TOKYO OLYMPICS
Daylight savings mulled
The chief organizer yesterday appealed for Japan to introduce daylight saving time to reduce the effect of the extreme summer heat on athletes and spectators. “I want them to use the Olympics as a way to give a maximum push for the project,” former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori said. However, critics say extending daylight hours risks people staying in the office longer. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said it was just one proposal among many to mitigate the effects of the heat. “However, the measure would have a significant impact on the everyday lives of the Japanese people,” he said.
SOCCER
El Hadary retires at 45
Veteran Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, 45, has retired from international duty, after breaking the record for oldest player to appear at a World Cup in Russia. “After reflecting at length and asking God, I have decided to retire from international football,” he wrote on Facebook late on Monday. El Hadary smashed Colombian stopper Faryd Mondragon’s record for oldest player at a World Cup when he took to the field against Saudi Arabia in Volgograd this summer. He managed to pull off an impressive penalty save in the final game against a player nearly half his age.
CYCLING
Bernal out of hospital
Team Sky rider Egan Bernal has been discharged from hospital after suffering a small bleed on the brain after a crash in the Clasica San Sebastian on Saturday, his team has said. Bernal, 21, was one of several riders from the peloton to collide with 20km left in the one-day stage race in Spain. “Egan will rest completely for at least three weeks after also suffering a small bleed on the brain during the crash,” Team Sky said. Dimension Data rider Ben King later apologized on Twitter for causing the accident. “It’s terrible when something like this affects yourself, but worse when it affects others,” King said. “I hope everybody is OK.”
SOCCER
Russia’s striker narrates app
Russia’s international striker Artem Dzyuba, who last month became a national hero for his World Cup performance in the country, is now the voice of a popular Yandex navigation service. Dzyuba recorded more than 120 phrases for the service that is used by 16 million motorists a month, Russian company Yandex said in a statement on Monday. “Wherever you travel to, I will be with you. I mean, my voice,” Dzyuba said.
FOOTBALL
Trainer kills linebacker’s dog
A five-year-old English bulldog that belonged to New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo and has been missing since June was found dead inside the home of its trainer. The dog named Knox died in the custody of a trainer, the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said. Trainers hid the dog in a trash bag for two months while making it look like he ran away, was stolen or drowned, sending the family “on a wild goose hunt and our kids on an emotional roller coaster,” Mayo wrote on Instagram on Monday. The animal welfare group says the trainer is being charged by the Cranston Police Department.
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