BIKING
Olympian killed in accident
South African Olympic mountain biker and former age-group world champion Burry Stander was killed in a road accident while training near his 25. The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee confirmed the two-time Olympian’s death and said the country’s leading mountain biker died after a collision with a taxi in the Kwazulu-Natal Province on South Africa’s east coast. Stander competed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and came fifth last year in the mountain bike race at the London Games. He was also a former under-19 and under-23 world champion and South Africa’s biggest star in the sport and one of the world’s top riders.
SOCCER
Lampard to leave Chelsea
Frank Lampard will definitely leave Chelsea at the end of the season, the England international’s agent confirmed on Thursday, but he will not be tempted to see out his career in China. The 34-year-old Lampard is into the final months of his contract with the European champions and a new deal has yet to be agreed. “At the moment, Frank is only thinking of the present. As far as the future is concerned, the only thing that is certain is that his team will change at the end of the season,” agent Steve Kutner told www.Cittaceleste.it. “Frank wants to play for a great team, fight for important goals and win other trophies. A player of his caliber should continue playing at the highest level. Serie A could be more than just a possibility.”
GOLF
McIlroy mulls 2016 Olympics
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy said on Thursday that he may sit out the 2016 Olympics to avoid a storm over the sensitivities of playing for either Britain or Ireland. The 23-year-old McIlroy, who is from Holywood in Northern Ireland, would be eligible for selection by either Great Britain or Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when golf makes its Olympic Games debut. However, he told the BBC that he may skip the tournament as he does not want to offend either country. “I just think being from where we’re from, we’re placed in a very difficult position,” said McIlroy, the reigning USPGA champion. “I feel Northern Irish and obviously being from Northern Ireland you have a connection to Ireland and a connection to the UK. If I could and there was a Northern Irish team I’d play for Northern Ireland. Play for one side or the other — or not play at all because I may upset too many people. Those are my three options I’m considering very carefully.”
ICE HOCKEY
Devils under new ownership
New Jersey Devils majority owner Jeff Vanderbeek completed a refinancing of the team’s debt on Thursday, assuming full control of the National Hockey League club. Vanderbeek, a former Lehman Brothers executive who purchased the team in 2004, made the announcement as NHL officials and locked out players were meeting in New York trying to thrash out a new collective bargaining agreement in an effort to keep the entire 2012 to 2013 season from being canceled. Players have been locked out since mid-September last year and the league has canceled games through Jan. 14, more than 50 percent of the regular season which was scheduled to start in October. “Today’s announcement is good news for Devils fans though I fully recognize fans’ frustration with the work stoppage,” Vanderbeek said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care