ATHLETICS
US to focus on Rio qualifiers
The US have not set a medal target for this year’s Pan American Games and are focused instead on the handful of sports that offer direct qualification to next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics, US Olympic Committee officials said on Friday. US athletes have traditionally occupied top spot in the medals rankings at the quadrennial multi-sport event, but these Pan Am Games in Toronto, which run through July 26, are to be about earning the 10 available automatic berths to the Rio Games. US athletes will be seeking Olympic qualification in field hockey, equestrian, canoe/kayak, diving, pentathlon, shooting, synchronized swimming, table tennis, triathlon and water polo by winning gold. A team of 623 US athletes featuring 111 Olympians is to compete and, according to the officials, their toughest challenge is to come from Brazil and hosts Canada.
SOCCER
Telefonica buys TV rights
Spanish telecom giant Telefonica is to pay 600 million euros (US$669.4 million) for exclusive rights to screen Spain’s top soccer matches next season, it said on Friday. The company and La Liga on Friday signed “an agreement for the marketing of the exploitation of audiovisual content rights for the pay-per-soccer in the domestic market, for the 2015-2016 season,” Telefonica said in a statement in English. It said the deal was “also beneficial for the rest of the operators, clubs and supporters.” La Liga last week estimated that selling the international TV rights would bring in another 600 million euros per season. That would boost the overall TV revenue for the Spanish league from about 785 million euros in the 2013-2014 season to 1.2 billion euros overall for 2015-2016. Friday’s deal was struck under a new system of collective bidding that aims to boost revenue and help Spain’s La Liga compete with the likes of the English Premier League.
SOCCER
Basti to head to United: Bild
German newspaper Bild said Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is set to leave Bayern Munich for Manchester United. The 30-year-old midfielder would be reunited with former Bayern coach Louis van Gaal, who is preparing for his second season in charge of United. Bild said Schweinsteiger, who has a year remaining on his Bayern contract, is to join on a three-year deal in a transfer worth about US$20 million. Germany’s Sky TV also reported on Schweinsteiger’s impending departure after spending his entire career at Bayern. When asked last week if Schweinsteiger would be at Bayern next season, coach Pep Guardiola said: “When I think about the next season, always Basti is here, but what will happen ... I don’t know.”
SOCCER
West Ham sign Ogbonna
West Ham United have signed Italy defender Angelo Ogbonna from Juventus. Ogbonna, 27, joined on a four-year deal to become the London club’s fourth signing of the summer transfer window. Ogbonna made his name with Torino before joining rival Juventus in 2013, winning two Serie A titles and the Italian Cup. Ogbonna, who has played 10 times for Italy, was an unused substitute during Juventus’ Champions League final loss to Barcelona last month. West Ham’s season has already begun under new manager Slaven Bilic, advancing into the second qualifying round of the Europa League on Thursday by completing a victory over Andorra club Lusitans. West Ham next play Birkirkara of Malta.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
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