CYCLING
Jan Bakelants recovering
Belgian rider Jan Bakelants is on the road to recovery following spinal surgery after suffering multiple fractures to his vertebrae in a horrific fall at the Giro di Lombardia this month. The 31-year-old, who rides for AG2R La Mondiale and is a former Tour de France stage winner, was one of several riders who crashed into a ravine during the tricky descent from the Sormano climb in northern Italy. Apart from the fractured vertebrae, Bakelants also broke seven ribs. After initial treatment in Italy, he was transported to a hospital in Belgium, where he has continued his recovery.
SOCCER
Romulo leads Verona to win
Romulo on Monday fired Hellas Verona to their first success of the Serie A campaign with a 1-0 win over 10-man Benevento. Luca Antei was shown a straight red card in the first half after a rough challenge on Mattia Valoti, and after missing a string of chances Brazilian fullback Romulo volleyed in on 74 minutes. Verona moved out of the relegation zone with their first maximum three points of the season giving them a total of six. Benevento remain stuck to the bottom of the table with eight defeats in as many games and 19 goals conceded.
SOCCER
Celta rout Las Palmas 5-2
Iago Aspas on Monday got his first goals of the season in a hat-trick in RC Celta de Vigo’s 5-2 win over struggling UD Las Palmas in La Liga. After eight matches without a goal for club or country, the Spain international found the net once in the first half and twice in the second as Celta thrashed the home side, despite playing a man down from the 52nd minute. Emre Mor and Pablo Hernandez also scored for Celta at the Estadio Gran Canaria. Las Palmas got on the board through substitutes Vitolo and Loic Remy in second-half injury time. Celta goalkeeper Ruben Blanco was sent off with a straight red card for a committing a foul outside the area while trying to stop a breakaway. It was the fourth consecutive loss for Las Palmas, who dropped to the relegation zone with the result. Celta, who moved to 10th place, dedicated the victory to those affected by wildfires in the Spanish northwest region of Galicia, where the club is based.
SWIMMING
Ervin kneels for US anthem
Olympic 50m freestyle champion Anthony Ervin has joined the ranks of athletes protesting during the US national anthem by kneeling for a rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner at a swim meet in Brazil. Ervin, 36, who became the oldest man to win an individual Olympic swimming gold with victory in Rio last year, took a knee during the Raia Rapida gala. The veteran US star staged his protest after anchoring the US in the mixed 200m medley relay on Sunday, swimming news Web site SwimSwam reported. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the first athlete to kneel for the anthem in a series of protests last year to draw attention to racial injustice. A fresh wave of protests in the NFL erupted last month after US President Donald Trump derided protesting players as “sons of bitches” who should be fired. Ervin, whose father is a black Vietnam War veteran, appeared to allude to his protest in a post on Twitter on Monday. “My point is to save lives, and understand the imbalance. We all have our area. I’m a swimmer,” Ervin said.
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