UNIVERSIADE
Taiwanese win bronzes
Taiwanese badminton players won two bronze medals at the Summer Universiade on Wednesday in Kazan, Russia, while rising star Tai Tzu-ying reached the gold medal round. Chen Hung-ling and Wang Pei-rong reached the mixed doubles semi-finals before losing to a Chinese pair, earning a bronze medal along with a Russian duo. In addition, Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan beat Goh Soon Huat of Malaysia in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles, but was defeated by Gao Huan of China in the semis, giving him a bronze medal. In the women’s singles, Tai beat Fabienne Deprez of Germany in the quarter-finals and then defeated Porntip Buranaprasertsuk of Thailand in the semis to reach the gold medal round.
CRICKET
Pakistan great has cancer op
Pakistan great Hanif Mohammad has had an operation for liver cancer, a family friend said on Wednesday. The 78-year-old underwent an operation in London on Tuesday that saw his right liver lobe and gall bladder removed. The operation was deemed a success, with surgeon Robert Hutchins saying: “It [the cancer] has been diagnosed at an early stage and it has not spread anywhere else.” The first star of Pakistan cricket following the country’s creation after the partition of India in 1947. Mohammad played the longest innings in Test history — a 970-minute, 337 against the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1958. He followed that a year later with what was then the record first-class score of 499, for Karachi against Bahawalpur in Karachi — a mark that stood for 35 years.
OLYMPICS
Doping may ‘help’ bid
The spate of doping cases in Turkey should help, rather than harm, Istanbul’s bid for the 2020 Olympics, the head of the country’s national Olympic committee said on Wednesday. “The increase in the number of doping cases ... shows that Turkey is fighting doping, and in my opinion, will affect the Olympic bid positively, not negatively,” Ugur Erdener said. The International Association of Amateur Athletics Federations (IAAF) said on Tuesday it “intensified” its drug-testing program in Turkey amid reports of dozens of positive cases in the country. Istanbul is competing against Madrid and Tokyo, with the International Olympic Committee vote to be held on Sep. 7. Turkish Athletics Federation president Mehmet Terzi acknowledged “that there regretfully has been an enormous number of tests with positive results recently” but that “the IAAF is satisfied of our fight against doping.” According to Terzi, “94 percent of these samples were taken in or out of competition tests locally, not at any international events.” Terzi agreed with Erdener that the chances of a successful Istanbul bid are enhanced “when a federation fights against doping and catches own athletes and penalizes them.”
BASEBALL
Carpenter set for return
Chris Carpenter is set to make his first minor league rehabilitation start next week, an outing that once seemed in doubt for the former St Louis ace. Carpenter pitched a three-inning simulated game on Wednesday. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter will start on Monday for Double-A Springfield. “The timing and stuff to make consistent quality pitches down in the strike zone still has a little ways to go, but my stuff was there and I felt good and that’s key so I was excited about it,” Carpenter said. Nerve issues have sidelined the 38-year-old right-hander since before the start of spring training, and it seemed his career might be in jeopardy.
‘AWFUL PERFORMANCE’: Golden State were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts Aaron Gordon on Monday scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their Western Conference rivals. A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their lineup. The absentees were barely felt by Denver, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game. The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
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