FORMULA ONE
McLaren staff treated after fire
Three team members needed medical attention after a small fire in a garage during a private filming day at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, Spain, on Friday, McLaren said. “The fire was quickly extinguished by the team and circuit emergency services attended immediately,” McLaren added on Twitter. The three employees were treated at the circuit medical center and released soon after. Formula One’s first pre-season test finished at the circuit on Thursday. The second four-day test starts on Tuesday, with the opening race of the season in Australia on March 17.
ATHLETICS
Court to rule in Semenya case
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday said it would deliver a decision in the controversial case pitting South African double Olympic champion Caster Semenya against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Semenya is challenging proposals by the IAAF that aim to restrict female athletes’ testosterone levels. In a statement, the Lausanne-based court said that the week-long hearing, which wrapped up on Friday, was “one of the most pivotal CAS cases” the tribunal has heard. The three-panel would announce their verdict “on or before March 26,” the court said.
BASEBALL
Pitch clock use phased in
A 20-second pitch clock is to be phased in in three stages during spring training, with the start of ball and strike penalties depending on negotiations with the players’ association. The pitch clock would not be enforced this weekend, Major League Baseball said on Friday, adding that beginning early this week, umpires would issue reminders to batters and pitchers who violate the clock. MLB did not give a date for when it might start ball and strike penalties. The clock would start when a pitcher is in possession of the ball on the mound, and the pitcher must start his windup or move toward a set position within the 20 seconds. A hitter must be in the batter’s box and alert to the pitcher with at least five seconds left.
POLE VAULT
Record holder out with injury
Pole vault world record holder Renaud Lavillenie is to miss the European Athletics Indoor Championships that starts in Glasgow on Friday next week after failing to recover in time from a hamstring injury, the Frenchman announced on Friday. “I’m in a recovery period and that means I either make the same mistakes as I have these past two years — I try to jump, I potentially injure myself and then I lose time on summer preparation — or I learn from my mistakes and take my time,” said Lavillenie, who set the world record of 6.16m in February 2014.
OLYMPICS
Depressed Gold eyes rebound
Two-time US figure skating champion Gracie Gold on Friday said that she still struggles with depression, but is targeting the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games as she begins a comeback at age 23. Gold helped US women capture a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, but told NBC’s Today show that she struggled with her self-image even then. She faces challenges on and off the ice knowing there are no easy solutions. “Treatment and therapy isn’t like this magic wand where it’s just, like, fixed,” Gold said. “The Beijing Games in 2022 would be like the ultimate dream — and if I could win a world medal... Winning a world medal would almost be more important to me than going to another Olympics.”
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
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two