■ ATHLETICS
Man dies after marathon
A 22-year-old man died in the hospital on Monday, a day after completing the London Marathon. The man fell ill after finishing Sunday's race and was taken to the hospital, organizers said in a statement. He is the ninth fatality in the 27-year history of the race. "We offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and friends," the statement said. "We fully respect the wishes of his family not to release any further details at this difficult time." More than 36,000 people took part in a record turnout for the London Marathon. The race was run under sunny skies with a maximum temperature of 22?C.
■ BASKETBALL
`Brazilian Blur' wins award
Leandro Barbosa, among the fastest players in the NBA, ran away with the league's sixth man award on Monday. The "Brazilian Blur" received 101 of a possible 127 first-place votes from a media panel. The honor came one day after Barbosa matched his career playoff high with 26 points in the Phoenix Suns' 95-87 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in Game 1 of their opening series. "Give him a soccer ball," the Lakers' Kobe Bryant said when asked what could be done to stop Barbosa. "Tell him Brazilians should be playing soccer, not basketball." Barbosa was a reserve in 62 of the 80 games he played this season, adding extra speed to the already fast Suns.
■ GOLF
Lorena Ochoa now No. 1
After missing two chances to become No. 1 in women's golf, Lorena Ochoa finally replaced Annika Sorenstam at the top on Monday without even hitting a shot. Despite the US LPGA Tour having no tournaments last week, Ochoa moved to No. 1 in the computerized ranking with 12.84 points, while Sorenstam was at 12.70. Ochoa, who won six times last year and was the US LPGA player of the year, could have gone to No. 1 by winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship a month ago and the Ginn Open that ended on April 15. She made double bogey on the final hole at the Ginn Open to finish one shot behind Brittany Lincicome.
■ MOUNTAINEERING
Edmund Hillary hospitalized
Mount Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary was recovering in hospital yesterday, his wife said, after a report he had suffered a fall. His wife June did not comment on why the 87-year-old mountaineer and explorer had been hospitalized, in a short statement issued on her behalf by Auckland Hospital. Hillary was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after returning from Kathmandu in Nepal. "He is in a comfortable condition and improves daily," his wife said. An Auckland Hospital spokeswoman said there would be no further comment about Hillary's condition and she would not confirm he had been hurt in a fall, as reported on the New Zealand Herald newspaper Web site.
■ SOCCER
Palermo coach fired
Francesco Guidolin was fired as coach of Palermo on Monday, a day after his team lost to Parma 4-3 in a fourth-straight defeat at home. Guidolin is the 12th Serie A coach to be fired this season. Renzo Gobbo was promoted from assistant coach to replace Guidolin, Palermo said. Palermo has recorded just two victories since Christmas, when it was third in Italy's top division. The Sicilian team is now winless in its last 11 games and sixth in the league.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
KNICKS TAKE LEAD: San Antonio put on a 9-0 run to be up 95-94 with just over 2 minutes to play, but the rest of the game belonged to the New York Knicks It was past five minutes through the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday and the New York Knicks’ 11-game winning streak was in major jeopardy. The Knicks missed nine of their first 10 shots in the early part of the period and trailed the San Antonio Spurs by 14 points. They were floundering. Then something crazy happened. The Knicks found new life from an unlikely source: The Spurs. New York rallied to tie the game by the end of the period, gave up the lead briefly late in the fourth quarter, and pulled away late for a 105-95
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