GOLF
Tseng No. 1 for 26 weeks
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng has been at the top of the women’s golf charts for 26 weeks in a row, a record among the top-ranked players that are still around, according to this week’s Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. The five-major champion has kept her top position one week longer than her predecessor, Shin Ji-yai of South Korea, since winning the Women’s British Open on Aug. 1. Tseng’s points average has dropped slightly from 16.20 to 16.04, followed by American Cristie Kerr, who trails at 11.65, according to the rankings. The 22-year-old’s next goal will be the 60-week record set by her idol and mentor, Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, who retired in 2008. The all-time record holder is Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa, who was world No. 1 for 158 weeks until her retirement, also in 2008.
SOCCER
Long signs with West Brom
Republic of Ireland international striker Shane Long became Premier League side West Brom’s sixth signing of the summer on Tuesday when he joined from Championship outfit Reading. The 24-year-old — scorer of six goals in 21 international appearances — signed a three year contract bringing to an end a successful six year spell at Reading, which included a two year stay in the Premier League. West Brom manager Roy Hodgson said that despite his relative youth, Long had enough experience already to go straight into the first team. “He is a goalscorer and a hard-working player who has a very good attitude to the game,” Hodgson said. “The great thing about him is that even though he is still only 24, he has six years’ worth of experience of Premier League, Championship and international football and has margin for improvement in his game. With the signing of Shane, our squad is looking close to being complete.”
SOCCER
Miyaichi issued work permit
Japanese teenager Ryo Miyaichi has been granted a work permit to play for Arsenal next season on the grounds of being an “exceptional talent,” the English Premier League has said. The 18-year-old midfielder joined Arsenal in January and was loaned to Dutch side Feyenoord as he was unable to obtain the necessary paperwork having not represented Japan’s senior side. A Football Association panel on Tuesday agreed to grant the documentation after hearing from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and reading a letter of recommendation from the Japan Football Association. Miyaichi follows countryman Junichi Inamoto, who had a spell at Arsenal from 2001 to 2002, but saw little first-team action and was affectionately dubbed “T-shirt” by the home fans, in reference to his commercial value to the club in Japan. Miyaichi will be eligible to play for Arsenal once the formalities of his paperwork are completed.
CYCLING
Hushovd to race for BMC
Norway’s world road race cycling champion Thor Hushovd will race for US team BMC next year after he signed a two-year contract with them on Tuesday, the Americans announced on their Web site. The 33-year-old two-time Tour de France green jersey winner is coming off an excellent Tour de France where he rode for Garmin-Cervelo and won two stages and wore the overall leader’s yellow jersey for seven days. Hushovd, who has spent the majority of his professional career with the Credit Agricole team, said he had been impressed by the clear strategy the team had and hoped it would also allow him to achieve his dream of winning the Paris Roubaix classic.
RUGBY UNION
Ban blamed on mustache
Japan’s rugby body said yesterday it had suspended World Cup hopeful Ryohei Yamanaka for two years for using a banned substance which he blamed on a cream to help him grow a mustache. The 23-year-old one-cap fly-half tested positive in a random doping check in April during a training camp ahead of the Asian Five Nations tournament, and a follow-up test showed the same result. The International Rugby Board ruled that the substance was a steroid, either methyltestosterone or methandriol, the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) said. The Kobelco Steelers rookie, who claimed to have used the cream to grow a mustache, was banned from the sport until April 27, 2013, the JRFU said. Yamanaka told rugby authorities that he thought the cream was a cosmetic product that did not contain banned substances, the JRFU said. Yamanaka, who left the Steelers yesterday, said he hoped to return to the game after the suspension.
BOXING
Manager to disprove suicide
The former manager of late boxing champ Arturo Gatti says new evidence will show his 2009 death was not a suicide. Pat Lynch says the results of a 10-month private investigation will be released at the end of this month. Gatti was found in July 2009 while he and his family vacationed in Brazil. The popular junior welterweight champion had retired from boxing two years earlier with a career record of 40 wins and nine losses. Gatti’s wife was arrested for his murder, but later released. Police concluded Gatti hanged himself from a wooden staircase column in their rented apartment. Lynch said he spoke to Gatti a week before the Brazil trip and that Gatti had not seemed depressed.
BOXING
Hopkins to fight Dawson
Bernard Hopkins is moving as fast as ever. The 46-year-old light heavyweight champ won a big bout in late May, will defend his title in October and wants to fight again in January. Hopkins will face 29-year-old Chad Dawson in Los Angeles on Oct. 15 with his WBC belt on the line. “I didn’t want to sit,” Hopkins said on Tuesday after a news conference in New York. “Not at 46.” Hopkins is already thinking about what’s next. He wants a rematch against undefeated Joe Calzaghe, to whom he lost in a split decision in 2008. The only problem is the Welshman retired 2 years ago. He also would like to be the first boxing star to fight at the Barclays Center, the future Brooklyn home of the NBA’s Nets. Next up is Dawson, who’s 30-1 with his lone loss coming to Jean Pascal last year.
CRICKET
Khawaja issued India visa
Australian batsman Usman Khawaja was issued an Indian visa yesterday for next month’s Twenty20 Champions League tournament, following a brief delay allegedly related to his birth in Pakistan. Cricket New South Wales (NSW) said Khawaja was cleared to travel to India by the High Commission in Sydney early yesterday, after a “stoppage” the 24-year-old player had said was because of his country of birth. “We are delighted that this has been settled and we thank the Indian Consul-General, Mr Amit Dasgupta, for his prompt attention in resolving the matter,” Cricket NSW chairman Harry Harinath said. Khawaja is on the 20-man long list to represent NSW at the Twenty20 event and cricket officials said he could now join the squad if he is among the final 15 selected later this week.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38