PARALYMPICS
Sky lantern crash starts fire
A small hot-air balloon on Monday crashed into the roof of one of the arenas in Rio’s Olympic Park, causing minor fire and water damage, but no reported injuries. Rio organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada said the small balloon — often called a sky lantern or Chinese lantern — was probably launched from one of the city’s favelas and hit the Carioca 3 Arena. Andrada said “firefighters used a lot of water, and water spilled into the field of play.” The balloon struck early on Monday morning. Officials were able to repair the limited damage, which allowed a wheelchair fencing event to start on time. Andrada said launching the balloons is a Rio tradition, often to celebrate church feast days. He said police are investigating who launched the balloon.
SOCCER
Empoli win for first points
All three goals were scored by defenders with headers as Tuscan club Empoli on Monday beat promoted Crotone 2-1 to gain their first Serie A points this season. Andrea Costa scored the winner early in the second half by redirecting a free-kick from former Italy international Manuel Pasqual. Giuseppe Bellusci had put Empoli ahead in the 31st with his first Serie A goal in his 104th appearance in the top flight, then Mario Sampirisi equalized for Crotone in first-half added time. Visiting Crotone ended with 10 men after Noe Dussenne picked up his second yellow card. Also in the final minutes, Alberto Gilardino came on for Empoli for his 500th appearance in Serie A. Crotone, a Calabrian club making their top-division debut, remained without any points through three rounds.
SOCCER
Lukaku leads Everton to win
Romelu Lukaku on Monday fired an 11-minute hat-trick to end his 11-game Premier League scoring drought in style as Everton beat Sunderland 3-0. The Belgium striker struck with 60th and 68th-minute headers and then completed his hat-trick with 19 minutes remaining at the Stadium of Light to condemn former Toffees boss David Moyes to a third defeat in four matches this season. Sunderland might have taken a 10th-minute lead when Adnan Januzaj’s shot was blocked and looped perfectly into the path of Jermain Defoe, who sent his first-time volley over the bar. Lukaku broke through for Everton when Idrissa Gueye crossed from the right and he rose unopposed to head past Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
TENNIS
Kyrgios says fit for Davis tie
Nick Kyrgios said he is confident of being fit to lead Australia into its Davis Cup tie against Slovakia in Sydney starting on Friday. Kyrgios has not played since a hip injury caused him to retire from his third-round match against Illya Marchenko at the US Open on Sept. 3. “I just got a niggling injury that came out of nowhere almost. I feel confident and I think we can do great things,” the Australia No. 1 old a news conference yesterday. Kyrgios is likely to team up with Bernard Tomic in singles and doubles for the first time since he made his Davis Cup debut three years ago. Australia, who chose to play the tie on grass at Sydney’s Olympic tennis center, must beat a depleted Slovakia team to retain their place in the 16-team World Group for next year.
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