HORSE RACING
Black Caviar retired
Champion mare Black Caviar, widely considered the world’s greatest sprinter, was retired yesterday after 25 consecutive race wins, trainer Peter Moody announced in Sydney, Australia. “We thought long and hard about racing on, but believe she has done everything we asked of her and felt it was the right time to call time on her wonderful career,” Moody said. “She’s in great shape and that’s the way we wanted her to bow out. Black Caviar, considered by many experts to be the best sprinter the world has ever seen, beat a cracking international field in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes over 1,200m at England’s Royal Ascot in June last year. She won her final race in Sydney last weekend and will now begin a lucrative breeding career, with her foals potentially worth millions of dollars. Last week, her half-brother sold at auction for A$5 million (US$5.2 million), A$2 million above estimates. “She brought interest to our sport that hasn’t been there for decades,” Moody said.
AUTO RACING
Driver in Tasmania rally dies
Police and race officials say a driver aged in his 70s died yesterday after a single-car accident on the first day of the six-day Tasmania Rally. Tasmania Police said the navigator in the same car was taken to a Hobart hospital from the scene of the accident at Exton in the northwest region of the island state. The race’s 200-car field was due to compete in several later stages before finishing in Launceston. The rally has 40 stages over 600km. The fatality is the second in the Tasmanian leg, which began in 1992. In 1996, Ian Johnson died.
RUGBY UNION
Mitchell to leave Australia
Wallaby winger Drew Mitchell will leave Australian rugby at the end of this year’s Test season to take up a two-year contract with French side Toulon. The Australian Rugby Union said yesterday that the 63-Test veteran, who currently plays with the Super 15’s New South Wales Waratahs, had decided not to sign a new contract. Later yesterday, the 29-year-old Mitchell confirmed he had signed a deal with Toulon and would join former Wallaby Matt Giteau at the French Top 14 club. “I just feel it’s the right time for me,” Mitchell said. “It’s a great opportunity to experience a different culture, to challenge myself in a different environment.” The ARU said Mitchell remains available for the three-Test British and Irish Lions tour in June and July and the Rugby Championship later in the year. His contract expires on Dec. 31. Mitchell, who made his Super rugby debut in 2004 with Queensland, is Australia’s second-highest Rugby World Cup try scorer with 10, equal with David Campese and one behind Chris Latham.
RUGBY UNION
Beale charge dropped
Police have dropped an assault charge against Australian rugby fullback Kurtley Beale after he reached an agreement through mediation with his alleged victim. Beale faced a Brisbane court in July last year, after allegations he hit a hotel bouncer the morning before an Australia-Wales Test in June last year. He faced one count of common assault, but Brisbane Magistrates Court was told yesterday that the parties had reached an agreement out of court and the charge was dropped. Beale, who was not in court yesterday, agreed to an indefinite break from rugby late last month and is undergoing counseling after being sent home from South Africa for fighting with two Melbourne Rebels teammates after a Super 15 match. His status for the Wallabies for the upcoming British and Irish Lions tour is uncertain.
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