SOCCER
Porto finish undefeated
Champions Porto became the first team in 33 years to complete a Portuguese Premier League season undefeated by beating Maritimo 2-0 away on Saturday thanks to goals by winger Silvestre Varela and Brazilian striker Walter. Porto clinched their 25th title last month and completed the season with 84 points after 27 wins and three draws. They face compatriots Braga in the Europa League final on Wednesday and are also in next weekend’s Portuguese Cup final. Portugal international Varela fired Porto ahead after being put through by Colombia midfielder Fredy Guarin on 21 minutes and Walter headed in the second in the 32nd.
GOLF
McDowell, Watney lead
Britain’s Graeme McDowell and Nick Watney of the US share the lead on 11-under at the Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, after a rain-delayed Saturday, but the battle for the ‘fifth major’ remains wide open. The pair completed just five holes of their third round after a four-and-a-half hour delay at TPC Sawgrass owing to a heavy thunder storm. US Open champion McDowell, of Northern Ireland, and Watney, winner of March’s World Golf Championship tournament at Doral, were to come back at 7:45am yesterday to complete the 13 remaining holes before taking a break and coming back in the afternoon for their fourth round.
GOLF
Wood extends Iberdrola lead
England’s Chris Wood extended his lead at the Iberdrola Open in Mallorca, Spain, to four shots after Saturday’s third round to take a huge step toward a maiden European Tour title. Wood, 23, carded a 69 at the Pula Golf Club, to stand at nine under, but he was to start yesterday’s final round with Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke and Jose Maria Olazabal breathing down his neck. Clarke is four shots off the pace, along with Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who matched Gregory Bourdy’s course record of 63 from the opening round.
RUGBY UNION
Leicester beat Northampton
Reigning champions Leicester reached the English Premiership final after an 11-3 playoff semi-final win over Northampton on Saturday denied the European Cup finalists a possible double. However, the Tigers were fortunate to finish with 15 men after teenage center Manu Tuilagi landed a crunching right hook on Chris Ashton, the England wing. Both players were yellow-carded for their roles in the incident, one of several flashpoints in a fiery East Midlands derby. A late try from Alesana Tuilagi, Manu’s older brother, and two Toby Flood penalties saw Leicester into a May 28 Twickenham final against either Saracens or Gloucester. However, Manu Tuilagi could miss the match, which will see Leicester bidding for a second hat-trick of Premiership titles, if his punch gets him banned.
SWIMMING
Wu Peng beats Phelps
China’s Wu Peng surged past US Olympic star Michael Phelps in the final 50m on Saturday to win the 200m butterfly at the Charlotte UltraSwim long course meeting in North Carolina. Wu won in 1:56.83, while Phelps settled for second in 1:58.22. Wu couldn’t match his season’s best of 1:56.62, but he had the satisfaction of notching another victory over Phelps, who reigned in the 200m fly for nearly a decade. Wu’s victory at the Michigan Grand Prix last month — in a race in which Phelps finished fourth — marked the 14-time Olympic gold medalist’s first defeat in the event since 2002.
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