BASEBALL
Mexico eliminates Taiwan
Catcher Raul Leon drove in five runs with a homer and a single as Mexico eliminated Taipei, Taiwan with an 11-1 victory in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday at the Little League World Series. Mexico will face Japan or Venezuela, who are both unbeaten and were to play yesterday. Leon drove in only one run during Mexico’s first three games. He homered in the first inning for a 3-0 lead, spreading his arms in celebration as he rounded the bases. In the second inning, he came up with the bases loaded and singled sharply to center field for two more runs during a four-run rally. Mexico second baseman Andres Villa made the highlight reels when he scooped a grounder with his glove to the shortstop to start a double play in the second inning. Villa hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Ernesto Rios followed with a solo shot to end it.
OLYMPICS
Japan offers no guarantee
Japan are unable to guarantee they will meet an International Olympic Committee (IOC) deadline to complete work on the new National Stadium in time for the 2020 Games. IOC vice president John Coates, on a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday, asked Japan to deliver the stadium by January 2020 ahead of the Games, which are scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 9. Japanese Minister of Olympics Toshiaki Endo said the deadline, set so the venue can host necessary test events prior to the Games, would be tough to meet.
OLYMPICS
LA projects US$161m surplus
After anxiety over taxpayer costs helped cripple Boston’s 2024 Olympic bid, organizers in potential stand-in Los Angeles disclosed a budget on Tuesday that shows the city holding a US$161 million surplus after staging events from Santa Monica beaches to the Hollywood Hills. Los Angeles, which hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics, is viewed as the likely replacement for Boston’s failed bid because the city’s many existing venues could help keep costs low. The Los Angeles plan projects spending US$4.1 billion; Boston’s budget was about US$4.6 billion, but billions more could have been needed for construction, security and other costs.
FOOTBALL
Steelers sign Michael Vick
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed quarterback Michael Vick to a one-year deal, the team announced on Tuesday. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the veteran is expected to act as back-up to Pro Bowl signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger. The 35-year-old Vick spent last season with the New York Jets, but was used sparingly behind the impressive Geno Smith. A No. 1 overall draft pick for the Atlanta Falcons in 2001, Vick lit up the NFL as a dynamic runner and passer before missing two seasons because of a prison sentence for federal gambling and dog fighting charges. Vick, who returned from his hiatus to spend five seasons at the Philadelphia Eagles, has since redefined his career as a veteran locker room presence.
RUGBY UNION
NZ Rugby re-sign Smith
Scrumhalf Aaron Smith has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby for the next four years, joining a group of younger players who will carry the All Blacks forward when senior players retire after this year’s World Cup. The 26-year-old Smith, who has played 41 Tests and is New Zealand’s first-choice scrumhalf, joins winger Julian Savea, lock Brodie Retallick and hooker Dane Coles in signing deals that continue through the 2019 World Cup.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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