CYCLING
Keukeleire claims stage 12
Belgium’s Jens Keukeleire outsprinted France’s Maxime Bouet and Italian Fabio Felline to win the 12th stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Thursday as Nairo Quintana maintained his overall lead over Chris Froome. Britain’s Tour de France champion Froome won stage 11 to move within 54 seconds of Colombia’s Quintana in the overall standings, but the pair finished with the same time in Thursday’s 193.2km ride from Los Corrales de Buelna to Bilbao. Froome is aiming to become the first man in 38 years to win the Vuelta and Tour de France in the same season. Keukeleire handed the Orica-BikeExchange team their second stage victory in this year’s Vuelta with a perfectly timed surge in the final stretch to pip his rivals.
RUGBY
Strauss to retire from Tests
Springbok captain Adriaan Strauss on Thursday announced that he would retire from Test rugby at the end of the season. The 30-year-old became the 57th South African captain in June, taking over from Jean de Villiers, who retired after the World Cup in England. Strauss said that when he was appointed he had informed coach Allister Coetzee that he might retire this year. “The plan was for me to serve and lead a team in transition ... but back then I already told him that I was thinking of retiring at the end of the season,” he said in a statement. Strauss made his Springbok Test debut in 2008 against Australia in Perth and received 57 caps. “I believe the time is right to start giving more opportunities to this new generation, and I’m happy to be used in any way the coach sees fit,” he added.
BASEBALL
Cubs keep winning
Addison Russell hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to lead the surging Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 win over the sagging San Francisco Giants in their MLB match on Thursday night. The Cubs spoiled a shaky Jeff Samardzija’s return to Wrigley Field and started the month on a winning note after going 22-6 to match the 1932 team for the best August in franchise history. The MLB leaders also moved a season-high 39 games over .500 and 15.5 games ahead of St Louis in the NL Central — their largest lead in the standings since the 1907 team finished 17 games ahead of Pittsburgh, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Samardzija lasted just four innings, giving up three runs and five hits, in his first start as a visitor at the famed ballpark since being traded by the Cubs, and the Giants’ bullpen gave away the lead in the seventh.
FOOTBALL
Kaepernick protest continues
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt with his arms folded during the performance of the US national anthem before a pre-season game in San Diego on Thursday, continuing his protest against racial injustice and police brutality. Kaepernick, 28, had pledged to continue sitting during the performance of The Star-Spangled Banner before NFL games, a move that has been both criticized and cheered by commentators. He was met by heavy boos from the crowd during pre-game warmups and during his first offensive drive at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, which is home to many US Navy and Marine bases.
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