SPEED SKATING
Bergsma leads Dutch sweep
Jorrit Bergsma led the Netherlands sweep in the men’s 10,000m at the World Cup in Heerenveen, Netherlands, on Saturday, edging national champion Bob de Jong in 12 minutes, 50.33 seconds. Compatriot Bob de Vries clocked 13 minutes, 3.41 seconds to finish third. Finland’s Pekka Koskela finished in 35.01 seconds to claim the 500m ahead of Japan’s Joji Kato and the Netherlands’ Jesper Hospes, who earned his first career podium finish. In the women’s 1,500m, Canadian skater Christine Nesbitt successfully renewed her rivalry with Irene Wust, finishing first in 1 minute, 55.68 seconds. Wust, backed by the home crowd, came second in 1 minute, 57.15 seconds. Russia’s Yekaterina Shikhova took bronze.
SAILING
Tunnicliffe wins all races
World No. 1 Anna Tunnicliffe of the US and her crew won all three of their first-day races in women’s match-racing at the world sailing championships in Fremantle, Australia, on Saturday. In difficult conditions in Fremantle’s inner harbor, crews faced a morning of hot easterlies and then cooler mid-afternoon sea breezes, which delayed the races while the course was moved away from shore. Silja Lehtinen of Finland and Australia’s Nicky Souter also had opening-day victories.
RUGBY UNION
England defend Dubai title
England defended their Dubai Sevens rugby union title by beating surprise finalists France 29-12 on Saturday. England, who beat world series titleholders New Zealand and series leaders Fiji en route to the final, broke open a tight match in the first half when Mat Turner scored two tries within a minute, the last as time expired. England went to the break up 24-7. France pulled a try back with Renaud Delmas’ second, but England’s defense was too good. It was a stark turnaround from a week ago in the series opener on the Gold Coast, where England lost in the quarter-finals. England improved to second in the series standings, seven points behind leaders Fiji, who beat Argentina for third place 26-21 in extra time. France, New Zealand and South Africa were tied for third.
FOOTBALL
Lions’ Suh unhurt in crash
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who is serving a two-game suspension after appearing to stomp on a Green Bay Packers player, lost control of his car and crashed into a tree early on Saturday morning, but was not injured, police said. Suh, 24, was driving a 1970 Chevrolet Coupe when he tried to go around a stopped taxi, Portland police spokesman Sergeant Pete Simpson said. He lost control, causing the vehicle’s back end to spin out, and the car hit a curb, a tree, a water fountain and a light pole, police said. Drugs and alcohol played no role in the crash, a police statement said.
VOLLEYBALL
Russia triumph at World Cup
Russia stormed back from match points down to defeat Poland and win the men’s World Cup tournament in Tokyo yesterday, also ensuring qualification for next summer’s London Olympics.
Russia, who won the title in 1999, were down at 10-14 in the final set before scoring a 25-23, 23-25, 25-22, 17-25, 17-15 victory. Russia, also four-time champions as the former Soviet Union, finished with a 10-1 record for 29 points, beating Poland into second place with an 8-3 record on 26 points. Poland’s second-place finish mean they, too, will be in London for the Olympics next year.
SOCCER
Mechelen pegged back
Taiwan international Xavier Chen’s KV Mechelen let a two-goal lead slip on Saturday as Lierse SK rallied to grab a point in the Belgian Jupiler League. Mechelen went ahead after five minutes when Julien Gorius scored from the penalty spot and Alessandro Cordaro doubled the visitors’ lead in the 53rd minute. The hosts grabbed one back in the 64th minute, when Mohamed Elgabas converted a penalty and substitute Flavio Amado sealed a share of the points with a stoppage-time equalizer. Mechelen have 16 points from 16 games and they sit 11th in the table.
BOXING
Klitschko ‘recovering well’
Wladimir Klitschko’s promoter Bernd Boente said the WBA and IBF heavyweight champion was recovering well after undergoing an operation to remove a kidney stone. Boente told German news agency dapd that Klitschko could leave a Duesseldorf hospital and move to a hotel after the surgery on Saturday. Klitschko is due to fight French challenger Jean-Marc Mormeck in Duesseldorf on Saturday, and Boente said the bout was still on — as long as there were no further complications. Klitschko suffered abdominal pains at his training camp in Austria on Friday, when the 35-year-old was taken to Innsbruck for initial treatment before being transferred to Duesseldorf.
SOCCER
Socrates dies in hospital
Former Brazil World Cup captain Socrates died in hospital yesterday at the age of 57, Brazilian media reported, citing hospital sources. Socrates had been in the Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital in Sao Paulo since Thursday when he was hospitalized with food poisoning, which developed into septic shock, and had been on a life support machine, the daily O Estado said on its Web site. It was the third time Socrates had been taken to hospital since August, when he spent nine days there because of a digestive hemorrhage caused by excessive drinking. Socrates, who played for Brazil at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, spent another 17 days in the hospital in September with liver trouble and had been recommended a transplant.
SOCCER
Anelka, Alex to transfer
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas said former France striker Nicolas Anelka and Brazil defender Alex have had transfer requests accepted by the Premier League club and will be free to leave next month. Villas-Boas said on Saturday “their professionalism and integrity is never in question, but on recent results and form ... we have decided to assign different training times for them.” Anelka has been marginalized from the first team following the signing last season of Spain striker Fernando Torres and the development of young England forward Daniel Sturridge.
GOLF
Kennedy sinks 30-footer
Australian Brad Kennedy sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with compatriot Craig Parry to complete a start-to--finish win at the New Zealand Open in Christchurch yesterday. Kennedy, the highest-ranked player at the tournament, had been the leader or co-leader through the first three rounds. He took a three-stroke advantage into the final round, but shot a 74 to finish in a share of the lead at 7-under 281. Parry had four birdies to open up a two-shot lead coming to the 18th, but he found water off the tee and double-bogeyed to allow Kennedy to draw level.
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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