. With Mike Smith in the irons, Zenyatta delivered her trademark closing run, moving from dead last to challenge for the victory, but this time there was no dramatic triumph at the wire. Garrett Gomez piloted Blame to the front in the middle of the stretch, then held on to deny Zenyatta a second straight Classic victory and a third Breeders’ Cup victory overall. She won the Ladies’ Classic in 2008. Fly Down was third.
FENCING
Won wins gold at world’s
South Korean fencer Won Woo-young made history on Saturday when he became the first non-European man to win the saber gold at the world championships. The 28-year-old, the world bronze medalist in 2006, dominated defending champion Nicolas Limbach of Germany 15-9 to seal his country’s first world fencing title. After beating Italy’s Luigi Tarantino in the quarter-finals, Won gained in confidence, giving Limbach no chance in the final. Two-time Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis of the US successfully defended her women’s saber title earlier on Saturday.
SOCCER
Rooney effigy burns
After letting down the nation, England striker Wayne Rooney has gone up in smoke. An effigy of the 24-year-old Rooney was burned on Saturday in the southern town of Edenbridge as part of annual bonfire celebrations in England, where he was still blamed for underperforming at the World Cup. England crashed out of South Africa in the second round and Rooney was forced to apologize after one match for shouting into a TV camera: “Nice to see your home fans boo you. That’s what loyal support is.” Manchester United followers also haven’t forgiven him after the star striker last month threaten to leave the club, blaming its lack of ambition before signing a new five-year deal.
SOCCER
Police gas soccer game
A Czech soccer league game was suspended for 20 minutes on Saturday after players and spectators were inadvertently tear-gassed by the police, the CTK news agency reported. The incident occurred 17 minutes into a game between Banik Ostrava and league leaders Viktoria Pilsen in the eastern city of Ostrava. The agency said a group of Ostrava fans boycotting home games and watching the match from a bank outside the stadium clashed with police, who used tear gas to disperse them, but a gust of wind blew the gas onto the pitch and the players had to be escorted off the field, with the score at 0-0. The game resumed after 20 minutes, with Viktoria Pilsen winning 2-0.
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