CYCLING
Contador takes firm grip
Alberto Contador took a firm grip of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol in Spain after claiming victory on the third stage on Friday to extend his overall lead over Chris Froome to 27 seconds. The 157.6km stage from Motril to Alto de Hazallanas was the first summit finish for either Contador or Froome this season and just like in the Vuelta a Espana in September last year, the Spaniard was too strong for the 2013 Tour de France winner. Froome was not even in the initial chasing group when Contador attacked, but got stronger as the climb went on to finish 19 seconds behind in second place. France’s Romain Bardet was third, a further 1 minute, 22 seconds back. Second place was also enough to move Froome up to second in the general classification, 1 minute, 32 seconds ahead of Benat Intxausti.
CYCLING
Rafael Valls wins stage
Spain’s Rafael Valls won Friday’s tough Tour of Oman fourth stage with a summit finish on Green Mountain to take the overall lead. Tejay van Garderen of the US came home second 5 seconds adrift, with Spaniard Alejandro Valverde at 19 seconds completing the podium. Valls prised the leader’s red jersey from Fabian Cancellara with Van Garderen moving second overall 19 seconds behind, with two stages remaining. “I am the first one to be surprised,” Valls said. “I didn’t expect to win at all, especially with the riders left in the final group,” added Valls, who picked up only his second career stage win and the first since the Tour of San Luis five years ago.
GOLF
Goosen grabs one-shot lead
South African veteran Retief Goosen, a two-time US Open winner, seized a one-shot lead at the Northern Trust Open in Pacific Palisades, California, on Friday in tough conditions more reminiscent of a major championship. On a firm and fast-running Riviera Country Club layout where most players struggled to get the ball close, Goosen scrambled well as he eked out a one-under 70 in the second round. That gave Goosen, who is seeking his first PGA Tour victory since 2009, a slender one-shot advantage over Americans Ryan Moore (68) and Justin Thomas (69), as well as Canadian Graham DeLaet (67).
GOLF
Chawrasia leads at halfway
Local favorite S.S.P. Chawrasia’s 36-hole bogey-free run at his happy hunting ground earned a one-shot halfway lead over holder Siddikur Rahman at the Delhi Golf Course on Friday. The ever-smiling Indian birdied the opening hole and picked up three more shots on the back nine for a two-day total of 10-under 132 at the course where he has won twice. Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat was a further three shots behind after an even-par round.
GOLF
Ko, Ariya share Open lead
World No. 1 Lydia Ko and Thai teenager Ariya Jutanugarn shared the lead after the third round of the Women’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne yesterday. The New Zealand teenager’s usual birdie haul eluded her, with searing temperatures baking the greens. She collected three birdies against two bogeys in a round of one-under 72 to move to seven-under. Ariya had three birdies and two bogeys to stay with Ko in what is shaping up as a titanic battle. South Korea’s Amy Yang also laid down a challenge after a three-under 70 to be a shot back. Chen Ssu-chia (77) was the highest-ranked Taiwanese on seven-over 226, while Hsu Wei-ling (80) and Min Lee (81) were another five shots back.
Taiwan’s men’s table tennis team won bronze on Saturday at this year’s International Table Tennis Federation World Team Table Tennis Championships in London, matching the country’s best-ever finish at the regular tournament. Consisting of Lin Yun-ju, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7, Feng Yi-hsin, Kuo Guan-hong, Hong Jing-kai and Hsu Hsien-chia, the team won bronze after losing 0-3 to Japan in the semifinals. In the opening match, 24-year-old Lin played the first game against world No. 3 Tomokazu Harimoto 11-5, but ultimately lost the next three closely contested games 9-11, 10-12 and 10-12. Feng then faced world No. 8 Sora Matsushima in
Lin Yun-ju on Thursday handed Taiwan two key victories as they advanced to the semi-finals of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London. The Taiwan men’s table tennis team beat Sweden 3-2 in five singles matches. The 24-year-old Lin, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7 and nicknamed the “Silent Assassin,” opened the tie by defeating world No. 2 Truls Moregard 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 13-11) before clinching the deciding fifth match with a 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-5) win over Anton Kallberg to hand his team the overall victory. Kuo Guan-hong put Taiwan up 2-0 with a 3-2 (4-11, 11-8, 8-11,
Taiwanese fire dancer Yang Li-wei advanced to the final of Britain’s Got Talent this weekend after receiving a Golden Buzzer during her live semi-final performance. Yang, a member of Taiwan’s Coming True Fire Group, awed judges and audiences with a high-intensity fire performance featuring flaming umbrellas, fire swallowing and spinning metal structures balanced with her legs. Judge Simon Cowell praised Yang as a star, while guest judge KSI reacted with amazement before pressing the Golden Buzzer, sending her to the finals. The dance group wrote on social media that the Golden Buzzer was “the highest honor” on the talent show, adding: “Twenty-three years
As Super Rugby fast approaches its playoff season it finds itself racing toward a reckoning with many issues that threaten the southern hemisphere tournament. A group of stakeholders met in the New Zealand city of Christchurch late last month to address problems that are making the future of the 31-year-old competition increasingly tenuous. The discussion was made more urgent by the decision by the owners of Moana Pasifika to fold the Auckland-based club for financial reasons. That followed the closure of the Melbourne Rebels at the end of the 2024 season, likewise because of financial difficulties. Problems addressed included player retention as more
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