Tue, Jul 22, 2014 page18

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Agencies
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  RUGBY UNION

  Players in machete attack

  Three France internationals who play for Clermont Auvergne have been injured in a machete attack by a gang in southern France, police said on Sunday. Aurelien Rougerie, Julien Pierre and Benjamin Kayser were attacked by a 12-strong gang in Millau in the early hours of Sunday morning. A club statement said none of the players’ injuries were life-threatening, adding that weapons used included machetes, knives and swords. The players had been to a nightclub and were walking back to their hotel when they were set upon by the gang for no apparent reason, police said, adding that no one was detained at the scene of the attack. Pierre, who along with Rougerie was part of the France team that lost the 2011 World Cup final, will have surgery on “deep cuts” to his hip.

  MOTOR RACING

  Conway wins in Toronto

  Mike Conway has won the second race of IndyCar’s doubleheader in Toronto, where rain forced the series to run both races on Sunday. The first race was washed out on Saturday and run a little more than five hours before the second race. Rain again played a role as a brief shower soaked the track and forced teams to use varying tire strategies to combat the slick surface. Conway was one of the first drivers to replace the rain tires when the track began to dry and it put him in position to win a race. It was Conway’s second win of the season. Sebastien Bourdais won the first race.

  ATHLETICS

  Porter stuns champ Pearson

  Britain’s Tiffany Porter stunned Australia’s Olympic 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson at the Anniversary Games on Sunday in a timely warning ahead of their Commonwealth Games duel. US-born Porter won the race, which was staged at London’s Horse Guards Parade, in 12.71 seconds, despite Pearson enjoying the better start. Brianna Rollins, the world champion, was second, with Pearson clocking 12.79 back in third. In the men’s 100m, Michael Rodgers of the US won in 9.91 seconds.

  ATHLETICS

  Bolt to run on Rio beach

  Jamaican world-record holder Usain Bolt is to return to Rio de Janeiro next month to run a special 100m on the beach, he said on his Web site on Sunday. The six-time Olympic gold medalist added the Aug. 17 “Mano a Mano” 100m on Copacabana Beach to three previously announced races in what he said was his finalized schedule for this year. Bolt has delayed opening his season this year because of a foot injury and will start with a 4x100m relay with his Jamaica teammates at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Aug 1 and Aug. 2. The eight-time world champion will also run 100m races in Warsaw, Poland, on Aug 23 and at the Zurich Diamond League meeting on Aug 28.

  RUGBY UNION

  Kevin Skinner dies aged 86

  Former All Blacks captain Kevin Skinner died on Monday at his home in Auckland aged 86, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said. “Kevin was a much-admired player, regarded by many as one of New Zealand’s greatest props,” NZRU chairman Brent Impey said. Skinner made his international debut at 21 in 1949 and retired for the first time in 1954, but Impey said it was his return to the game in 1956 that earned him a place in rugby folklore. South Africa were 1-1 with the All Blacks and had dominated the scrum before Skinner was called in to take them on. The rugged forward delivered and the All Blacks won the next two Tests for their first ever series win over South Africa.
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