SOCCER
Two killed in Morocco
Two people were killed and 51 injured in Morocco’s largest city on Saturday when rival fans of the Raja de Casablanca club brawled after a home game. The running battles, in which the rival fans threw flares and ripped up parts of the Stade Mohamed V, came despite a 2-1 victory for the home team over Chabab Rif Al Hoceima of Al Hoceima in northern Morocco. Moroccan media said 11 cars parked on streets outside the stadium had been pelted with stones. Security forces eventually quelled the violence and injured people were evacuated to hospitals, authorities said. Prosecutors have opened an inquiry into the fan trouble and police had made 10 arrests.
ATHLETICS
Eaton wins at indoors
Ashton Eaton captured his third straight heptathlon title at the world indoor track and field championships, taking all the suspense out of the competition with another dominating performance. The only real drama was whether he could break his own indoor world mark, but an exhausted Eaton did not have a burst in the 1,000m, the final event of seven. He finished with 6,470 points — 175 behind the indoor mark he set four years ago in Istanbul, Turkey. Eaton’s wife, Brianne Theisen-Eaton of Canada, won the pentathlon title the day before with an incredible performance in the last event. Eaton now has six straight major titles, including gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
SOCCER
Mourinho linked to United
Jose Mourinho has signed a pre-contract agreement with Manchester United with a view to replacing Louis van Gaal as manager of the English giants next season, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported yesterday. Citing sources from Gestifute, the agency company owned by Mourinho’s representative Jorge Mendes, El Pais suggested that a deal has been struck that could see the former Chelsea boss make £15 million (US$21.7 million), even if he does not end up taking charge at Old Trafford. If United do not complete the deal by May 1, Mourinho will be entitled to £5 million compensation. Should negotiations drag on beyond June 1 or break down, the 20-time English champions would owe the Portuguese a further £10 million. Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea in December last year after losing nine out the first 16 games of their Premier League defense. “I look forward to the future,” Mourinho told BT Sport this week. “I want my football back, time flies and July will be just around the corner.”
GOLF
Jason Day maintains lead
Jason Day, seeking his eighth PGA Tour victory, rebounded from a stumbling start to preserve a two-shot lead after Saturday’s rain-soaked third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida. Two ahead overnight, the world No. 3 bogeyed the par-three second after finding a bunker off the tee, but birdied three of the next six holes on the way to a two-under 70 at a soggy Bay Hill. Though Day also bogeyed the 11th, he broke two strokes clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard with a two-putt birdie at the par-five 16th before parring the last two holes to post a 15-under total of 201. “I feel like I stayed patient to grind out a two-under par,” Day told reporters.
GOLF
Chawrasia wins in India
India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia shot a one-under-par 71 to secure a win by two shots at the Hero Indian Open in New Delhi yesterday. South Korea’s Wang Jeung-hun (68) and India’s Anirban Lahiri (69) shared second place.
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
Aaliyah Edwards on Monday pulled off the stunner of the opening round of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, beating top-seeded Breanna Stewart 12-0. The tournament to be played over three days featured 23 of the WNBA’s 36 players. A few had other commitments and a couple others were out with injuries. Stewart got the ball first against Edwards and missed a contested layup. Edwards then hit a three-pointer from the corner and a jumper from the elbow to go up 5-0. The player who scores keeps the basketball. Edwards hit two layups and a three-pointer to seal the win. Stewart, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player,
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38