Tue, Mar 24, 2015 page18

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Agencies
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  SWIMMING

  Franklin leads Bears victory

  Missy Franklin of California won the 200-yard backstroke with the second-fastest time ever for her third title of the NCAA women’s swimming and diving championships on Saturday night, and helped the Golden Bears win the team title. The four-time Olympic gold medalist touched first in 1 minute, 47.91 seconds in the final meet of her college career. Franklin plans to turn pro after two years of college and is aiming to compete in next year’s Rio Olympic Games. Franklin returned to lead off as part of the Golden Bears’ second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay. Cal won the team title with 513 points at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. Georgia finished second with 452 and Stanford was third at 363.

  SAILING

  Iceberg causes race change

  Volvo Ocean Race crews are speeding through the Southern Ocean toward Cape Horn in the fifth leg on Sunday after organizers guided them clear of a 1km-wide iceberg that was blocking their path. The massive iceberg was spotted on the Race HQ satellite screens at the end of last week and has led to a hasty change in the positioning of ice gates in the toughest of all nine stages in the nine-month offshore marathon. The ice limits will force the boats to sail clear of the iceberg’s passage in the Southern Ocean. Crews will be penalized if they sail over these boundaries toward hazardous areas. The iceberg itself is not the major hazard. Growlers — or chunks of ice that have broken off it are a more potent threat — as they can be unseen by the crews until the last minute.

  BASKETBALL

  Marbury leads Ducks in win

  Stephon Marbury’s professional rebirth in China continues to bear fruit, leading the Beijing Ducks to their second consecutive title and third overall championship since joining the team. The 38-year-old former NBA standout was named series all-star following Beijing’s 106-98 victory over the Liaoning Leopards on Sunday. Marbury had a roller-coaster NBA career, in which he was twice named as an All-Star, but also endured a string of disappointing stints with several NBA teams. He is an unrivaled fan favorite in Beijing and the team’s on-court leader — there is even a statue of him in front of its arena. Marbury has said he plans to stay in China after retiring and hopes to coach the national team one day.

  BASEBALL

  Jose Pirela hurt after crash

  New York Yankees prospect Jose Pirela suffered a concussion on Sunday after crashing hard into the outfield wall in a Major League Baseball spring training game against the New York Mets. Pirela was sent to hospital for a CT scan and cervical MRI, the Yankees said. The 25-year-old, who usually plays the infield, was in center field and chasing a drive hit by the Mets’ Juan Lagares, who made it around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Pirela’s head and right shoulder slammed into the padded fence and he collapsed to the warning track.

  GOLF

  Madeira Open canceled

  The Madeira Islands Open was canceled due to bad weather on Sunday and the European Tour will look to stage the event later in the year. Torrential rain meant that no play was possible in the second and final round at Santo da Serra on Sunday. It is thought to be the first time a European Tour event has been canceled due to bad weather since the European Grand Prix in 1998.
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