BASKETBALL
China win Championship
China’s men’s basketball team on Saturday beat the Philippines 78-67 in the FIBA Asia Championship final before an ecstatic 7,000-strong capacity home crowd in Changsha, Hunan Province, to secure a place at next year’s Rio Olympics. With Guo Ailun (19 points, 6 rebounds), ex-NBA player Yi Jianlian (11 points, 15 rebounds) and the giant 2.17m-tall 19-year-old Zhou Qi (16 points, 7 rebounds) controlling the match, Gong Luming’s team completed their 11th straight victory of an unbeaten tournament. The Philippines, Iran and Japan advanced to the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournaments where they are to have another shot at reaching Rio. Iran beat Japan 69-63 to take the bronze medal. China’s 27-year-old Yi was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 16.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, while shooting 52.9 percent from the field. Yi headlined the tournament’s All-Star team selections, which also included his pivotal China teammates Guo and Zhou, as well as the Philippines’ Jayson Castro and Iran’s 32-year-old captain Mohammad Samad Nikkhah Bahrami, who scored a tournament-high 35 points in their victory over Japan.
SOCCER
Blatter to quit: daughter
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, facing a criminal investigation as part of soccer’s corruption scandal, is to “definitely not” to continue in his role as head of soccer’s governing body after the election of a new leader in February, his daughter said yesterday. His former public relations adviser, Klaus Stoehlker, last week said that Blatter had not ruled out trying to stay on as head of world soccer beyond the Feb. 26 vote. However, Corinne Blatter-Andenmatten said in an interview published by Swiss newspaper Blick am Sonntag that there was “no way” he would continue, and at some point he would publish his memoirs. “I know he wants to quit, and he will do it,” she said.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Wakefield defeat Bradford
Scott Moore’s try on Saturday, moments after Danny Addy missed a late penalty to level the scores, ensured the Wakefield Wildcats retained their place in the Super League with a 24-16 win over the Bradford Bulls. In a clash dubbed the “Million Pound Game,” Wakefield edged to a 6-0 lead at the break thanks to Danny Kirmond’s converted try. Wakefield’s Anthony Mullally opened the second-half scoring and though Danny Williams, Matty Blythe and Adrian Purtell responded for the Bulls, Danny Washbrook’s 61st-minute try gave the Wildcats enough to cling onto. Addy, who only kicked two conversions from three, missed a tricky penalty from out left before Moore completed Wakefield’s victory.
HORSE RACING
American Pharoah ‘cruising’
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah on Saturday was “just cruising,” trainer Bob Baffert said, as the three-year-old completed his final Santa Anita workout before he ends his stellar career at this month’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. With Martin Garcia on board, American Pharoah breezed through five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on the iconic race track in Arcadia, California, in a workout brought forward by 24 hours because of rain forecast for yesterday. “He looked good,” Hall of Fame trainer Baffert, 62, said. “I have never seen him look bad working. He went around there like he always does, just cruising.” American Pharoah is preparing for the US$5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, which is to be run at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, on Oct. 31.
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and