BASEBALL
Mexico eliminates Taiwan
Catcher Raul Leon drove in five runs with a homer and a single as Mexico eliminated Taipei, Taiwan with an 11-1 victory in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday at the Little League World Series. Mexico will face Japan or Venezuela, who are both unbeaten and were to play yesterday. Leon drove in only one run during Mexico’s first three games. He homered in the first inning for a 3-0 lead, spreading his arms in celebration as he rounded the bases. In the second inning, he came up with the bases loaded and singled sharply to center field for two more runs during a four-run rally. Mexico second baseman Andres Villa made the highlight reels when he scooped a grounder with his glove to the shortstop to start a double play in the second inning. Villa hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Ernesto Rios followed with a solo shot to end it.
OLYMPICS
Japan offers no guarantee
Japan are unable to guarantee they will meet an International Olympic Committee (IOC) deadline to complete work on the new National Stadium in time for the 2020 Games. IOC vice president John Coates, on a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday, asked Japan to deliver the stadium by January 2020 ahead of the Games, which are scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 9. Japanese Minister of Olympics Toshiaki Endo said the deadline, set so the venue can host necessary test events prior to the Games, would be tough to meet.
OLYMPICS
LA projects US$161m surplus
After anxiety over taxpayer costs helped cripple Boston’s 2024 Olympic bid, organizers in potential stand-in Los Angeles disclosed a budget on Tuesday that shows the city holding a US$161 million surplus after staging events from Santa Monica beaches to the Hollywood Hills. Los Angeles, which hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics, is viewed as the likely replacement for Boston’s failed bid because the city’s many existing venues could help keep costs low. The Los Angeles plan projects spending US$4.1 billion; Boston’s budget was about US$4.6 billion, but billions more could have been needed for construction, security and other costs.
FOOTBALL
Steelers sign Michael Vick
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed quarterback Michael Vick to a one-year deal, the team announced on Tuesday. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the veteran is expected to act as back-up to Pro Bowl signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger. The 35-year-old Vick spent last season with the New York Jets, but was used sparingly behind the impressive Geno Smith. A No. 1 overall draft pick for the Atlanta Falcons in 2001, Vick lit up the NFL as a dynamic runner and passer before missing two seasons because of a prison sentence for federal gambling and dog fighting charges. Vick, who returned from his hiatus to spend five seasons at the Philadelphia Eagles, has since redefined his career as a veteran locker room presence.
RUGBY UNION
NZ Rugby re-sign Smith
Scrumhalf Aaron Smith has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby for the next four years, joining a group of younger players who will carry the All Blacks forward when senior players retire after this year’s World Cup. The 26-year-old Smith, who has played 41 Tests and is New Zealand’s first-choice scrumhalf, joins winger Julian Savea, lock Brodie Retallick and hooker Dane Coles in signing deals that continue through the 2019 World Cup.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
HSIEH MAKES QUARTERS: Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens of Belgium won in the women’s doubles and face Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin of the US Top-ranked Iga Swiatek and US Open champion Coco Gauff were knocked out of the women’s singles at the Miami Open on Monday, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced in the women’s doubles. Swiatek lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-2, hours after third seed Gauff fell in three sets to No. 23 Caroline Garcia 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Alexandrova beat a top-ranked player for the first time and advanced to face Jessica Pegula, a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 winner over Emma Navarro, in the quarter-finals. Alexandrova recorded her second win over Swiatek, following a 2021 victory in Melbourne. Swiatek had won their three matches since. “We played quite