OLYMPICS
National Stadium sent off
Japanese sports fans bid an emotional farewell to Tokyo’s National Stadium on Saturday with a lavish ceremony to close the venue before demolition begins in July. The stadium, built to host the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, will be dismantled over 15 months and replaced on the same site with a new US$1.6 billion venue to stage the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympics. A day of spectacular laser shows, fireworks, sports and music brought the curtain down on the 56-year-old stadium, before fans were invited onto the pitch to snap photographs, lift replica trophies and loll around barefoot once the proceedings were over. There were misty eyes among the 36,000-strong crowd as the Olympic flame perched atop the back stand finally went out for good. “I was in my first year at Waseda University when the Olympics came to Tokyo, and my college friend Yoshinori Sakai lit the flame at the stadium,” 69-year-old Tsuyoshi Hirata said on the stadium’s concourse. “When I saw Sakai light the flame, I felt so happy. I felt like Japan had recovered from the war.”
SOCCER
Suarez in World Cup squad
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, recuperating from knee surgery, figured in Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez’s 23-player World Cup squad announced on Saturday. Suarez required an operation nine days ago to repair damage to the meniscus in his left knee, but is optimistic of recovering in time for the finals in Brazil. The 27-year-old — who is set to clash with several of his Liverpool teammates, including Steven Gerrard, as Uruguay has been drawn with England, Italy and Costa Rica — had the surgery after suffering an injury in training. “Things with Luis will depend on how things go with his knee,” Tabarez said last week. Missing from the list were midfielders Sebastian Eguren and Alejandro Silva, this pair culled from Tabarez’s provisional squad of 25.
BOXING
Soliman takes Sturm’s title
Sam Soliman of Australia won the IBF middleweight title on Saturday with a unanimous decision over Felix Sturm of Germany. A hard-working fighter with an unorthodox style, Soliman was the more active boxer throughout the bout and kept coming at the champion for the entire 12 rounds, never letting up. “He won, clearly,” Sturm said after the fight. “He kept moving, he was hard to hit.” Sturm may have landed the bigger punches, but there were too few of them. Soliman frustrated Sturm with his constant movement and Sturm appeared lost for answers. “I wanted to take the fight to him,” Soliman said. Soliman won with a big margin on all three cards. One judge had him the winner with a score of 117-111, while the other two scored it 118-110. Sturm hit Soliman with a couple of big rights in the ninth round, the only time he seemed to come close to stopping the Australian, but Soliman recovered quickly and stayed true to his relentless style.
SOCCER
Deportivo back in La Liga
Former Champions League semi-finalists Deportivo La Coruna won promotion back to the Spanish La Liga on Saturday after defeating Jaen 1-0 in second-division action on the penultimate day of the season. Defender Carlos Marchena, who won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup with Spain, was the hero with the only goal of the match at the Riazor Stadium. Deportivo, who won their only Spanish title in 2000 and reached the 2004 Champions League semi-finals, now stand on 69 points and six ahead of the third-placed team, with one match to play.
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