■JUDO
No gold for Japan
Japan suffered an embarrassing world championship wipeout on Sunday when for the first time in 59 years their highly regarded men’s team failed to win a title. Their last hope, double world champion Yasuyuki Muneta, missed out on a medal when he suffered a third round loss to Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Dorjpalam in their over-100kg bout. The defeat completed a miserable downward spiral for Japan’s men’s team who until 1973 won all golds on offer at the world championships. France’s Teddy Riner went on to retain his title in the division, beating Cuba’s Oscar Bryson for gold. Uzbekistan’s Abdullo Tangriev and Lithuania’s Marius Paskevicius both took bronze medals. In the men’s under-100kg category, Kazakhstan’s Maxim Rakov took gold by scoring an ippon success over Dutchman Henk Grol with Japan at least picking up a bronze consolation through Takamasa Anai. Japan’s Maki Tsukada picked up a bronze in the women’s over-78kg division with the title going to Olympic champion Tong Wen of China, who beat Karina Bryant of Britain in the final by ippon.
■FORMULA ONE
FIA probes Alonso ‘incident’
Formula One’s governing body is investigating “alleged incidents” from a previous race, believed to be an accident at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix that helped Fernando Alonso secure victory for Renault. Brazilian TV station Globo reported on Sunday that Nelson Piquet Jr was ordered to crash into a wall at the night race so that teammate Alonso could take advantage of an early pit stop. Piquet Jr crashed heavily on the 13th lap and Alonso’s gamble to run a short 12-lap strategy before pitting paid off as the Spanish driver went on to score an unlikely victory. The FIA would not confirm that it was investigating that particular incident, only “alleged incidents at a previous Formula One world championship event.”
■MOTOGP
Lorenzo back in title chase
Spain’s Jorge Lorenzo claimed his third win of the season at the Indianapolis MotoGP on Sunday after championship leader Valentino Rossi and pole sitter Dani Pedrosa crashed. Lorenzo, winner of two of the first four races, crossed first at the famed Brickyard, 9.43 seconds clear of San Marino’s Alex De Angelis to jump back into the title chase as Yamaha team mate Rossi failed to finish for the first time this season. Rossi began the day with a 50-point advantage over Lorenzo but saw his lead slashed to 25 points with five races to run. The Italian rider’s involvement came to end on lap 9 when he hit the ground while battling Lorenzo for the lead.
■CRICKET
Owners angry over IMG split
High-profile owners of team franchises in the Indian Premier League have reacted furiously to the Indian cricket board’s decision to snap ties with event management company IMG, reports said yesterday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday terminated its contract with the International Management Group which helped it launch the lucrative Twenty20 league last year. Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, both owners of IPL franchisees, have shot off angry letters to the BCCI. “I am personally shocked at the unilateral decision of doing away with the services of IMG,” the Times of India quoted Ambani, who owns the Mumbai Indians team, as saying in his letter. “It is also worrying to me that such a significant decision in relation to IPL has been taken without even so much as consulting the franchises.”
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
The Canterbury Crusaders edged the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch yesterday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history extended their perfect home playoff record to 32 successive matches since 1998. The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson, but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to
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