■ OLYMPICS
Gebrselassie to skip Beijing
World record holder Haile Gebrselassie will aim for an Olympic marathon title at the 2012 London Games after deciding the pollution in Beijing this year represents an unacceptable health threat. The twice Olympic 10,000m champion, who will be 39 in 2012, suffers from exercise-induced asthma and will not compete in Beijing unless he qualifies for the Ethiopian 10,000m team. "The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42km in my current condition," he told reporters. Chinese officials yesterday issued assurances that Beijing's air would be safe to breathe during the Olympics.
■ BASKETBALL
Wade to miss rest of season
Dwyane Wade will miss the remainder of Miami's miserable National Basketball Association season to have more treatment on his surgically repaired left knee, coach Pat Riley said after a Monday workout. Wade, who played for only a few minutes Saturday against Atlanta and missing Friday's game against Golden State, will miss the final month for the Heat, who are an NBA-worst 11-50 and have lost nine of 10 games this season without Wade. "I think it's time," Riley said. "We've been walking around on eggshells with this thing." The Heat superstar guard was to have a follow-up shockwave stimulation treatment yesterday that requires a month of rehabilitation therapy.
■ CYCLING
Shortened Paris-Nice starts
Belgian rider Gert Steegmans won the first stage of the Paris-Nice race on Monday, shortened by more than half because of stormy weather. The Quick Step rider completed the 93.5km stage in two hours, 21 minutes, 29 seconds, two seconds ahead of four other riders, including overall leader Thor Hushovd of Norway. The stage from Amilly to Nevers was slated to take the pack on a 184.5km route, but was cut short due to blustery weather. "It was quite odd because we were ready to race and then we had to get back in the bus," Steegmans said. "It was quite cold, but in Belgium it's often cold and rainy and we're used to that." Steegmans' victory put him in second place overall, six seconds behind Hushovd. International Cycling Union president Pat McQuaid has urged riders to boycott Paris-Nice because of a dispute with race owners Amaury Sport Organization. McQuaid has threatened teams with six-month suspensions, fines and bans from the track world championships later this month, which would affect cyclists trying to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
■ FORMULA ONE
UK firm taking over Aguri
Japan's Super Aguri Formula One racing team has agreed to a takeover by a UK-based auto industry consultant and solutions company, the team said on Monday. London-based Magma Group has also reached an agreement with Honda Motor Co for the Japanese automaker to continue providing engines and technical support to the team, Super Aguri said in a statement. The team also confirmed that Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson will continue as its racing drivers for the 2008 Formula One season. Speculation about Super Aguri's future has been rife, and the small team was able to conduct only a limited testing program over the winter amid the uncertainties, according to the Formula 1 organization's official website. Its 2008 car, the SA08, is expected to get its first outing in Friday's opening practice session for the Australian Grand Prix.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
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