■SOCCER
Cheyrou salvages a point
A superb late goal from Benoit Cheyrou gave Marseille a 1-1 draw at 10-man Bordeaux in the highlight of weekend Ligue 1 action on Sunday. Midfielder Cheyrou controlled the ball on his chest and volleyed home nine minutes from time to allow the visitors to share the points with the champions, now seven points clear of second-placed Lille. Bordeaux, who had defender Marc Planus sent off for a dangerous tackle in the second half, moved in front with a controversial own-goal just before halftime, Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda sending the ball into his net under pressure from Marouane Chamakh. The Marseille players protested that the Morocco striker had pushed Mandanda and television replays suggested he had, but referee Laurent Duhamel ruled the goal was valid. Marseille remained fourth, 11 points off the pace and three behind third-placed Montpellier. Bordeaux suffered after the break when goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso had to be substituted with an injury, before Planus received his marching orders on the hour for a challenge on Marseille captain Mamadou Niang. Marseille came close to scoring shortly before equalizing, Benoit Tremoulinas clearing a Niang header off the line.
■GOLF
Woods a bad example: Pele
Brazilian soccer legend Pele on Sunday said Tiger Woods was a bad example to youngsters who once looked up to the tainted golf superstar. “We are all human. We have weaknesses and we can break at any time,” Pele told Caracol de Bogota radio while on a visit to promote the Copa Libertadores tournament. “You have to be very strong because famous names are often examples to youngsters. Sadly, this was something sad for him and his family. He’s not been a very good example.” World No. 1 golfer Woods has suffered a momentous fall from grace since a Nov. 27 late-night car crash. The mysterious accident touched off a sensational sex scandal, with Woods eventually admitting to marital infidelity.
■RUGBY UNION
Toulouse qualify for quarters
Toulouse swept into the Heineken Cup quarter-finals by beating Harlequins 33-21 to win Pool Five on Sunday. Toulouse joined fellow French side Biarritz, who have qualified from Pool Two. London Irish had their hopes severely dented when they were beaten 31-22 by Llanelli in Pool Six and even victory next week over holders Leinster might not clinch top spot. In Pool Five, Northampton’s Jon Clarke scored a last-gasp try to give the 2000 champions a precious bonus point with a 34-0 thrashing of French club Perpignan.
■BOBSLED
Lange wins in St Moritz
Andre Lange of Germany won his third straight four-man bobsled World Cup race in St Moritz, Switzerland, on Sunday. The reigning Olympic champion in two-man and four-man bobsled had a combined time of 2 minutes, 10.13 seconds. Lange and his team of Rene Hoppe, Kevin Kuske and Martin Putze edged the Germany III sled driven by Karl Angerer by 0.25 seconds.
■LUGE
Germans fill the podium
Andi Langenhan led a German sweep of the top three places in a men’s luge World Cup race in Oberhof, Germany, on Sunday, capping a perfect weekend for the home competitors. The Germans also swept the men’s doubles and the women’s singles on Saturday. Langenhan clocked 1 minute, 31.383 seconds for the two runs for a comfortable victory over Johannes Ludwig and Jan Echhorn.
■FOOTBALL
Bears’ Adams dies at 26
Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams died on Sunday of a cardiac arrest caused by an enlarged heart, a South Carolina coroner said. Greenwood County Coroner Jim Coursey said Adams, 26, was taken to the emergency room at Self Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Sunday morning. Adams was experiencing “health issues” and his girlfriend called for an ambulance, Coursey said. Adams arrived at the hospital just after 7am and was pronounced dead in the emergency room at 7:21am. Coursey said results of a toxicology report probably will not available for “a few months.” Adams played college football at Clemson University and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2007 draft. Adams was traded to the Chicago Bears in October and featured in 10 games for the team this season.
■BOXING
Khan signs with de la Hoya
British superstar Amir Khan, the World Boxing Association super-lightweight champion, has signed a promotional deal with Oscar de la Hoya, hoping the “Golden Boy” can boost his US recognition. Khan, 22-1 with 16 knockouts, joined a stable of British fighters that includes WBA heavyweight champion David Haye and Ricky Hatton who have deals with Golden Boy Promotions, which announced the contract with Khan on Sunday. “I am really happy,” Khan said.
■CYCLING
Armstrong opens center
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has broken ground on a new cancer research center in Adelaide, Australia, while capping his preparation for the Tour Down Under, combining the charitable works and the cycling ambitions that lured him from retirement 12 months ago. The cancer survivor has raised more than US$350 million to fight cancer through his Livestrong Foundation and last year while in Adelaide endorsed fundraising efforts to build the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer.
■MARATHON
Ethiopians win in Houston
Ethiopia’s Teshome Gelena set a course record in winning the Houston Marathon men’s title on Sunday, while compatriot Teybe Erkesso defended her title in the race by breaking her own course mark. Gelena won in two hours, seven minutes and 37 seconds, while Erkesso took her crown in 2:23:53, nearly 30 seconds under her old mark. American Shalane Flanagan, the 10,000m Olympic bronze medalist at the 2008 Games, won the Houston women’s half-marathon crown in her first race beyond 10,000m in 1:09.41.
■BADMINTON
China earn three golds
China swept up three gold medals on the final day of the Korea Open badminton championship on Sunday, while the host nation managed a gold and a silver. In the women’s singles final, China’s Wang Shixian edged Korean Sung Ji-hyun 21-10, 25-23 in a battle of unseeded players. In the women’s doubles, top-seeded duo Cheng Shu and Zhao Yunlei overcame the second seeded pair Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiwa of Japan, 21-16, 21-15. He Hanbin and Yu Yang gave China the third gold of the day, as they beat compatriots Tao Jiaming and Zhang Yawen in the mixed doubles finals. Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia claimed the men’s singles title over the second seed Peter Hoeg Gade of Denmark. South Korea got its only gold in the men’s doubles. No. 1 seed Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae needed three sets to get past Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng of China.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Taiwanese gymnast Tang Chia-hung on Sunday topped the men’s horizontal bar event at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, scoring 15.233 to take his third title this season. Tang delivered an outstanding performance in the final, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 8.633 with a 0.1 stick bonus. His closest competitor was Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who finished second with 14.933 points. It was Tang’s third gold medal in the FIG World Cup series this year, following his horizontal bar wins in Azerbaijan on March 8, and in Turkey on March
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Ninad Malwade was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
This year’s Taiwan Athletics Open, which offers Taiwanese athletes an opportunity to compete against their international peers, would be held under a new name after its organizers had earlier announced the event’s cancelation. In a statement issued yesterday, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association said the competition would still take place on June 6-7 at Banciao Stadium, but under the name “New Taipei City Athletics Open 2026.” The event was given a new name to emphasize its local identity and conform with the international practice of naming World Athletics Tour events after cities, the association said. It said it would soon