NFL
Sharper gets prison sentence
Former NFL star Darren Sharper has been sentenced to 18 years and four months in prison in a case where he was accused of drugging and raping as many as 16 women in four states. US District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced Sharper on Thursday. He earlier pleaded guilty in federal court in New Orleans to drugging three women so he could rape them. He also has pleaded guilty or no contest in state courts in Louisiana, Arizona, California and Nevada to charges arising from allegations of drugging and raping women. Prosecutors suggested a nine-year prison term for Sharper under a multi-jurisdictional plea deal, but Milazzo in June rejected it as too lenient. The sentence, 18 years and four months imprisonment, was 15 months short of the maximum. Sharper was also fined US$20,000.
GOLF
Cabrera-Bello takes lead
Rafa Cabrera-Bello boosted his Ryder Cup hopes with a sizzling start, earning a share of the first-round lead with US’ Kevin Na at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina on Thursday. The long-hitting Spaniard bagged an eagle and five birdies for a seven-under-par 63 in the first round at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro. Cabrera-Bello and Na are two strokes ahead of a group of five that includes Englishman Luke Donald, whose cause was helped by a hole-in-one with a nine-iron from 163 yards (149m) at the par-three 16th. American Jim Furyk, in his first round since carding a PGA Tour-record 58 in the final round at the Travelers 11 days ago, continued his machine-like ball-striking en route to a 66. He has hit 38 successive greens in regulation.
CRICKET
India ahead in fourth Test
Less than a day after becoming the world No. 1 ranked Test nation, India made a solid start in the fourth Test against the West Indies on Thursday, picking up two wickets before rain halted play for the day in Trinidad. Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed one scalp each as the West Indies advanced to 62-2 in 22 overs at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. India assumed the top Test spot on the International Cricket Council rankings when Australia lost the third Test in their series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. However, the stay at the top could be short lived, as India need to beat the West Indies in the fourth Test to stop Pakistan from taking over top position.
RUGBY UNION
Harris ruled out for season
New Zealand hooker Nathan Harris has been ruled out of today’s Rugby Championship match against Australia after sustaining a knee injury in training. The All Blacks yesterday said that Harris injured his ACL tendon in a session late on Thursday and will be replaced by Codie Taylor. Regular hooker Dane Coles was promoted to the bench despite not being selected originally as he recovers from a rib cartilage injury. “Looks like he’ll be out for the season,” All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said of Harris. Hansen said Coles had only traveled with the squad to Sydney to receive treatment after being hurt while leading the Hurricanes to their first Super Rugby title two weeks ago. However, with Harris out, Hansen had no alternative but to call on his first-choice rake.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
PREDICTION: Last week, when Yu’s father made a wrong turn to the former champions’ parking lot, he said that his son could park there after this year With back-to-back birdies on the 18th hole, Kevin Yu fulfilled his driving range-owning dad’s prediction that he would win the Sanderson Farms Championship and become Taiwan’s third golfer to claim a US PGA Tour title. The Taoyuan-born 26-year-old, who represented Taiwan in the Olympic golf at Paris, saw off Californian Beau Hossler in a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday. Having drained a 15-foot putt to claw his way into the playoff, Yu rolled in from five feet on the first extra hole, ensuring he joined Chen Tze-chung (LA Open in 1987) and Pan Cheng-tsung (RBC
LeBron James and eldest son Bronny James claimed a piece of NBA history on Sunday after making their long-awaited first appearance alongside each other for the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo appeared together at the start of the second quarter in the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles. While LeBron James impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on court before sitting out the second half, Bronny found the going harder with zero points in just over 13 minutes on court. The younger James attempted just one
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