WEIGHTLIFTING
Women nab Olympic spots
After nine days of competition at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships and Olympic Qualification Event in Paris, Taiwan’s female weightlifters won three slots in next year’s Olympic Games in London. The three places were awarded based on scores accumulated by Chinese Taipei women weightlifters in the Olympic qualifiers or IWF competitions this year and last year. Ten Taiwanese athletes —- five women and five men — took part in the competition in the hope of qualifying for the Olympics. Taiwan ranked 11th among the 100 nations taking part in the event. The Taiwanese male weightlifters failed to qualify. However, coach Liu Rung-chang said it was not too late for other Chinese Taipei weightlifters to prepare to gain wild card entry to the Olympics, which could happen if they perform well at the Asian Championships in the spring.
ICE HOCKEY
Russia wins Karjala Cup
Evgeny Kuznetsov won the Karjala Cup for Russia when he scored with 10 seconds remaining to secure a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic on Sunday. The victory gave Russia an unassailable eight points in the four-nation tournament. Finland took second on four points despite losing 4-3 to Sweden in Sunday’s final game. The Czech Republic finished third because of its victory against Sweden, with both teams on three points. Against Russia, the Czechs opened the scoring with a power-play goal from Petr Nedved at 7:27 of the second period. Aleksandr Radulov equalized at 14:33 of the third. It was Radulov’s fifth goal in three games, but the night belonged to Kuznetsov, who at 19 is the youngest member of the Russian team.
RUGBY UNION
Edwards sticks with Wales
England, still reeling from the fallout of a dismal World Cup campaign, suffered a fresh setback on Sunday when Shaun Edwards rejected their approaches and opted to remain a member of Wales’ coaching staff. The Welsh Rugby Union announced that former Great Britain rugby league international Edwards, himself an Englishman, had signed a new deal that would see him stay on as Wales’s defense coach for at least four more years. The deal rules Edwards out of joining England’s backroom staff up to and including the 2015 World Cup, to be hosted by England. Edwards had been “on the market” since leaving his role as a coach of English Premiership side Wasps just two weeks ago after his previous Wales deal expired at the end of the World Cup, where Wales reached the semi-finals, last month in New Zealand.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Kangaroos trounce Dragons
Australia five-eighth Cooper Cronk grabbed a hat-trick as the Kangaroos overcame a sluggish start to beat Wales 56-14 in their warm-up for next week’s Four Nations final with England. Tim Sheens’s troops were stunned early on as the Dragons scored twice through Rhys Williams and Elliot Kear and kept Australia scoreless for 25 minutes on Sunday. However, when Australia captain Cameron Smith touched down shortly afterward the floodgates opened and the Kangaroos ran in 10 tries — Cronk bagging two before the half and a third with 11 minutes remaining. Johnathan Thurston added 20 points courtesy of eight goals and a try as Australia ensured they headed into the Saturday final at Elland Road in Leeds, England, with a perfect tournament record of three wins from as many matches.
CRICKET
Roebuck probed before fall
Renowned cricket writer Peter Roebuck plunged to his death from a hotel window in South Africa after being questioned by police about an alleged sexual assault, his employer said yesterday. The English-born Roebuck, 55, died on Saturday night. South African police confirmed he committed suicide and the Australian newspaper group he worked for, Fairfax Media, said he fell to his death from the Southern Sun Hotel in Cape Town. The media group said his death followed questioning by the police’s sexual crimes unit about an alleged sexual assault. Fairfax said Roebuck was agitated and asked a fellow cricket journalist for help. “Can you come down to my room quickly? I’ve got a problem,” he said and asked for help to find a lawyer. Minutes later, Roebuck fell to his death from a window. Fairfax said it was believed a uniformed police officer was in the room at the time. South African police said an inquest had been opened.
RALLYING
Latvala wins in Wales
Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland took advantage of the retirement of newly crowned champion Sebastien Loeb to cruise to victory in the Wales Rally GB on Sunday, the Ford driver’s first win of the year. Loeb was looking to celebrate the clinching of his eighth straight title by winning the season-ending race for the fourth successive year, but the Frenchman’s hopes perished when he was forced to withdraw early on the final day following a head-on collision with another car. Latvala, who started 6.1 seconds ahead of Loeb, just needed to keep his head to secure Ford’s third win of the season and he came home 3 minutes, 42 seconds ahead of teammate Mads Ostberg of Norway.
MOTOR SPORT
Falaschi killed in crash
Argentine driver Guido Falaschi has been killed in a crash at the Juan Manuel Fangio circuit during the final lap of a race in the most popular motor sport competition in the South American country. Race officials and a doctor confirmed the death on Sunday of the 22-year-old Falaschi in the event known as the Turismo de Carretera. The accident took place when Falaschi lost control, hit a retaining wall made of tires, swerved back onto the track and was struck by a car driven by Nestor Girolami. Girolami was reported to be in stable condition at a local hospital.
SOCCER
Player dies during match
Fifth-tier Belgian club Merksem SC said one of its players died during a match. Merksem said Bobsam Elejiko collapsed during a provincial league game against Kaart on Sunday and attempts to resuscitate the Nigerian-born Belgian were unsuccessful. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Merksem said in a statement on their Web site that “we express our condolences to the Elejiko family during this difficult time.” The 30-year-old Elejiko had previously played for Westerlo and Antwerp, among other teams. The match was abandoned after Elejiko’s death.
SWIMMING
Phelps picks up fifth gold
Michael Phelps won his fifth gold medal and topped the male points table on the final day of the Minneapolis Grand Prix on Sunday. Phelps won the 200m individual medley in 1 minute, 57.58 seconds, finishing almost 4 seconds ahead of second-placed Darian Townsend. Phelps also won the 100m and 200m butterfly, as well as the 200m freestyle and the 100m backstroke during the three-day meet at the University of Minnesota.
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