FORMULA ONE
Raikkonen off to nice start
Kimi Raikkonen’s comeback with Lotus got off to a perfect start, as the former world champion was fastest on the first day of preseason testing on Tuesday in Jerez, Spain. The Finnish driver and 2007 F1 champion marked his first official ride since the end of 2009 with a fastest lap time of 1 minute, 19.670 seconds at the Jerez circuit for the former Renault team. “It was a positive first day of testing and everything went almost to plan,” Raikkonen said. “We had no major issues and I got a good feel for the car and the tires. I’m looking forward to making further progress with the car tomorrow.” Raikkonen edged Force India’s Paul di Resta and Nico Rosberg of Mercedes, with constructors’ champions Red Bull beginning their campaign with a fourth-place run by Mark Webber, who trailed Raikkonen by more than eight-tenths of a second. Red Bull’s session were delayed due to fog at the airport that kept the team from receiving rear-wing components they needed.
BASKETBALL
Billups out for season
The Los Angeles Clippers were dealt a blow as starting guard Chauncey Billups was ruled out for the rest of the NBA season with a torn left Achilles tendon, the team said on Tuesday. He will also miss this year’s London Olympics. The five-time All-Star suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ win on Monday over the Orlando Magic when he tried to change direction after missing a three-point shot. Los Angeles acquired the 35-year-old Billups off waivers in December last year just before trading for four-time All-Star Chris Paul. The tandem has helped the Clippers to a first-place start in the Pacific Division and turned them into contenders, but the loss of Billups clouds their status. “It was tough. It was deflating,” Billups told reporters of his injury during a television interview. “The team is coming together and what we have going on is exciting. To know that this season is over, it hurt.”
BASKETBALL
Carmelo out one, two weeks
New York Knicks All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony will be sidelined for one to two weeks with a strained right groin, the team said on Tuesday. Anthony, the Knicks’ leading scorer, apparently was hurt while throwing an alley-oop pass to center Tyson Chandler midway through the first quarter of Monday’s 99-88 victory over the Utah Jazz. He left the game on the Knicks’ next possession and did not return. Anthony, who was recently named a starter in this year’s Feb. 26 All-Star game in Orlando, is averaging 22.3 points, 6 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his second season with New York.
SOCCER
Michel hired to coach Sevilla
Sevilla hired coach Jose Miguel “Michel” Gonzalez on Tuesday to take over from the fired Marcelino Garcia Toral. Michel agreed to a contract until the end of the season that will automatically be extended an extra year if he manages to guide the Andalusian club to a top-four finish and a place in next season’s Champions League. “My message is clear, there are three months to go and I am very excited to help Sevilla get to where [they] should be,” Michel said. “I know the team for the quality of its players. I also know that I arrive in an abnormal situation for a club like Sevilla, [who have] always had good results but in the last two years [have] fallen into a complicated situation.”
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
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
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